ANGLO-SOVIET RELATIONS

Northern Advocate, 21 December 1929, Page 9

ANGLO-SOVIET RELATIONS

RESUMPTION ENDORSED. COMMONS STANDS BY GOVERN*, MENT., .-.I ■■ ~ ■'*; ■■ r (British pfficial .Wireless.) r;ir (Received. ; 9 a.m.) - RUGBY, December 19,«■

In the House of Commons, during it debate on the question, of resumption .of relations with Russia*Captain P. D. MacDonald (COn., Isleof Wight)" proposed a “ mbffon i disapproving the Government's negotiations with Russia, and condemning the careless drafting of the protocol of the.agreement. v i Captain <R. A. Edfen (Cohj' War* Wick) in seconding the motion Said he could , not understand, the fascination felt by Labour members for ca» resses of the boar Whlch'Tiad already killed one, and might-be expected id: exterminate another, Labour.. Govern* meat. i ' ■ ■ . The . former Secretary of ■State- for Foreign Affairs, Sir Austen .Chamberlain, said tho protocol provided for the Approval■ ? df Parliament; Even Tf, M? Henilersdn meant of Lords, ho should not imply in offi* ckl documents that the sanction of the House of Commons Whs the. sanction, of Parliaments In the negotia* .tions Mr Henderson had • shown - him?' self as squeezable-as putty ia tho hands of the vSoviet and had. prepared the way for the exacerbation Of tho bitterness of the Soviet propaganda,, throughout the Empire. Mr Henderson, in replying, said it was a surprising thing to' submit such a motion, when the House of Commons by a majority of 125 had already accepted the negotiations and their result. Parliament was the right word to use, to make plain that the execu-. tivc could act only after approval by .the relevant Parliamentary- authority. Regarding propaganda; there had been.an exchange of Notes on the subject, and, in addition; at the request of the Dominions, there would be a supplementary Note, in Which the name of each Dominion would be specimentioned. The Soviet's prom* ises regarding propaganda would thus apply to the whole Empire/ including India. ... The motion was defeated .by 264 votes to 107.