BRITAIN AND RUSSIA
RESUMPTION OF RELATIONS
QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT.
DRAFTING OF THE PROTOCOL,
(United Press Association.)
(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, December 18. (Received Dec. 19, at 9 p.m.) Mr Arthur Henderson (Foreign Secretary), in answer to a question, said that the subjects for immediate discussion with the Soviet Ambassador were set out in the protocol. - Sir Kingsley Wood (Con.): Won’t you immediately discuss the grave religious persecution in Russia? Mr E, Majoribanks (Con.); Will you inform him that only the House of Commons can approve of the resumption of relations 1
Mr Henderson did not reply. Captain P, .D. MacDonald (Con.) moved a motion, disapproving of the Government’s negotiations with Russia and condemning the careless draftnng of the protocol of agreement. Captain A. R. Eden (Con.), in seconding the motion, said he could not understand the Labour members’ fascination for the caresses of a Bear which had already killed one and might he expected to exterminate another Labour Government. *
Sir Austen Chamberlain (Con.) said that the protocol provided for the approval of Parliament* If Mr Henderson meant to ignore the House of Lords he should not imply in official documents that the House of Commons bad Parliament’a sanction in the negotiation. Mr Henderson had shown himself to be as squeezable as putty in the hands of the Soviet, and he had prepared the way for exacerbation of the bitterness of the Soviet propaganda throughout the Empire.
Mr Henderson, in replying, said it was surprising that such a motion should be submitted 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 it plain that the executive could only act 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 specifically mentioned. The Soviet’s propaganda would thus apply to the whole Empire, including India. r 10 J he motion wa « defeated by 254 to
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 20905, 20 December 1929, Page 11
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353BRITAIN AND RUSSIA Otago Daily Times, Issue 20905, 20 December 1929, Page 11
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