FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1940, Page 5

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS NEGOTIATIONS WITH SOVIET. DECISIONS NOT TO PUBLISH DOCUMENTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 21. The adjournment debate in the House of Commons was wound up by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Mr R. A. Butler, who dealt with a number of points raised. Referring to the publication of documents describing the negotiations which preceded the signature of the agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union, Mr Butler said he was not in a position to add anything to what had been categorically stated by the Prime Minister, which was to the effect that the question had been considered in company with the French Government and the Governments had come to the*conclusion that they were unable to publish these documents. There was no question of the Government being afraid to publish them. “There is such a thing as the public interest,” .continued Mr Butler, “and in debating foreign affairs as we frequently do, members sometimes underestimate the limitations which must be placed on those in authority, specially at a critical time like this, in making public every single transaction in the foreign sphere.” Mr Butler undertook that certain criticism voiced in the course of the debate on the effectiveness of the economic pressure 'being exercised against Germany would receive the serious attention of the Minister of Economic Warfare.

In a final allusion to Rumania he said he would like to assure the House that the Germans were not getting it all their own way in that part of the world.

The House adjourned till April 2.