Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎158v] (316/442)

1993 Supply (Committee). HOUSE OF COMMONS Foreign Office. 1994
[Mr. N. Buxton.]
of such a friendly character that we can
help on that process, because it would re
move anxiety which is keenly felt in this
country. There is another matter on
which I hope the Foreign Secretary will
have something to say, because he has
recently promised the publication of Be-
ports—I refer to the matter of the Indians
on the Upper Amazon, which again is exer
cising the minds of a large number
of people. There has been very long
delay in publishing the Reports which
were made by Sir Roger Casement. Sacri
fices are worth making for our friends;
but there is a limit to the sacrifice of our
principles and of our normal duties which
are involved in considering their feelings,
and we would very generally welcome a
statement from the Foreign Secretary that
the reports will be published at an early
date. There are possibilities that the
German Government might take a part in
the solution of questions such as this ques
tion of the Indians in South America.
Whatever solution may be possible in that
■ way would be accelerated by better rela
tions between ourselves and Germany.
Underlying these questions and the
Persian questions, which have occupied
most of the time to-day, there is the great
feud which blocks progress in so many
ways. It is like an incubus on the progress
of the world, and if it is notl settled, then
to talk of the Persian question and these
other questions is almost like Nero fiddling
while Rome is burning, or it might be com
pared to try to make a 'watch go
though the spring is broken.
Everybody has been glad to hear the
Foreign Secretary use much more hopeful
words to-day than have been heard for a
long time past. But it is the business of
this House to voice opinions of different
kinds wRich are held in the country. I
believe that outside there is more interest
in foreign affairs than inside. There is
widely prevailing a feeling of uneasiness
with regard to the Anglo-German situa
tion, which perhaps the Foreign Secretary
will be able further to reassure us upon.
The situation is such that he may be able
to say more hopeful things than he had
time to say just now, but we know that a
few years ago it was possible to make re
assuring statements, and yet very strained
and critical times intervened not long
after. We also know that the irritation
prevailing in Germany has not been re
moved, and that people in very high
quarters still entertain what to our mind
are misapprehensions, and which cause
very unfortunate and very unfriendly feel
ings. On this fundamental question ihe-
Foreign Secretary has, I think, the general
support of the Opposition in the general «*•
outlines of his policy, though it is true that
on the spirit and method in which
that policy is carried out the country
is not so wholly agreed as would
be indicated by this House alone.
Last autumn a memorial was widely signed
—it was signed by a large number of Mem
bers—and presented to the Prime Minister
and the Foreign Secretary, indicating in
effect their dissatisfaction with the
diplomacy of last year. That was not
signed by Liberals alone, it was signed by
a great many Conservatives as well.
Indeed, we had a remarkable utterance
from the Leader of the Oppositon himself,
who said, that if there should be war it
would be due not to inevitable factors, but
to the want of human wisdom.
We can hardly suppose that he referred
entirely to the wisdom of other States.
We must conclude that if disaster occurred
from want of wisdom in the world, some
small portion at least of that failure to be
wise would be on our part. His utter
ance, however, was an indication of the r
fact that the feeling was not at all confined
to one party, but was a very widely pre
valent one. It is not at all pleasant for
any of us to criticise the action of the
Foreign Office, particularly from this side
of the House; neither is it at all pleasant
for us to read in Liberal journals extremely
drastic criticisms of the policy of the
Foreign Secretary; but I think they are
incidents which must be taken into
account, and which do indicate that the
feeling among the public is such as ought
to be faced by this Flouse. In my view it
may be exaggerated, But not wholly un
justified. It is not from mere cussed
ness that Liberal journals and Liberal
politicians say things of that kind. They
do not say them about other Departments.
They have no desire to say them ; but there
is uneasiness which they feel it their duty
to express. Let us hope, as the Foreign
Secretary said just now, that there is a
general improvement in this matter of
England and Germany. The papers have
not been published as to the negotiations
of last year, presumably on the ground
that the danger of strained relations has
passed; but the incomplete nature of this
past is reflected in the price of British and
German stocks. It was stated the other *
day in the Statist ” that German Govern-