asked the Chief Secretary what steps have been taken to pay compensation to the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, as indicated under the 1920 Act; and whether it is his intention to bring before Parliament proposals for compensation in the form of a gratuity?

The pensions that will be granted to the Royal Irish Constabulary on disbandment will be those laid down in the 9th Schedule of the Act of 1920 for officers and constables who are removed or are required to retire. It is proposed at an early date to introduce a Bill to give effect to these terms. An application has been received from the representative bodies of the Force for some improvement in the terms in the form of a cash payment, in addition to pension. No decision has been reached in regard to this application.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that men who joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1920 and 1921, and who were under the impression that they were undertaking a life's career, have been dismissed with a pension of 18s. a week; that these men who risked their lives in the service of their country, whilst not entitled to the unemployed donation, are placed in a position comparable to that of the unemployed who have not given such service; and whether he will consider the desirability of allowing pensioners of the Royal Irish Constabulary to commute their pensions to 10 years commutation?

Men who joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1920 or 1921, when the Government of Ireland Act was either before this House or had passed into law, cannot reasonably have entertained any such impression as that imputed to them by the hon. and gallant Member. These men are now entitled to pensions for life, ranging from 18s. a week in the case of men with less than six months' service to 21s. a week in the case of those with from 18 months' to two years' service. I do not fully understand the suggestion in the last part of the hon. and gallant Member's question, and I would remind him that in the majority of cases, a right to commute is of very doubtful value to a pensioner; but the question whether commutation can be allowed under certain conditions and for certain specified purposes is at present under consideration.

asked the Chief Secretary what steps have been taken with regard to payment of awards granted under the Criminal Injuries Acts of 1919 and 1920 to members of the Crown forces in Ireland; whether he is aware that there are numbers of such cases where no compensation has been received although awarded many months ago; and if he will take steps to ensure that a full and early payment of the awards is made?

As I have already informed the House I hope to make a full statement on this subject at an early date. I would add, as regards the second part of the question. that substantial advances have been paid, except in about 20 cases, in respect of all decrees for personal injury to Crown servants made up to 31st December last.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he has considered the resolutions sent to him on behalf of representa- tive labour organisations in Scotland, calling for the release of or substantial remission of the sentence passed upon John Maclean; and whether, in view of the verdict of the jury, which definitely excluded incitement to violence, it is proposed to take any steps to give effect to those, resolutions?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the jury found that the words used by the prisoner were calculated to excite popular disaffection, commotion and resistance to lawful authority, but that it was not the panel's intention to incite to violence I had the terms of the jury's finding in view when I reached the conclusion that there was no sufficient reason to justify me in advising any interference with the sentence imposed.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he will take into consideration the advisability of reconstituting without delay the Committee presided over by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Scottish Universities, to report to him, as an advisory body, on the proposals of the Economy Committee in so far as Scottish education in general, and the salaries of teachers in Scotland in particular, are concerned, in view of the widespread belief that conditions in Scotland may be treated in a manner similar to that to be adopted in England in spite of their complete lack of similarity?

The Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, has rendered the course suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend unnecessary. Under Section 20 a Council has been established for the express purpose of advising the Department on general educational matters, while Section 6 (1) (c) requires the Department to consult with representatives of the education authorities and of the teaching profession before taking any action in regard to salaries.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in October last a deputation representative of parish councils attended at the Scottish Health Office and were given the authority to make up the wages of any workmen to £2per week; and whether, in view of this, he will make careful inquiries into the truth of the allegation that workmen employed full time at Scottish Oils, Limited, which is controlled by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, in which the Government is financially interested, have, in consequence of the lowness of their wage, been placed in the category of those entitled to Poor Law relief?

I am informed that at a meeting between the Board and a deputation from the Uphall Parish Council and the Scottish Shale Miners' Association, held on 25th September, 1921, in reply to a question from a member of the deputation, they were informed that if the parish council were satisfied that the wages earned by a man were not sufficient for the adequate support of himself and his family they might, in the special circumstances then prevailing, bring the income up to the level of the scale of relief being given. The Board, however, on considering the question, were of opinion that the answer might be interpreted as encouraging a parish council to supplement the wages of a workman on full time, and accordingly, within a clay or two of the date of the meeting, they notified the Inspector of Poor that the above reply must not be interpreted in this sense. Thereafter they issued an instruction to parish councils expressing very clearly the opinion that any such action on the part of a parish council was illegal. I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his question of the 14th instant. I am satisfied that in no case have the parish council paid any relief to workers employed whole time.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state what provision is to be made for the officers of the Southern Irish regiments now ordered to be disbanded?

Officers belonging to Southern Irish regiments which may be disbanded will be considered for transfer to other regiments. They will not be penalised because they happen to belong to regi- ments which are being disbanded. There will be a large reduction in the number of officers in the Army; the reduction will be spread over the whole Army, and I hope to be able to announce the general nature of the scheme of reduction and the provision made for officers affected by it shortly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state what amount of money is still due to be paid from the Expeditionary Force canteens to the United Services Fund; and when it will be paid?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on 13th February to my hon. Friends the Members for Carmarthen (Mr. Hinds) and the Drake Division of Plymouth (Sir A. S. Benn).

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the present constitution and personnel (above the rank of Grade 1 clerk) and the total annual cost of the secretariat division of the Air Ministry; how many of the branches of the secretariat now in existence were in existence on 11th November, 1918; what is the total cost of those branches of the secretariat instituted since 1918; what is the total personnel of such branches (above the rank of Grade 1 clerk); and what are the scales of pay and bonus received by principals and assistant principals of these divisions?

The secretariat of the Air Ministry consists of eight divisions. The present numbers of staff above the rank of Grade 1 clerk in these divisions are, if I understand rightly the point at which my hon. and gallant Friend draws the line, 48 permanent and 16 temporary. The estimated cost of the entire staff for the current financial year is £62,000, exclusive of cost of living bonus. On 11th November, 1918, there were three divisions in the secretariat. The expanded duties of these three divisions are now performed by four divisions, and four new divisions have been instituted since 1918. Two of these new divisions were formed to deal with secretarial work on behalf of the newly created Department of Civil Aviation, and the newly transferred Department of Supply and Research. The other two new divisions are attached for similar duties to the Department of the Chief of the Air Staff, their creation having been concurrent with demobilisation and a reorganisation which involved a large reduction of staff in that Department as a whole. The total estimated cost of the entire staff of these four divisions for the present year is £21,000, excluding cost of living bonus, but this figure will be considerably reduced next year. The personnel of these divisions above Grade 1 clerk is 17 permanent and one temporary. The scales of pay of administrative principals and assistant principals in the Civil Service are respectively £700-£900 and £200-£500, plus cost of living bonus at -current rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that several non-service officials above the rank of Grade 1. clerk, formerly employed by other Departments of the Civil Service, from which their services were dispensed with on account of age, ill-health, or other causes, are now employed in the Air Ministry, and that recent representations have been made to the Air Ministry in at least one of the cases with a view to replacement by an ex-service man; and what action is the Air Ministry taking to have all such cases reviewed by a properly constituted substitution board, in the light of the altered conditions of Government employment during the past 12 months?

I am unable to identify the cases to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. If he will kindly supply some fuller particulars I will endeavour to give him the information which he requires.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether any naval officer has been employed at Sofia since the Armistice?

The senior naval officer, Danube, in addition to his normal duties, has also acted at Sofia as British representative on the Naval Inter-Allied Commission of Control for Bulgaria. The naval attaché, Rome, who is also accredited to Sofia, has visited that city in the course of his duties.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that at a conference held on Wednesday, 25th January, 1922, at the Poplar borough council chambers, at which 17 metropolitan borough councils were represented, to discuss the hardships inflicted upon ex-service men by reason of the. interpretation now placed by the Ministry of Pensions upon Article 6 of the Royal Warrant in regard to treatment allowances, it was resolved that the pensions committees in the administrative county of London should call the attention of the Minister of Pensions to the grave injustice inflicted on ex-service men by reason of change of entitlement, and demand that when a man's disability has already been declared by a medical board attributed to service in the Great War no alteration shall be made in the entitlement, and it shall not be permissible to ascribe this disablement as now being aggravated by service unless it has been proved there has been an obvious error in the original medical classification; and if he will take action in the matter?

The proceedings at the Conference mentioned have been brought to my notice, and I have arranged to receive a deputation representing the War Pensions Committees associated with the resolutions at an early date.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, if any, have now exhausted their unemployment benefit?

Apart from the persons who were granted benefit for less than the full period, exhaustion of the 16 weeks' benefit originally allowed in the Second Special Period could not occur until to-morrow. As already announced in this House, it has been decided, subject to certain conditions to grant the further six weeks' benefit permitted by the Act, making a total of 22 weeks.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the deficiency on the un- employment insurance funds to date; and to what level must unemployment fall before the weekly receipts equal the weekly expenditure?

The deficiency on the Unemployment Fund is at the present date approximately £11,600,000 out of a borrowing power of £20,000,000. The weekly receipts of the Unemployment Fund would balance the weekly expenditure if unemployment dropped to a figure of about 1,250,000. Any further improvement would put the Fund in a position to begin to liquidate its debt.

asked the Minister of Labour how many are employed directly or indirectly under the Government schemes for the relief of women unemployment; what is the total number of women employed on short time; and what palliative or remedial measures the Government has in hand?

Under the scheme for the training of women in homecrafts and allied subjects established by the Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment, which is assisted by the Government, 2,568 women are at present in training, the number of courses in operation being 61. On 31st January, 110,628 women, and in addition 11,295 girls, were claiming benefit in respect of systematic short-time working. No record is available of women and girls working short time in such a manner as not to entitle them to obtain unemployment benefit. There are no other schemes specially directed to the relief of unemployment among women other than the one indicated above, though, of course, the schemes designed by the Government to stimulate trade generally will to some extent increase the opportunity for the employment of women. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that there is to-day work in certain directions for women and that during the year 1921 the employment exchanges filled vacancies for 216,742 women and 61,057 girls—a total of 277,799. The details of these placings are contained in the reply, of which I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy, given on Wednesday last to the hon. Member for the Louth Division (Mrs. Wintringham). I would point out that, in addition to the short-time workers above referred to, women and girls who are wholly unemployed and can satisfy the statutory conditions are entitled to draw unemployment benefit, and on 31st January 310,368 women and, in addition, 24,196 girls were drawing benefit in respect of total unemployment.

asked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been drawn to a statement in the Press, made by Mr. Herbert Smith, president of the Yorkshire Miners' Association, in respect to a decision of the local unemployment committee not to grant unemployed pay to the men thrown out of work by the closing of the Woolley Colliery; and if he will cause investigations to be made with a view to see that these men receive pay in accordance with the Unemployment Insurance Act?

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a large number of men have been given notice at the Woolley Colliery, near Barnsley, owing, it was alleged, to the pits not proving a paying proposition; that the men had no other alternative but to accept the notices; that at the end of the notice they were asked to work on day-to-day contracts, which the men readily agreed to; that, while this was being done, the management put up notices that. the colliery could only be worked at very substantial reductions in wages; and will he make inquiries into this case and see that unemployment pay is given to the men thrown out of work.

As my hon. Friends are aware, the decision whether unemployment benefit is payable in any case rests with the Insurance Officer, with a right of appeal to the Court of Referees and the Umpire. The Insurance Officer, and subsequently the Court of Referees, found that the workpeople in question were unemployed in consequence of a stoppage of work due to a trade dispute, and were, therefore, disqualified for benefit under Section 8 (i) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920.

asked the Minister of Labour whether proposals concerning rates of wages and working condi- tions, twice submitted to him by the Grocery and Provision Trade Board, have yet received his sanction; and, if not, will he state his reason for declining his sanction and thereby holding up the work of that Board?

My hon. Friend will appreciate the many difficulites arising in connection with the confirmation of the first statutory minimum rates in a large section of the distributive trades at the present moment. I have accordingly referred the rates in question back to the Grocery Boards, and have invited them to reconsider the matter after the publication of the Report of the Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Cave, which is considering the working and effects of Trade Boards. I have communicated in the same sense with both the English and the Scottish Board.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that amalgamated trades unions are registered under the Trades Union Acts in the Register of Friendly Soceties; that the branches or districts of such amalgamations are also registered; that the Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners is registered as No. 93 T and the Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners Provincial Association of Bolton is registered as No. 1658 T as a district association of the amalgamated society; whether this double registration leads to confusion in connection with claims for the return of Income Tax, grants for unemployment relief, &c.; and whether he proposes to take any, and, if so, what action in the matter?

I have been asked to reply. The actual position differs from that described by the hon. Member. Some amalgamations of trade unions are registered by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies and some are not. Some branches of amalgamated trade unions are registered, bat the greater number are not. The two associations named in the third part of the question are registered, but the second is not registered as a district association of the first. There is not, so far as I am aware, any question of double registration. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Whitley Committee for the Southend-on-Sea area has passed a resolution, agreed to by both official and staff sides, expressing the opinion that the present accommodation at Southend-on-Sea is insufficient and conducive to discomfort and difficulty, and urging that the Department be requested to take early steps to effect improvement in that direction; and whether, in view of the congestion, which inconveniences both the public and the staff, he will have the matter treated as one of urgency?

I have seen this resolution. The question of providing improved accommodation for the Head Post Office at Southend-on-Sea has long been under consideration; but the matter had, of course, to be deferred during the War, and, in view of the present financial situation and the heavy arrears of Post Office building schemes, it is feared that it will be some considerable time before a solution of the difficulty can be effected. The possibility of effecting some improvement within the limits of the present building, however, is being closely examined.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the uniform delay of 24 hours onwards in the transmission of cables to and from India when sent at normal rate, and what steps he proposes to take to remove this serious ban on British trade; whether the cable between China and the United States has been broken down; if it is now repaired; if not, when it will be; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction amongst merchants, manufacturers, and other users of cables with the continued triple rate charges for urgent cables, he will take all possible steps, including representations to other Governments if necessary, to secure the abolition of the urgent trebled rate.

The delay on the Eastern Telegraph Company's cables to India has been due to the large increase of traffic since the War, and the continued interruption of the landline routes to India and the Far East. To meet the pressure the Eastern Company laid a new line of cables between this country and Singapore in 1920, and they propose to lay another line to Singapore in the near future. There has been a marked improvement in the service during the last two years, and further relief will be afforded by the Government wireless service to Egypt, which will be opened in the course of the next few months. The cable between China and the United States was interrupted in January, and was repaired on the 5th instant. The "urgent" service was introduced as the result of representations from the commercial community; and while the delay remains abnormal and an urgent service is available in foreign countries, I do not think it would be in the interests of British cable users to abolish it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is the policy of his Department to permit private corporations to own telephone cabinets at places of public resort and to allow them to fix their own charges for the privilege of using the Post Office telephone system; whether this practice is in operation at stations other than the London and North Western Railway at Euston; and, having regard to the condition in which the box is kept and to the excessive charge which is levied, whether he will resume the right to control the whole of the service which is performed by the Post Office Telephone Department?

The Post Office cannot establish or control call boxes on the premises of railway companies without their consent. Certain railway companies prefer to keep the provision and control of the call boxes at their termini in their own hands, and, like other subscribers, they are at liberty to make a charge in excess of the Post Office Call Office fee if they allow the public the use -of their premises and telephones.

asked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that the London area, in which there has hitherto been a common hour for the closing of public-houses, is the area of the London boroughs and that there is now differentiation in hours under the Act of 1921, to the inconvenience of the public, he proposes to take any steps to restore the satisfactory common working in respect to the closing hour of public-houses which has been in existence hitherto?

I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on the 14th instant.

asked the Home Secretary if he is satisfied that the cost of production of beer under the State scheme at Carlisle justifies the prices at which it is retailed; if not, whether he will inquire what the profit per bulk barrel sold is; and, if it should prove excessive., will he give instructions that the retail prices should be lowered in the Carlisle area so as to yield only a reasonable profit and assist to bring about a general reduction throughout the country?

I am satisfied that the prices at which beer is retailed under the State scheme at Carlisle are justified under existing conditions. The second and third paragraphs of the question, therefore, do not arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why persons who have bought a car from an owner who had a quarterly licence and wish to take out an annual licence are not permitted to do so, and thereby compelled to pay considerably more in licence duty than they otherwise would do?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The Regulations do not place a purchaser of a car in any different position from the vendor in relation to the licence duty. There are obvious administrative and financial difficulties in allowing the right to change from a quarterly to an annual licence, but I think the point has been largely met by the new Regulations in the Road Vehicles (Part Year Licensing) Order, 1921.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of off cider licences not held in conjunction with any other form of liquor licence, off or on, and the number of cider dealers' licences which have been issued?

Figures are not available showing the number of cider off licences not held in conjunction with any other form of liquor licence, but the total number of cider off licences issued in the last financial year was 53. The number of cider dealers' licences issued during the same period was 847.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much, if any, of the £123,000,000 under the heading of miscellaneous special receipts paid into the Exchequer this year arises from reparation payments?

No payments have been made in respect of reparation; but the total of £123,000,000 includes £30,428,000 received from Germany towards the costs of the British Army of Occupation up to 1st May, 1921.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether in view of the decline in the value of imports and exports during the year 1921 to the extent of nearly 50 per cent. against that of 1920, he is in a position to make reductions in the staff to correspond with the decline in the volume of trade; and, if not, can he explain why?

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to a question addressed to me by the hon. Member for Leyton West (Mr. Newbould) on 25th October last on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Reparation Claims Department proposes to consider the claim (No. 11.C.2/1/ 2,260/H) made by Mr. J. Scott Brown, of Cimlands, Ebford, Topsham?

Mr. Scott-Brown's claims appear to fall properly under Article 297 of the Treaty of Versailles and are being put forward to Germany by the Clearing Office. If it should not prove to be maintainable under that Article his claim in respect of personal injury will be considered under the reparation provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if Jewish colonists in Palestine have been armed; and, if so, how many rifles, etc., have been distributed?

Nine hundred rifles have been distributed among the Jewish colonists in Palestine for use in self-defence against sudden and unprovoked attack. The rifles are stored in armouries which are opend only on the express orders of the Governors of the districts in which colonists are located.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to state the date of the submission to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of the Chartered Company's claim to the commercial ownership of the lands of Northern Rhodesia?

I am in communication with the British South Africa Company regarding the proposed reference to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, but no definite arrangements have yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, since under the Cave Award the Chartered Company's claim was to be subject to two deductions, the amounts of which were to be fixed by valuations, he will say whether independent valuers have yet been appointed for this purpose?

This is one of those matters with which it is not possible to make progress at present pending the determination of the future of Southern Rhodesia.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the judgment of the High Court, Chancery Division, in the case of Colborne v. Smith; and whether any steps are being or will be taken to render impossible in future such an occurrence as that upon which the judge commented?

My attention has been drawn to this case which referred to a. dispute between the builder and the purchaser of a house completed early last year as to the title to the increase in the private builder's subsidy. As the hon. Member is aware, the scheme has now been brought to an end and consequently there will be no ground for dispute of the kind in future.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether it is his intention to issue a memorandum commenting on the findings on the Geddes Committee?

No, Sir. I do not propose to issue such a memorandum unless instructed to do so.

asked the Secretary for Mines what is the average royalty rent per ton charged in the county of Durham by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England, the Dean and Chapter of Durham, the Sherburn Hospital, Durham, and the Commissioners for Woods and Forests, respectively; and what was the total amount received by each of these bodies for the year 1921?

I regret that this information is not in the possession of my Department.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Russian trade delegates have announced themselves as agents in this country for the supply of the Moscow Izvestia, the official Soviet organ; whether he has any information showing that it is through the same agency that articles have been published in England which were supplied to the German Press by the Bolshevik propaganda bureau in Berlin; and, if so, whether the Government proposes to take any steps to enforce the pledges given on behalf of the Soviet Government by M. Krassin to abstain from propaganda in this country?

On the 1st February the "Russian Information and Review," the organ of the information department of the Russian Trade Delegation, announced that the department would act as agents for the official Moscow Izvestia and was prepared to receive subscriptions. I have no definite information in regard to the second part of the question. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on Monday, 13th February, to my hon. Friend the Member for East Islington (Mr. Raper).

asked the Prime Minister (on Monday, 20th February), what were the conditions upon which the Allied Conference decided to ask Russia to take part in the Genoa discussions, and whether these conditions have been accepted by the Soviet Government?

has now furnished the following particulars:

The Supreme Council agreed at its meeting, held at 11 a.m. on Friday, the 6th January, 1922, to accept in principle the Draft Resolution proposed by Mr. Lloyd George in regard to an Economic Conference. The Resolution was considered in detail at a further meeting of the Supreme Council held the same clay at 3.30 p.m., and was finally approved as follows:

"The Allied Powers in conference are unanimously of opinion that an Economic and Financial Conference should be summoned in February or early March, to which all the Powers of Europe, including Germany, Russia, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, should be invited to send representatives. They regard such a Conference as an urgent and essential step towards the economic reconstruction of Central and Eastern Europe, and they are strongly of opinion that the Prime Ministers of every nation should, if possible, attend it in person in order that action may be taken as promptly as possible upon its recommendations.

"The Allied Powers consider that the resumption of international trade throughout Europe and the development of the resources of all countries are necessary to increase the volume of productive employment and to relieve the widespread suffering of the European peoples. A united effort by the stronger Powers is necessary to remedy the paralysis of the European system. This effort must include the removal of all obstacles in the way of trade, the provision of substantial credits for the weaker countries and the co-operation of all nations in the restoration of normal prosperity.

"The Allied Powers consider that the fundamental conditions upon which alone-this effort can be made with hope of success may be broadly stated as follows:

"1 Nations can claim no right to dictate to each other regarding the principles on which they are to regulate their system of ownership, internal economy and government. It is for every nation to choose for itself the system which it prefers in this respect.

"2 Before, however, foreign capital can be made available to assist a country, foreign investors must be assured that their property and their rights will be respected and the fruits of their enterprise secured to them.

"(3)The sense of security cannot be reestablished unless the Governments of countries desiring foreign credit freely undertake—

"(a.) That they will recognise all public debts and obligations which have been or may be undertaken or guaranteed by the State, by municipalities, or by other- public bodies, as well as the obligation to restore or compensate all foreign interests for loss or damage caused to them when property has been confiscated or withheld.

"(b.) That they will establish a legal and juridical system which sanctions and enforces commercial and other contracts with impartiality.

"4. An adequate means of exchange must be available, and, generally, there must be financial and currency conditions which offer sufficient security for trade.

"5. All nations should undertake to refrain from propaganda subversive of order and the established political system in other countries than their own.

"6. All countries should join in an undertaking to refrain from aggression against their neighbours.

"If, in order to secure the conditions necessary for the development of the trade in Russia, the Russian Government demands official recognition, the Allied Powers will be prepared to accord such recognition only if the Russian Government accepts the foregoing stipulations."