asked the Secretary of State for War why he has issued instructions for discontinuing the wearing of the single wing, the observer's badge of the R.F.C. in the last war.

The instruction referred to by the hon. Member is not new. It repeats an instruction which has been in force since June, 1940, and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend then Joint Under-Secretary of State for Air, on 8th December, 1942, to my hon. Friend the Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams).

In view of the fact that these very gallant men won the badge for operations during the last war, and that there are very few of them left, can there be any harm in continuing to allow them to wear the observer's wings; and will the right hon. Gentleman not reconsider the decision of 1942?

It is not a question of my reconsidering it. The policy is one for the Air Ministry. I merely pass on their decision in Army Council Instructions.

In view of the fact that I asked the Secretary of State for Air a similar question before Christmas, and he referred me to the Secretary of State for War, would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this decision, and give these men permission to wear this badge on their uniform?

I cannot, without refreshing my memory, recall what the Secretary of State for Air said, but it is not in my power to give permission.

In order to clear up the question of which Minister is responsible, I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether British soldiers qualified as interpreters in German, receive any extra pay.

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has now decided to relax the rule that prevents a wife serving in the same theatre of operations as her husband, so as to permit members of the A.T.S. to volunteer for service overseas in theatres of war where their husbands are serving, provided that they will not be serving in the same unit.

In the answer I gave my hon. Friend to his supplementary question on 21st December, I was referring to husbands and wives serving in the same unit. There is no rule forbidding them from serving in the same theatre. I am sorry I did not make this clear.

Does that also apply to voluntary organisations serving with the Army?

I think that is a matter which is now under consideration, and I would be very grateful if my hon. Friend would put a Question down so that I can give him a considered answer.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the decision of His Majesty's Government to make available an additional 250,000 men for the Army, he has now any further statement to make on the posting of auxiliaries of the A.T.S. overseas.

A considerable part of this 250,000 will have to be found by the Army from its own resources. They will be combed out from rearward establishments and drafted to fighting units. This process has in fact been going on for many months now and very large numbers of men have been retrained for more active roles. But except for such circumstances as a reduction in the needs of static defence occasioned by changes in the military situation or where it is permissible to adopt slightly lower administrative standard the men combed out will have to be replaced. We are relying on providing a considerable number of such replacements by the new proposals for posting members of the A.T.S. overseas announced by me on 21st December last. We shall also have to rely to some extent on tightening up the criteria for releases from the Army.

As regards the posting of A.T.S. overseas, let me make it clear that if there are enough volunteers nobody need be posted, that no auxiliary who is either married or under 21 will be posted compulsorily. Moreover none will be sent to India except as volunteers and it is not proposed to send any to Burma or West Africa either compulsorily or as volunteers. With regard to the mixed batteries of anti-aircraft which are now coming into action on the Western Front, all women are volunteers.

Do I understand from my right hon. Friend that he has called for volunteers from the A.T.S. for this purpose, in order to form some estimate of what percentage of these requirements is supplied by volunteers only?

Certainly, Sir, the process of volunteering has been going on for a very long time, and the reason for the change has been that in certain spheres the stream of volunteers has, at any rate for the time being, dried up.

May we have this clearly from the right hon. Gentleman? On the last day before we went into Recess the right hon. Gentleman said that there would be no posting until the House had met. Surely, the House understood that there would be some discussion in the House before any posting took place?

No posting has taken place. I carried out my promise and shall carry out my promise. The matter of an opportunity for discussion is not one for me, but for the Leader of the House, but I can assure the hon. Member that I am not in the habit of breaking promises.

I am not saying that the right hon. Gentleman has broken his promise, but does not his answer mean that the policy is going to be carried out without discussion in this House?

If the policy of accepting volunteers is made widely and fully known, may it not be that the question will not arise at all?

I assure the hon. Member that it has been made known repeatedly in every unit throughout the country.

asked the Secretary of Stale for War whether he is aware that A.C.I. No. 1527, of 1944, which asserts that it is an offence against King's Regulations for all ranks to permit their names to be published for political purposes or to sign public petitions, circulars and appeals dealing with political matters, has no justification in law; and whether he will have this misrepresentation of the legal position withdrawn.

The A.C.I. referred to does not make the assertion mentioned in the first part of the hon. and learned Member's Question. It says in effect that an officer or soldier who permits his name or opinion on a Service matter to be published for political purposes or adds, or allows his name to be added to a public petition, circular or appeal dealing with political matters, may be held to have contravened the King's Regulations. The question whether in a particular instance there has been a contravention of those Regulations is one for determination by the responsible military authority. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is almost impossible for any intelligent lawyer to suggest that the matters suggested in the first part of the Army Council Instruction could be offences at all; and is it not just a blackmailing threat?

It is not in the least a threat; it is a warning.

Does the prohibition of the expression of political opinions by Army officers apply to General Scobie, who recently expressed opinions about minorities in Greece?

If the hon. Member wants to ask a question about General Scobie in a particular instance, he should put it down.

asked the Secretary of State for War what reasons the commanding officer of No. 11 convalescent camp, C.M.F., had for stopping the lecture on the International Brigade fixed and advertised for 13th September last; and whether he is aware that the soldier invited to give the lecture, who had done much to build up at that camp a fine occupational therapy department, was unexpectedly posted, shortly after the date of a previous question on that subject, to a remote camp where he is in charge of whitewashing and other general maintenance work.

I have nothing at present to add to the facts I have already given the hon. and learned Member about this case, but I am inquiring into the allegations made in the last part of his Question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman inquiring also into the first part of the Question, because the only reason which he gave me previously for an officer doing a ridiculous thing, was that the officer had power to do it?

I do not agree that that is a fair summary of the letter which I wrote to the hon. and learned Member.

Are we to understand that a lecture on the International Brigade is prohibited in the British Army?

The hon. Member is to understand nothing except that the arrangement of lectures in a unit is a matter for the commanding officer.

May we take it from that answer that the Minister's job is to ensure that Members will understand nothing?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in order to minimise the period of overseas service in the Army, he will cause a review to be made of all war establishments in non-operational commands.

This process has been going on for many months. This is being intensified in consequence of the announcement made on 22nd December. The primary object of the process is, however, to produce men to sustain the units and formations in contact with the enemy and it is, I fear, unlikely that it will have a material effect on the Python scheme, at any rate for the time being.

Will care be taken to prevent a recurrence of what happened in one case, where, within three months, the reduction in the non-operational staff has been more than made up by the same Command?

I would rather like to have information about the Command in which it happened.

I will give it to the right hon. Gentleman.

Is a special effort being made to cut down the establishment in non-operational theatres in the Middle East?

That is really the only large non-operational theatre, so that, obviously, my answer applies to establishments there.

asked the Secretary of State far War the principles an which compassionate leave is granted in cases of marital infidelity on the part of wives whose husbands are serving overseas.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the table I circulated with the reply I gave a number of hon. Members on 7th November. As stated in that answer, this table was intended only for general guidance to Commanders overseas, with whom in all cases the final decision rests.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether provision is made for the granting of compassionate or privilege leave to France to soldiers whose parents reside in France and who have not seen their parents since the outbreak of war.

This question is now being considered with the other Government Departments concerned and with the authorities in France.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has now considered the possibility of posting nursing personnel as between overseas theatres in order to minimise the burden of service in tropical theatres.

Yes, Sir. Such exchanges are being effected between certain theatres of war. The possibilities are, however, limited.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, as the Government's interim demobilisation plan makes no provision for exceptional treatment of officers and other ranks relegated to low medical categories unfitting them for further combatant service, such persons are now retained on sedentary work in home establishments; and whether to facilitate their rehabilitation in civilian life, he will arrange that persons sent back to this country on relegation to medical category C may be granted honourable discharge in advance of the demobilisation plan.

No, Sir. The present man-power position does not enable us to dispense with the services of officers and men who can be usefully employed in the Army. Those working in home establishments are in fact releasing fitter men for employment overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that censors attached to S.H.A.E.F. have recently been given instructions to pass those communications from front line war correspondents which state that allied progress has been good; and whether he will take steps to see that, within the bounds of military security, war correspondents are free to send to their papers information free from propaganda content.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." The matter is, of course, one for the Supreme Allied Commander, but I understand that the copy of war correspondents is censored for military security only, and that at no time have S.H.A.E.F. censors received instructions that they should be influenced by considerations of propaganda in the course of their censorship duty.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the allegation contained in the first part of my Question was made by responsible war correspondents, who passed the information on to London papers, in which it was printed; and may we take it from his reply that these statements which were printed in the London papers were incorrect, and that the war correspondents were misinformed?

I can only give the hon. Member the information which I derive from S.H.A.E.F. If he wishes me to inquire into particular allegations, I certainly will do so, but the only course open to me is to send them to the Supreme Commander.

asked the Secretary of State for War if Allied troops operating on the Western Front are adequately provided with white tunics for operations in snow-covered country.

Enough stocks are held in the theatre of war to provide snow suits for those who need them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the Army at the delay in publishing awards of decorations, including immediate awards; and what steps he proposes to take to accelerate such publication.

The delay in publishing awards of decorations is due partly to the time it often takes in the course of operations for the recommendations to reach the Commander-in-Chief from his subordinate commanders, partly to the necessity to check carefully the particulars of the individuals concerned so as to ensure that no mistake is made, and partly to the considerable increase in the number of recommenations made when, as in the last months, there has been heavy and incessant fighting. I very much regret this delay and all possible steps to reduce it will certainly be taken. But in present circumstances it may not be possible to reduce it appreciably.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware there is considerable unhappiness among soldiers in the Near East over the leave plan; and if he is now in a position to grant repatriation after four years' service to men in non-operational areas such as the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are now the maximum periods of service overseas in the Middle East and Far East, respectively.

I will refer to the reply I gave a number of hon. Members on 26th September. The position has not altered since then except for the introduction of the short leave scheme announced by the Prime Minister on 17th November.

Is there not now in this non-operational theatre a sufficiency of men for a relaxation of the regulations in regard to leave?

I have already answered a question on that this morning. If this had been the case, I can assure the hon. Member it would have been done.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this unhappiness does really occur?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in many cases in Italy men have had no period of leave for 12 months; and will he go into the matter to see if it is at all possible to grant at least seven days' leave every three months?

The question of local leave in Italy is a quite different one. If the hon. Member has specifically identifiable cases which show that there is any general shortage of local leave in Italy, I shall be very glad to go into them, but it is a different question from that raised by the hon. Member for Central Bradford (Mr. Leach).

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a considerable feeling of unfairness among the soldiers who have returned from Italy, that all the privileges seem to be granted to those who are in the Liberation Army on the Continent, and can he see to it that any privileges in this respect are given to troops from Burma and the Middle East?

That may be the impression but to the best of my knowledge there is not the slightest foundation for it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that most of the complaints coming in our post-bags now are that there are very few allocations per 100 and that in a good many cases men who have been away three or four years are not benefiting by any scheme at all? That is the gravamen of their complaint. Cannot something be done to give the men confidence in the Prime Minister's scheme?

The Prime Minister's announcement made quite clear the magnitude of the scheme, and that it was of a limited character.

Can the right hon. Gentleman ensure that when these men do come on leave, the leave is not counted until they have reached home, because it is most unsatisfactory that this period should begin in the middle of the night when there are no trains until 4 or 5 hours later?

I think arrangements have been made to prevent that as much as possible, but in view of the vast variety of places to which the troops go, a certain number of incidents of that kind are bound to take place. However, we have taken steps to reduce them to the very minimum. I would not like to say for certain, but my impression is that in the calculation of leave, a reasonable allowance is made for travelling so that leave often starts from the time they reach home, but if the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question on that, I will give him an answer.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us to what period the average length of service abroad has been reduced, because there has been considerable irritation?

The period stands as stated in my answer of 26th September. I would be very grateful if the hon. Member would read that answer, because it was very carefully drafted. Answers which are given without regard to the qualifications, are telegraphed out to commands overseas and are apt to be misleading. If, after reading that answer, the hon. Gentleman wishes to ask any particular questions, I shall be glad to answer them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to state why Sapper F. W. White, No. 14712834, was sent overseas on 11th December, 1944, although he had been ill from September, 1944, had been in Caterham Hospital during November and discharged with 32 boils; that on 8th December his military doctor ordered him to bed in his billet and arranged for a specialist to see him on the 13th, but he was sent overseas on 11th December; that on 4th January 1945 his father heard that he was in hospital and receiving penicillin injections every three hours; and what his intentions are in regard to those who were responsible for sending the man away in such a state.

Inquiries are being made into this case.

In view of the anxiety of the parents of this young man, could my right hon. Friend give any idea as to when he will be able to make a reply?

I will do it as quickly as I can, but I cannot give a specific date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider appointing to the Advisory Council for the Treatment of Offenders, a member of the subordinate grades of the prison service, who would be able to bring practical experience to the meetings of the Council.

I recognise that prison officers have valuable experience of which the Council, when it comes to take evidence about the treatment of prisoners, will no doubt be glad to avail itself. I have, however, deliberately refrained from appointing to the Council any of my own officers or, indeed, any one representing a particular interest.

Does the Minister realise that one of the difficulties of such bodies as he has appointed is that they make recommendations without realising the practical consequences in terms of the duties of the prison officer himself? Would it not be an actual safeguard to appoint such an officer to the Council?

Yes, Sir, but my hon. Friend will be perfectly well aware that there are many interests with specialised knowledge, and if we started to appoint one interest to the Council, it would raise difficulties with the other interests. Therefore we thought it advisable to make sure that the members of the Council should not be appointed because of any special interest.

Would the right hon. Gentleman not consider appointing to such an Advisory Council one who has been in prison but has received remission of sentence?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the changes being made in the educational system of the U.S.S.R. with the object of adapting it to the conditions of modern civilisation, involving the allocation of a greatly increased proportion of school time to science; and whether he will consider the advisability of similar changes in the Scottish system of school education.

I have been unable to obtain particulars of the changes in the educational system of the U.S.S.R. to which the hon. Member refers. Some time ago, however, I asked the Advisory Council on Education in Scotland to review the post primary Scottish educational system, and their investigations will no doubt cover the question of the time to be allocated and the importance attached to various subjects in the curriculum. I am sure the Council will be very glad to have any observations on developments in the U.S.S.R. of which my hon. Friend may be aware.

asked the Minister for Fuel and Power whether he can give an assurance that Government Departments have no preference as to coal consumption, and that they are carrying out both the letter and the spirit of the Minister's regulations and recommendations.

Yes, Sir.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman have further inquiries made, especially with regard to the Government Departments at Colwyn Bay?

Obviously my hon. Friend has asked me a question on Government Departments as a whole. I can assure him that, taking the Depart- ments as a whole, they are treated in exactly the same way as other civilian buildings. Returns show that consumption, as compared with the pre-war period, has decreased by 24 per cent.

Is not preferential treatment given to big houses—there is one in South Kensington—over the small cottages in West Ham?

There is no preferential treatment. Any householder can approach the local fuel officer if he is in special circumstances, and the local fuel officer has discretion to deal with the matter. When it comes to the question of the larger houses, their cuts are out of all proportion to the smaller houses.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say why preference is given to the Members' Smoking Room against other parts of the House used by other hon. Members?

I should not have thought that there was any preference given: it seems just as warm as anywhere else.

Do big houses in South Kensington get more than the one hundredweight per week allowed?

Any householder who can show special circumstances, such as sickness or large numbers of people in the house, is entitled to go to the local fuel officer, who has discretion to make an additional grant. That applies to all houses.

But what I want to know is, do they get more than one hundredweight per week?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) why the Ewehurst Colliery, Dipton, has been closed by the order of his Regional Controller;

(2) if, in view of the fact that the shares of the Ewehurst Colliery Company are held by members of His Majesty's Forces, that the miners who have regularly worked there have petitioned to restart the colliery and guaranteed to produce an average of five tons per manshift at the coal face, with an average production of at least three tons per employee, a higher production than that of neighbouring collieries to which these miners have been transferred, he will reconsider his decision and reopen this colliery.

This colliery has ceased production on at least three occasions, the last being in February, 1943, when, after discussion with my regional controller, the receiver and manager of the colliery agreed that he was unable to maintain production owing to lack of labour. Both underground workers then employed were transferred to other collieries. The withdrawal of these two men from collieries where they are regularly employed to a small undertaking from which production has in the past few years been intermittent is not justified and would not result in an increase in output.

In view of the expected reply received, and the difference in the recital of the facts, I give notice now that I will raise this burning matter on the Adjournment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if his attention has been drawn to the hardship imposed upon the general public through clothes rationing and the consumption of reserves of wearing apparel over a spell of 3½ years; and whether some concessions can be made in the next rationing period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is yet in a position to state what the clothing ration will be after 1st February.

As from 1st February next a further 24 clothing coupons will be available. But in view of the heavy and increasing demands by the Supply Departments for labour and materials, and the need to provide, in advance, clothing for those to be demobilised from the Forces, I cannot at present say how long the next rationing period will last. This must depend on the course of the war and, although I hope to be able to make a further issue of coupons to the general public on 1st August, this may not prove possible until the 1st September. But I shall, in any case, arrange that a further issue is made on 1st August for the children. All the clothing coupons in the 1942–43 and 1943–44 books remain valid.

While thanking the Minister for his sympathetic reply, may I ask him whether he will bear in mind the urgent need for more children's clothing and children's and adults' footwear?

Yes, Sir, I am very well aware of that, and I am giving constant attention to it, subject to the difficulties which I know my hon. and gallant Friend appreciates very well.

While thanking the Minister for his reply, and also for promising a further issue of children's coupons on 1st August, which will be especially welcome, may I ask him whether he will keep in mind the urgent need for the manufacture of additional cloth to meet the certificates already issued, and for an increase in the making up of clothes particularly for children and women?

Yes, Sir, I am very conscious of that and I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour about it. Both cotton and woollen yarn are very much in mind at the present time.

In order to ease the problem of mothers of coping with the needs of their children will my right hon. Friend reduce the coupon value for necessities for children?

The difficulty about that is that it is equivalent to issuing more

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether, in view of the widespread misunderstanding which still exists concerning the conditions of sale of North American spring-wound alarm clocks, he will issue a further notice

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will particularise the functions of the newly-established regional offices of his Department; who are the head officers of each region, their salaries and the qualifications they, respectively, possess which selected them for these positions; and what will be the staff and estimated cost of the office controlling the region covering the city of Leicester.

Since the reply contains much detail, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Permits are no longer required for these clocks. But retailers may reserve supplies for customers who declare that they need an alarm clock for their work and that they do not already possess one in working order. I hope that the publicity given to this reply will remove any misunderstanding on this subject.

Will my right hon. Friend say whether it is necessary for workers to obtain a note from their employers before they can obtain an alarm clock?

No, Sir, it is not necessary at all. This is a case where the worker's word is taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why 120-volt. Exide batteries which are sold at 11s. 1d. are in short supply and other 120-volt. batteries of less reliable make, and sold at 15s. 6d., only are available; whether there is a price control order to cover the full range of batteries for wireless sets; and, if so, why is the difference of 4s. 5d. allowed to certain makes of similar voltage.

Wireless batteries are now in short supply, owing to the heavy demands of the Services, and it is necessary, therefore, to make use of the output, although small, of the higher-cost producers. Prices are controlled under the Prices of Goods Act, 1939, and those charged for both classes of battery referred to by my hon. Friend have been investigated and approved by the Central Price Regulation Committee.

While I appreciate what my right hon. Friend has said, is he not aware that batteries are largely used by people in small homesteads who are in lowly circumstances, who cannot understand why good batteries cannot be obtained while there is a plentiful supply of inferior ones from firms of doubtful reputation? Cannot he make some adjustment on behalf of small cottagers?

I am very anxious to get a fair distribution of whatever supplies there are, but the best batteries are required for the Services in a very great and increasing quantity. The less satisfactory batteries are less than 10 per cent. of the whole and they are better than nothing at all.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulties encountered by retail fruit and vegetable merchants owing to the absence of any control over the delivery of short weight; and whether he will take steps to ensure the application of weights and measures regulations in this industry.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 4th October last to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for East Renfrew (Major Lloyd), of which I am sending him a copy.

As the effects of that answer were not very satisfactory in some districts, could my right hon. Friend arrange for inspectors to do spot checks here and there, in order to let wholesalers know that they are not immune from the law in delivering to retailers?

I will look into that, but, in order to meet that request, it would be necessary to change the law, and there is not much time for that this Session.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Japanese toys manufactured since the war are coming into this country, particularly in the form of toys in crackers, or whether such toys, when marked "Made in Japan," are certainly pre-war stock.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "No, Sir"; the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any statement to make on the situation in Greece.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that British forces appear now to be the only effective police authority in Greece, His Majesty's Government will assume responsibility for the holding of elections as early as practicable in Greece and for ensuring that they shall be as free as possible from all forms in intimidation or corruption.

asked the Prime Minister if he will advise General Plastiras that the plebiscite on the question of the Greek monarchy should be held before, and separately from, the general election; and if he will endeavour to secure effective United Nations supervision of this plebiscite as well as of the election, with the particular object of preventing interference with voters by known royalist sympathisers, who have been permitted, for whatever reason, to retain arms.

I should be glad if hon. Members would be good enough to await the statements which will be made on behalf of the Government in the course of the coming Debate.

As there are some urgent issues which require to be dealt with immediately, is the right hon. Gentleman taking note of the declaration by General Plastiras on two occasions that it is the intention of his Government to clear out the E.L.A.S. Forces from Greece; and do the British Government support him in that policy and intend that British troops and British arms should be used for that purpose?

I have indicated that I think it is better to await the discussion, when these matters can be dealt with in their proper setting.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to give us some assurance that the specific points raised in the Questions on the Order Paper to-day will be covered in his statement? Otherwise it would be necessary to ask supplementary questions to-day.

It would be very difficult to ask supplementary questions when the answer that has been given is a request that the matter may be postponed till to-morrow. Therefore I will not be drawn into it.

As there is no guarantee that the right hon. Gentleman will deal with all the points involved in the Greek affair, is it not permissible to put points to him now? Does he intend in the course of the Debate to deal with the declaration made by General Scobie with regard to the position of minorities in Greece, and was General Scobie entitled as a military officer to deal with political affairs?

I think he has done admirably. I read what he said and his impromptu remarks seem to have been singularly well chosen when replying to the applause of the enormous crowds that passed his headquarters.

Can we take it that the right hon. Gentleman's statement will be better balanced and more reliable than the one we had from him before the Recess?

The hon. Member must not get too excited about these matters or he will fall into the danger of a Trotskyite deviation to the Left.

asked the Prime Minister on whose authority instructions have been issued that newspaper correspondents may not interview any members of E.L.A.S. forces.

asked the Prime Minister why newspaper correspondents in Athens were forbidden by General Scobie to interview spokesmen of the E.L.A.S. forces, although their opponents were permitted at the same time to circulate anti E.L.A.S. propaganda; and if he will urge all those now in authority in Athens, whether British or Greek, to endeavour in their public statements to promote a spirit of conciliation.

When delegates come through the lines they are guaranteed safe conduct by the Commander-in-Chief and it would therefore be quite irregular for him to allow them to see any persons other than himself or his duly authorised representatives. Such delegates remain under guard until their return to their own lines. While fighting is in progress it would obviously be undesirable for persons to cross into E.L.A.S. territory and in fact only International Red Cross representatives were allowed to do so.