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SIR A. SINCLAIR : " To stop propaganda abroad and to
evacuate the volunteers from Spain."
THE PRIME MINISTER : " To evacuate volunteers from
Spain. That, of course, is what I have described as indicating
that they are conscious of the wrong they have done. I
wonder why the right hon. Gentleman stops at Spain. Why
does he not add that they should come out of Abyssinia, too ?
It seems to me that, according to his principles, we ought to
ask them that. The right hon. Gentleman would ask it.
That exactly demonstrates the point that I am endeavouring
to make, that really this suggestion that we would enter into
conversations, providing these things were done first, is
humbug. (Interruption.)"
MR. SPEAKER : " Attacks have been made on the Govern-
ment. Surely, the Leader of the Government has a right to
reply."
MR. SHINWELL : " On a point of Order. May I ask
whether it is not perfectly appropriate that hon. Members on
this side should interject, when interjections were common
during the speech of my right hon. Friend ? "
MR. SPEAKER : " I watched very closely when the right
hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Greenwood) was speaking,
and I found that most of the interjections came from hon.
Members behind him/'
THE PRIME MINISTER : "I am not complaining of inter-
jections, as long as I am allowed to develop my argument.
What my argument is leading to is this, that no business is
ever possible on the lines which I have just been describing.
No nation with any self-respect would accept conditions of
that kind before entering into conversations. If you really
mean to have conversations, you cannot lay down such
conditions beforehand. This is merely another aspect of the
perfectly logical attitude which seems to be taken up by the
Opposition, that there are certain nations whose behaviour
has been such that they are not prepared to enter into con-
versations with them. The choice, then, simply comes down
to this : Are we prepared, do we desire to have conversations,
or not ? If we do, then it seems to me that the sooner we have
them the better.
• " There is another argument which has been prominent in