St. Stephen's and Lemberg The criticisms in the Polish Press
regarding the visit of two British Members of Parliament to the Ukraine raise rather delicate issues. The relations between the Polish Government and its Ukrainian subjects may seem a matter of purely domestic concern. In fact they are not that, for Poland has signed a treaty placing her minorities under the protection of the League of Nations. To that extent minority problems have, or may have, an inter- national aspect ; Great Britain, as a leading member of the League of Nations Council, may become directly involved in them ; and members of the British House of Commons, whether as supporters or critics of the Govern- ment, may be not merely excused, but under certain con- ditions applauded, if they decide to instruct themselves on a given minority problem by investigations on the spot. That contention, by which Mr. Rhys Davies appears to have justified his visit to Lw6w (Lemberg), is incon- trovertible. But a visit from two Labour M.P.s to the Ukraine may well appear to the more ardent Ukrainians a token of sympathy with their cause, particularly since the visitors would naturally return courtesy for courtesy, and compliments,- conveyed through an interpreter; might easily be mistaken for congratulations. Anything like congratulation of the Ukrainians on their attitude towards Warsaw would be singularly out of place. The whole question is sub judice and the one thing certain is that there are wrongs on both sides. The Poles certainly go too far in suggesting that British M.P.s have no business in the Ukraine. On the other hand, if the M.P.s do go there they should conduct themselves with more than ordinary discretion. Mr. Barr and Mr. Davies must be held innocent on that count till they are proved guilty. In point of fact they • seem to have been at pains to keep in touch with the Polish authorities throughout.
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