The four leading personalities in the "Sandys Affair" which is causing great stir in Parliamentary circles and. with the British public at re, are shown above, Mr, Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, moved the formation of the Select Committee of Inquiry during th House of Commons debate on the question, reported in full today. The question of Commoners' privileges under the Official Secrets Act arouse from the disclosures made by Mr, Duncan Sandys, Conservative Member for Norwood, alleging he was threatened with procedure under. the Act by the Attorney-General, Sir Donald Somervell,.who took up the matter at the instance of the Secretary for War, Mr, Leslie Here-Belisha, certain incidents and on the motion fof the Prime Miniter (himself: to setup a Select Committee to en quire. into these matters, the Army Gouncit, for which the Secretary State for, War, aod the whole Gov fernment must take responsibility, fad set up a tribunal to enquire into the cognate questions and had. sum-toned a,'Member of the House to poor before it in his military The Prime Minister contended that posed to the House, was mainly concerned to see that if any servant of the Crown had acted in dereliction Of his. duty he should be brought before a competent court.
The, Committee of Privileges, which consists of the Prime Minister, Mr. [Neville Chamberlain, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr, C, R, Attlee, the Attorney. General, Sir Donald Somer-vell, Mr, Winston Churchill, "Mr. R,-'D, Denman, " National Labour Membef for Central Leeds, Sir John Gilmour, Conservative former Home the appointment of @ military court enquiry was an almost automatic Secretary "and Secretary for. Scot-proceeding and that he and Mr, Here Jan, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, Labour Euilsha. fod argued that there was {Member for Wakefeld, Mr,' George no question of the cour of enquiry Lambert, Liberal National, Sir' Hugh Tresgasaing upon the privileges of the O'NeIl, Conservative Member for trespassing upon the privileges Of Ihe Artrim' and Sir Archibald Sinclar, quiry of the Select Committee which Leader of the Liberal Opposition, was directed to quite a different; ™et at the House of Commons this ovening for over an hour with the Prime Minister in the chait. A ture Purpote of Enquiry ther meeting will be held. tomorrow., The purpose of the Court of En-—Wireless through Reuter, quiry, the Secretary for War said, was to ascertain if, and if.so how, Serious View Taken an officer in the British Army. had London, June 20, committed a breach of trust, 'The entire press, was' "unanimous Tt was in the public interest that in taking a serious view of the situ such an. enquiry should be held. at on, once because it could not serve any "Should the suspicion be created purpose that a leakage of secret that. the OMeial Secrets Act could information should "be allowed, be utilized {0 stifle debate or jwithous proper Investigation being shield the departmers from. the revelation of their own default Mr. Winstoi Churchill and other would speedily become tyranny," the members drew attention to the need "Dally Telegraph" declared, for immediate guidance to Mr.
The "Daily Mali stated: that "such Sandys, who was under military Jdracooning of a. private individual orders to attend the court in the who atthe worst can be reproached morning.
With no' more than excess Zeal in Mis He appealed to the Prime Minister country's service will have no" to cancel the order and said that Proval from British public opinion. "The "Times," however, otherwise, he presumed the House different view of the matier. and Mr. Speaker would see that "It Isn't perhaps realized. outside privilege protected the Member for the House that latent antagonism be: Norwood in not complying with the order, twen'the Secretary of isto of War 'The Prime Minister "later - an-Jexisted. for" some. weeks on. the 2 certain. group of polltcians has nounced that the Secretary of State grounds of the manner' in. which' the for War had agreed to ask the Army former replied. to. questions on. the Council to suspend the summons to state of the anti-aircraft. defences;* Mr, Sandys, as a Territorial Army this paper declared—Havas, officer. until the Committee of pri~ Commons Rights Debated Vileges had reported on the prima facie case of breach of privilege, London, July 1, which the Speaker had ruled been.
The issue raised by Mr, Duncan made out.
'Sundays, National Conservative mem ber for the Norwood Division of Lam-Issue Gravity beth, formed the subject of a derate In Several' members recalled incidents the "House of Common. yesterday the long struggle of Parliament te aflerncon. Mr, Neville Chamberlain, establish its privilege against the the Prime Minister, moved: the ap: lerown and the executive and Insisted pointment of a Select Committee to that an issue of comparable gravity enquire.into Me. Sandys" allegations: that, commoners. are -obliged to: disclose, the source: of secret-informa-
Into the. whole "general question of considered,: disclosed.in -his: question fo Mr. Here-Belisha regarding. the iselosure. of the' source modifeations in these plans...
Mr, Sandys, he House was intormed; was "Virtually. only prepared to withdraw. his; question'
Belisha. dented th was stated, he could not The' General Staff, the House. was further" informed, "-had great: concern", when it. hat Mr... Sandys possesses, this. Information,, and ordered: a". Court. of Enquiry: to be assembled before any. debate arose. In, the -House of Com-suggestion of suppressing criticism of! the Government's activities or: Inactivities had ever: been made, 'The: Prime' Minister. reported: that the Committee, of: Privileges found that: a "prench' bt: privileges. ofthe House of Commons was committed in yanection™ with the order, Issued, by Ynllitary' court to. Mr..'Sandys'(0 appear. before iti uniform." 'The committee' ald. sot, however, recom mend pny further action:
Tha statement' to' the. House, "Mr. #)Sandys\said that shis proposed ques: tion" contained no. reference. tothe Aisposition' of. the: anti-aircraft guns, but, only to. their. condition, and: thal} 8 it -he hnd.-been iked not to. put the question, he, would not-have thought of doing' so. anise:
'The. Committee, of Privileges': met again yesterday' in the Prime: Min'ster's room in the House, of Commons, The Prime, Minister. presided.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.