Evening star., 1938-06-29

Parliamentary question by Dun
can Sandys, Son-in-law of Winston
Churchill, in regard to reported in
adequacy OF Britain's supply OF
army anti-aircratt guns, led to
alleged threat by Britain's attorney
general to use drastic Official Sc
crets Act to force Mr.. Sandys to tell
source of his information. Sandys
demanded Investigation of the
threat. revealing the leak" in
British defense secrets.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 29.-Britain's po-
litical storm over the Official Secrets
Act was intensified today when Dun
can Sandys, central figure in the tur-
moil, told a turbulent House of Com
mons he had been ordered to appear
before military court.
Mr.. Sandys. conservative member OF
the House and son-in-law of Winston
Churchill, declared this was "a gross
breach of the privileges of this house
1t was Mr.. Sandys' charge in the
House Monday that the attorney gen.
eral had threatened him with invoca-
ton of the Secrets Act, usually used
against spies, unless he divulged the
source of certain information. that
brought the controversy into the open
and aroused criticism weakening the
position of the government.
Framed Question for Commons.
On the basis OF this information Mr.
Sandys had framed question to be
asked in Commons concerning alleged
deficiency in Britains defenses against
aircraft. The military court was in
stituted yesterday to inquire into this
leakage Of information considered
secret.
Mr.. Sandys told the House today he
was ordered to appear before the court
in uniform in his capacity as an Of
f1cer in the territorial army tomorrow
morning "for the purpose of giving
evidence"
Prime Minister Chamberlain then
announced that Leslie Hore- Belisha,
secretary for war, would ask the Army
Council to suspend the court pro-
ceedings until the House Committee on
Privileges had reached a decision on
the affair
House Thrown Into Turmoil
Mr.. Sandys' announcement threw
the House into turmoil. Clement r,
Attlee, leader of the Labor opposition
declared the military action was IAN
affront to the House"
Sir Percy Harris, Liberal. said the
army inquiry had been announced
with almost indecent haste"
Mr.. Chamberlain said the constitu-
ton of the army court was automatic
procedure and did not come within the
jurisdiction of either Mr.. Hore-Belisha
or the government.
Challenged by Mr.. Sandys, Mr.. Hore-
Belisha denied he had ever suggested
that the former had been lacking in
his duty as an officer. Mr.. Sandys is
second lieutenant of the London
Anti-Aircraft Brigade Of the Royal
Artillery, in the territorial army (cor-
responding to the National Guard in
the United States).
Breach of Trust Charged.
Mr.. Hore-Belisha, around whom the
storm swirled, denied any intention oi
trespassing on the privileges of Com.
mons, but said the court "has to ascer.
tain if and how an officer of the
British Army has committed a breach
of trust"
The Privileges Committee, including
such men as Mr.. Chamberlain, Mr.
Attlee, Mr.. Churchill and Sir Archi.
bald Sinclair, the Liberal leader, me-
late today, but after an hours dis.
cussion adjourned until tomorrow.
The war ministry selected Big Bill
Gen. Sir Edmund Ironside to head tn,
military court of inquiry to learn who
had been "spilling the beans" or
secrets of Britain's anti-aircraft de.
fense.
Mr.. Sandys charged the threa
to invoke the Official Secrets Act wa.
made when Attorney General 81,
Donald Somervell, at request of the
war ministry, sought to learn where
the Parliament member had secured
the information upon which he pro-
posed to base the question concerning
an alleged shortage of anti-aircraft
guns to defend 45,000,0oO Britons.
Critics of the government said
Prime Minister Chamberlain was wor-
ried because Mr.. Sandys' question
would have disclosed a grave inade-
quacy in anti-aircraft preparedness.