-35-#669, Eighteenth, from London              
 
                                                            
 
 
Britain and the honor of our country are deeply engaged in 
      this matter of hostages. We cannot let it be said that we made 
      arrangements for all our people to be saved and left anything 
      from 5,000 to 10,000 Greeks men women and children to be carried 
      off to the mountains by ELAS and its remaining associates to 
      be used as a weapon of blackmail not merely to procure their 
      own immunity from the crime of rebellion--for that as I have 
      said is open to them if they take the proper course--but to be 
          used to procure for them political advantages.    
 
                                                            
 
 
I tell the House quite plainly that His Majesty's Government 
      will discharge their obligations however painful with complete 
      integrity whether it is popular or not to do so and that we shall 
      not hesitate to rescue these hostages and punish their slaughter 
      or maltreatment if we are to continue to hold office under the 
                              crown.                        
 
                                                            
 
 
The Chairman: The sitting will be suspended until 2:15 p.m. 
 
                                                            
 
 
                     Sitting Suspended.                     
 
                                                            
 
 
                        On resuming.                        
 
                                                            
 
 
The Prime Minister: I finished before lunch dealing with the 
      Greek question and I quoted a statement by a British officer 
      about the bodies, which were being dug up. I had not got his 
      name then but it has since arrived by telegraph