Following is text of reference to Austria in speech by Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs [1] in House of Lords on 16th March:-

'I confess that I can see no good to be gained at this juncture
for the League or for any of the great purposes the League
represents by bringing this matter before the League Tribunal.

Nothing short of war can put back the clock and States Members of
the League are not prepared to go to war on this issue.

Those facts I suggest must be perfectly squarely faced and the
conclusion that I reach is that the League though it has a perfect
legal right to interest itself in the question cannot conceivably
do anything at this moment which would compel Nazi Germany to turn
back from the course on which she has now embarked. His Majesty's
Government are therefore bound to recognise that the Austrian
State has now been abolished as an international entity and is in
process of being entirely absorbed into the German Reich and that
is happening indeed without waiting for the plebiscite the result
of which, in view of the circumstances in which it is going to be
held, is a foregone conclusion.'