431 432 - 2 -

SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
Thursday 26th June, 1941

Present :

Minister

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Gates

Mr. Macgregor

Mr. Ogilvie

Mr. Herbert

Mr. Francis

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the meeting on June 19th were taken as read and approved. The Minister said that he had written to the Secretary of State for Air in connection with accommodation at Bush House. It was understood that on enquiry the B.B.C. had found the Prudential Building unsuitable for their purposes.

[B/135/1/3]

2. WESTINGHOUSE TRANSMITTER (See Minute 3 of meeting on 19th June).

[Re/31/2]

Mr. Macgregor reported that the engineers to the Crown Agents did not think it possible to adapt the 50 KW transmitter, because of absence of space in the building in which it would have to be housed. It was felt that the only alternative would be to order a transmitter from Marconi's in this country, which would take some 9 months to construct. This position was noted.

3. RAYMOND GRAM SWING

[AM/71/23.]

Mr. Ogilvie reported that the Mutual Broadcasting System did not wish to assist in payment of expenses and that the B.B.C. would not themselves wish to exceed £750. In view of the interest of the Embassy in Washington in the question it was agreed that the D.G. should speak to Sir Gerald Campbell by telephone and ensure that a decision not to pay the expenses would not embarrass the Embassy. The B.B.C. meantime would not conclude an arrangement involving more than £750 unless they heard from the Ministry.

4. NATIONAL ANTHEMS OF THE ALLIES

[B/.]

In the course of discussion about the Sunday evening programme of National Anthems it was suggested that the B.B.C. should consider dropping the National Anthems and instead providing programmes of the National songs of the Allied and associated powers, or should do a full recording of one National Anthem each Sunday, possibly with choral singing.

5. DISPLAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHS TO STIMULATE PRODUCTION AND MORALE

[6P/62]

The paper prepared by Mr. Francis and Sir Kenneth Clark's covering note were discussed; Sir Kenneth Clark drew attention to the risk of surrendering vital parts of the Ministry's functions to the Industrial Publicity Committee, on which the Ministry was represented only on invitation. There had in the past been differences of opinion between the Committee and the Ministry on propaganda captions, etc., and the Committee moreover was already setting up an organisation of local committees in the industrial areas of the country.

After discussion on the question whether it would be possible to secure satisfactory control of the exhibitions now proposed by administrative means (i.e. refusing to pay if we did not have control), it was generally agreed that we would have to stand out for the principle from the outset. Sir Kenneth Clark suggested as a solution that with some redrafting of the types of photograph described in the paper it might be possible to reach agreement with the Committee on the types for which the Ministry would retain sole responsibility. It was agreed that Sir Kenneth Clark should pursue discussions on these lines, and if necessary raise the matter again.

6. INVASION EXERCISE

[X/168.]

The D.G. referred to a meeting of a Sub-Committee under Sir Findlater Stewart's organisation to consider plans for an invasion exercise of London. It was agreed that the D.D.G. should represent the Ministry at this meeting.

Mr. Herbert emphasised that under present plans the whole-overseas Communications of the country would come to a stop in the event of an invasion since persons engaged on essential services would not be allowed to move to their places of employment.