1.
DRAFT PAPER FOR CABINET INTRODUCING REPORT ON HOME MORALE
The Minister referred to the draft and expressed some doubt whether it was necessary for the paper to be submitted to the cabinet. We might instead go ahead on our own initiative. The Director General explained that the Ministry felt that there was not yet a satisfactory response from Government departments as a whole. If some agreement in principle to collaboration were secured it might make our propaganda easier: for example, there might be an advertising campaign in the Press. The needs of the various departments might be grouped together, and an advertisement might be got out asking the public to volunteer for a variety of different activities. Such advertisements, which were changed from time to time as circumstances required, would give the public a much better idea of how to offer their services to the best advantage than if appeals were made to the public piecemeal. In the subsequent discussion it was agreed that the paper should go before the Civil Defence Committee next Wednesday and be recast for the purpose. Mr. Nicolson emphasised the necessity of getting the highest authority to agree that proper collaboration should be given by all other Government Departments. The Director General suggested that a summing up paragraph should be added to the present paper, and the Minister added that he thought it would be desirable not to differentiate between classes (Para. 3) The covering note should explain that we wanted collaboration of departments, that there should be an agreed policy and that all departments should recognise that there was a great need to find employment, if necessary compulsory, and to give instructions to the public on their duties. Finally Mr. Nicolson and Mr. Wellington suggested that we should emphasise the damage to morale caused by a sense of frustration. It was agreed that the Planning Committee should consider the redraft to-day.
2.
COMPULSORY CENSORSHIP
Sir Walter Monckton reported that Mr. Will's Committee had seen the Minister. He thought that they had come in order to impress rather than to advise, and that the attitude which they had taken up was rather stiffer than that the attitude to which they were likely to assent finally. After the meeting he had drawn up a scheme (copy annexed to these minutes).
Mr. Radcliffe observed that there was no difficulty in giving censors instructions to remove which was submitted, but some material which is not covered by the present Defence Notice could still create alarm and despondency. An example was quoted of the German demands for an Armistice, which would not fall within the Defence Notice, but which might conceivably have been considered as creating alarm and despondency. In the discussion it was suggested that the press were chiefly afraid of being robbed of the power to criticise, and it was generally felt that it was not part of the Ministry s policy to do so. Mr. Lints Smith reported that Mr. Will would shortly give him a reasoned statement of his views on compulsory censorship, and the Minister thought it was very desirable that the matter should be settled this week. It was agreed that Mr. Radcliffe should be asked to continue drafting a scheme on the lines proposed.
It was noted that the Will Committee did not necessarily carry the full authority of the proprietors: Mr. Lints Smith would approach the proprietors of the “Times”, and Lord Camrose and Mr. Esmund Harmsworth were being seen very shortly.
3.
ATTITUDE TO THE FRENCH
Mr. Kirkpatrick explained that a great difficulty had arisen the day before between the six o'clock and nine o'clock news bulletins. A Roneoed form was received from the Foreign Office which indicated that the de Gaulle organisation was recognised. Before the twelve O'clock news, however, instructions were received to withdraw that part of the bulletin as it had been evidently thought inadvisable to offend the Petain Government further. Some efforts had been made to make this effective in the Press, but in the circumstances this was only partially effective, and the fact that a serious divergence of policy had occurred could not have been concealed. After discussion the Minister agreed that he would raise the matter at the Cabinet this morning, and in the meantime Mr. Kirkpatrick should visit the Foreign Office to clear up the situation. Sir Walter Monckton was to draft a note of the exact circumstances for the Minister. Lord Perth thought that care would have to be taken that the French did not interpret the Prime Minister's recent statement as giving them the best of both worlds: that is, that if Great Britain won there would be complete restoration of France, and that if we were conquered they should make the best peace terms they could. Mr. Kirkpatrick also thought it necessary that we should make it clear that our policy was not in any way intended to be detrimental to France and other countries concerned, which point would be made strongly by German propaganda.
4.
RECORDS FOR BROADCASTING OF SPEECHES IN THE HOUSE
Mr. Tree reported that he had passed the matter on to Sir Gilbert Campion, and, that the situation would be clearer to-morrow. It was noted that the Prime Minister was to make an important statement on that day.
5.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NAMES OF B.B.C. ANNOUNCERS.
It was noted that the B.B.C. had now arranged that at the end of the item preceding the news bulletin the name of the announcer should be given if time permitted. The security aspect of this matter was mentioned. The Minister thought that the practice was desirable on general grounds since it made the bulletin more interesting, but he agreed with Mr. Wellington that the arrangement could hardly be expected to prove an efficient preventative of faked messages.
6.
SABOTAGE
Mr. Ogilvie said the question now arose whether in our foreign propaganda we should not urge persons in occupied countries to carry out sabotage and to prevent them from fraternising with the enemy. The Minister thought that we ought to start a campaign; in particular we should do a great deal for the French, giving them very good entertainments. M. Maurois might be consulted as to the best persons to engage.
7.
OUTSIDE BROADCASTS FOR RAIDED AREAS
Mr. Ryan reported that the B.B.C. would like to send Edward Ward to record impressions from the raided areas. They thought the danger of deterioration of morale, particularly in the East End, might be lessened if persons who had actual experience of raids could be brought to the microphone. The Minister agreed that this should be done.
DECISIONS
MEMBER CONCERNED
1. That the Planning Committee should consider the redraft of the Paper on Home Morale.
Sir Kenneth Clark
2. That the proprietors of the “Times” should be approached in connection with compulsory censorship.
Mr. Lints Smith
3. That Mr. Kirkpatrick should visit the Foreign Office in order to clear up the situation with regard to the attitude to the French.
Mr. Kirkpatrick
4. That a note should be drafted for the Minister on the situation with regard to the attitude to the French.
