POLICY COMMITTEE
[12th august 1940]

Press Censorship.

TO: D.G.

FROM: D.D.G.

For the reasons which Mr. Radcliffe gives, if our policy does include the imposition of the limited sources system in the case of invasion, we shall have to notify the Press and others in advance. It is plain that the present is a bad moment to make any suggestion of the kind, but it is difficult to postpone it long if the policy is to be adopted, since the emergency might arise at any moment. The alternative is to discard it finally in favour of the course Mr. Radcliffe recommends in his last sentence of breaking the censorship into independent groups corresponding to the Regions and telling each group to report to the Regional Commissioner and act under his orders. The disadvantages of the latter course have often been pointed out.

W.M.

6th August, 1940.

2nd August, 1940.

TO: Sir Walter Monckton.

From: Mr. Radcliffe.

I have now reached the stage of completing with the Treasury Solicitor's Department the draft Defence Regulation and Order which are designed to bring into operation the “limited sources” system in an emergency. The next thing to do, before it can be ready to be enacted when required, is to have it and a Memorandum supporting and explaining it, placed before the Home Policy Committee of the Cabinet.

I feel reluctant, however, to draft this Memorandum without raising the question whether the scheme which we propose can be described as having a reasonable chance of working in practice if our intentions are not communicated to the Press and arrangements made with the Agencies well in advance. I pointed out in my original Memorandum on this subject the kind of arrangements that would have to be made. It will be convenient if I mention the points briefly.

1. We must be in a position to arrange with the five News Agencies concerned for the reception of the staff of Censors allotted to each Agency and for the transport and accommodation of the Censors if the Agency moves to its alternative quarters out of London. Censors should also be allocated and warned for this purpose. At present I cannot even 106 discuss this question with the News Agencies, except that I hinted to Martin of the Press Association some time ago that I thought it must come to something like that in an emergency.

2. Agency news is not available to the weekly papers all over the country. If this scheme were known to these papers in advance and they were certain that it would be brought into effect, they would have to make it their business to come to an arrangement with the nearest daily which takes an Agency service to share the news. But if they are not told of it until it happens, they will probably be thrown into confusion.

3. The maintenance of the Agency wires is vital to the scheme for the dissemination of news, I suggested that the Government should make itself responsible for this as part of the scheme. This would mean the allocation by the G.P.O. of a definite staff for continuous repair and maintenance. This again would have to be worked out with the Agencies and the G.P.O. and might involve the recruitment of special staff.

4. Up to the present, since even before the beginning of the war, the newspapers have been given to understand that the Government's plans for Censorship in emergency conditions involved the maintenance of the same voluntary system but the division of the Censorship between two alternative sites and London. It has always seemed to me that this scheme attains a high degree of unreality and takes no real account of the conditions which will prevail; but none the less it is what the newspapers are preparing for and they have spent (and probably are spending) large sums in providing communications accordingly. Ought we to allow this to go on if we never really intend to use the scheme.

5. Similarly, we are incurring continuous liability for the Ministry in keeping open alternative premises and apparatus under this scheme; which seems unreasonable if we never intend to make use of them.

I feel, therefore, that the feasibility of this scheme depends upon the right to notify it in advance and make the arrangements which depend on it. If this is not possible, owing to the refusal of the Press to collaborate in anything at present, I think that all we can do is to decide to hang on here as long as we can, and if that becomes impossible and there is anything left to censor, to break the Censorship up into independent groups corresponding to the Regions and tell each group to report to the Regional Commissioner and do whatever it can under his orders.

C.R.

I was instructed to prepare a report for the Policy Committee on the relief of boredom during the coming autumn. The question at issue was whether this Ministry should take steps for the provision of such entertainment as might fill people's leisure in a desirable way.

The Policy Committee seemed to be in general agreement with the view expressed by Colonel Scorgie that we should not become a Ministry of Entertainment. I have discussed the matter with Mr. Ramsbottom. He is agreed that it would fall within the province of the Board of Education to provide money for the maintenance of the leading orchestras, a few serious theatrical companies, etc. The Board would also give increased facilities to such bodies as the W.E.A., and would facilitate the late opening-of Public Libraries, Etc.

In applying to the Treasury for the necessary funds Mr. Ramsbottom will have to point out that this work is being done not solely in order to educate the public, but also to keep them in such a frame of mind as will allow of continuance of the war. It is a question not only of education, but of propaganda. He therefore hopes that his application to the Treasury may be supported by this Ministry. I am seeing Mr. Ramsbottom immediately after my leave, as there are several more matters to be discussed, notably the calling up of musicians, actors, etc. The Ministry of Labour would have to be consulted.

The great point is that some Government Department should take this matter up in order that there should be one recognised channel of expenditure. The Board of Education would be prepared to form a small Department to deal with all questions under this head.

(Sig.) Sir Kenneth Clark

2nd August, 1940