55 56 - 2 -

POLICY COMMITTE
27th May, 1940 .

Present :

Minister.

D.G.

D.D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Peake

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

P.P.S.

Mr. Ogilvie

Mr. Ryan

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

1. TREATMENT OF THE FRENCH

The Minister agreed to refer specially to the French in his next broadcast with the intention of checking any possibility of anti-French propaganda being effective. It was also suggested that the Minister's broadcast to France on Sunday might be circulated. Sir Kenneth Clark said that the Anglo-French leaflets and posters were now ready. Mr. Kirkpatrick had seen the Foreign Office and written a memorandum on the subject of the treatment of French residents in the same way as other aliens under the recent Regulation; but it was difficult to get anything done, because it meant altering the law, and the Cabinet were too busy to tackle the question. It was suggested that the French Embassy should draw up a panel of reliable French residents who might be exempted by Chief Constables within their areas under the existing law.

[1.]

Mr. Ogilvie referred to a recent Government instruction that aliens shall not be accepted by nursing or other organisations whether French or Belgian, and offered to look into it. He also referred to a complaint in “The Times” about lack of French lessons on the B.B.C. In fact, the B.B.C. are doing all the writer wanted, but editors ought to check allegations of this sort, which convey a bad impression of lack of Anglo-French goodwill.

2. EMERGENCY COMMITTE

The Parliamentary Secretary reported of his Committee's proceedings. They were satisfied that what the public wanted were not words of comfort but words of command. In a general discussion on B.B.C. news, the question was raised whether the general impression, derived in particular from the R.A.F. stories, was not too optimistic. It was thought advisable that, as some offset to the encouraging effect of the R.A.F. stories, the news bulletin should emphasise the gravity of the situation, by one or two short formulae of warnings, preferably at the end of each bulletin. The Minister suggested Mr. Compton Mackenzie as a possible broadcaster to be built up. Certain difficulties were mentioned.

[2.]

3. EMERGENCY POWERS ACT

Mr. Macadam thought it desirable that there should be an authoritative explanation of the Emergency Powers Act to prevent rumours of abuse. It was agreed to ask the Lord Chancellor or one of his Law Officers, and that the first approach should be to Sir William Jowitt. The talk should make it clear that persons were needed to volunteer for service forthwith and should not wait to be told what to do.

[3.]

4. LONG TERM PROPAGANDA

It was mentioned that the new situation had caused some uncertainty in the minds of some of the staff as to the attitude to be taken up in regard to long term propaganda, and a definition of the Minister's policy seemed desirable. It was agreed that this should be based on the assumption that the war was likely to be a long and hard struggle, and that our long term policy should therefore continue unchanged except in so far as our activities had to be temporarily diverted to action designed to achieve an immediate effect. The Minister said that he would circulate a note.

5. NEW BRITISH BROADCASTING STATION

It was noted that the station was becoming increasingly mischievous, in particular it had put out material about parachutists on Sunday which should be counteracted. It was suggested, that Sir Nevile Bland should be asked to give a broadcast describing the action taken successfully against parachutists in Holland, the script of which he had prepared. The Ministry of Home Security and C. in C. Home Forces, should be consulted.

6. ITALIAN JAMMING

Mr. Ogilvie reported that there had been no Italian jamming for the last three days.

1. [illegible]

2. [illegible]

3. Emergency Powers Act.

?[illegible]