The Director General outlined the scheme now in force in the Ministry for producing home publicity. In launching campaigns the Ministry consulted an Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Colonel Scorgie. For printing, etc., the General Division worked through the Stationery Office. Lord Davidson's proposals, however, appeared to contemplate that we should have a free hand in any kind of tender in respect of printers. This might be hard to defend. Moreover, if, as Lord Davidson proposes our plans were referred to a guild of advertising agents it might [illegible] be difficult to preserve the necessary secrecy. The [illegible] of Lord Davidson's scheme seemed to be to secure speed [illegible] from delays considered attributable to detailed Treasu[illegible] The Deputy Secretary considered that Lord Davidson's o[illegible] could be obtained by giving more authority to the Gene[illegible] which could, of course, sub-contract to any selected i[illegible] advertising agent. The Director might be a member of Nicolson Committee, which should be constituted as a P[illegible] Committee with executive authority subject to referent Policy Committee or the Minister as occasion required decisions could immediately be put into operation. [illegible] that reference to the Treasury for financial approval [illegible] no delay. Both the Director General and the Deputy [illegible] criticised the idea of a guild of advertising agents [illegible] to the lessons of experience and to the advice which [illegible] to the Ministry by the leading agents. (Lord Davi[illegible] and Mr. Rodgers entered the meeting.)
The Minister observed that Lord Davidson cons[illegible] that the present organisation did not enable the Ministry its productions to the people at large.
Mr. Vaughan explained that plans were now in existence by which we could get distribution of 10,000,000 pamphlets covering every home in the land without overlapping at very short notice. We had already had one distribution of this characte[illegible] He said that the employment of printers direct without going through the mechanism of the Stationery Office would raise difficulties. The Stationery Office had the machinery for ascertaining at any time the state of availability of the printing trade, and urgent work was put out without delay to firms from different parts of the country who happened to be able to [illegible] take it. This information could not be available in the [illegible] or to any outside body. Moreover, there would be great [illegible] difficulties with paper supply. By working through the [illegible] Office it was possible to make use of the Central Government
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of paper to the best advantage. Individual firms might be hampered by an order which exceeded their own ration and would have to be officially sanctioned by the Paper Controller. There was now a process by which tendering could be carried out in two or three hours, and [illegible] the Stationery Office could not be accused of delay. To cut out competitive tendering would increase the cost of printing vary greatly and expose the Ministry to criticism both from printers and the[illegible] operators’ trade union.
The Minister briefly restated the method at present in force in the Ministry, and asked Lord Davidson how his proposed scheme would improve it. Lord Davidson said that there were three points [illegible] which he attached great importance.
1) The present quality of material produced was poor and it could be improved by picking the brains of firms accustomed to putting ideas across to the public.
2) The enthusiastic co-operation of such firms was required and would be secured by the mechanism which he proposed.
3) There was at present a serious time lag defeating the essence of propaganda which was speed.
The Minister enquired where the delays occurred and how they could be removed. Lord Davidson cited an example in which the Commercial Relations Division had suggested three slogans for use on cartons, but the suggestion had been delayed for approval. Mr. Macadam explained that the necessity for approval had arisen because the slogans were designed to carry out the ideas of the Emergency Committee, who wished to consider whether they were suitable. This Committee, however, met [illegible] day and delays of this kind were not inherent in the system. The Minister enquired how long it would take to produce the poster the peroration to the Prime Minister a speech which had been previously decided on. Mr. Vaughan and Sir Kenneth Clark explained that in order to produce the type of poster recommended by the Policy Committee some two or three weeks must be required, because [illegible] in view long term publicity. It should be well-produced and [illegible] remain before the public for some time. They had not regarded [illegible] poster which depended for its effect on its being topical. [illegible]ad been desired merely to place the Prime Minister's words [illegible] the public as soon as possible after they had been spoken, the [illegible] could have been achieved in one or two days.
Mr. Kirkpatrick said that in his experience there were [illegible]ble delays in the production machine.
Sir Kenneth Clark observed that the Kicoleon Committee [illegible] an ad hoc Committee brought together for the purpose of dealing with the urgent question of home morale arising out of the recent [illegible]uation. He thought its composition was unsuitable for the purpose of an executive committee as it consisted of persons who had other things to do. The Deputy Secretary agreed that the Planning Committee should be an executive committee.
Sir Walter Monckton drew attention to two main questions which arose.
(1) Are we using the abilities of outside people to the best advantage? The general opinion appeared to be in the negative.
(2) There seemed to be some dissatisfaction with output and speed. Three considerations arose from this.
(a) that there should be a Planning Committee with Executive
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powers.
(b) The [illegible] would require the wholehearted support of [illegible]irma, but in this connection it should be [illegible] whether the composition of the Advisory Com[illegible] right, and if not, what additions should be ma[illegible]ien it should be called into play.
(c) that measures [illegible] required to avoid the delays complained of.
He asked whether we should get financial approval for the order of expenditure of any project by justifying the policy of the project to the Treasury, and then any subsequent financial criticism of any part of the project should not be raised on grounds of policy, but merely on technical grounds. The Deputy Secretary replied that this suggestion corresponded to the procedure which existed already.
The Minister in summing up observed that there was a certain measure of agreement that the system was not at present working very satisfactorily and that there was room for greater and better production with less delay. The question would be further considered.
