301

SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
22nd July 1940

Present:

Minister

D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Wellington

P.P.S.

Mr. Gates

Mr. Ogilvie

Mr. Bishop

Mr. Ryan

Mr. Valentine Williams

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

1. DRAFT LEAFLET TO BE HANDED TO ENEMY ALIENS ON INTERNMENT (Copy attached)

The draft letter was read and approved. The Minister requested that the consent of the Departments concerned should he obtained, and if it were forthcoming, he would send the draft to the Prime Minister. It was suggested that the letter should take the form of a single leaflet, one side in English and one in German and that an Italian translation should not he prepared.

2. LORD SOUTHWOOD'S MOTION

In view of the announcement in the Press this morning it was anticipated that Lord Southwood's Motion would be withdrawn and it was not further discussed.

3. WAR OFFICE PROPOSAL TO REVISE DECISION ON JAMMING

It was explained that the proposal by the War Office was made by the Directorate of Military Intelligence on the assumption that the combined effect of the N.B.B.S. and the Workers’ Challenge Station might have a damaging effect on the morale of the troops; and also on the civilian population in so far as the War Office felt themselves interested from the point of view of Home Defence.

Mr. Ogilvie pointed out that the B.B.C. had already had a number of requests from different Departments whose interests were affected from time to time by enemy broadcasts, but it was necessary to get a national point of view. The N.B.B.S. used three channels, of which we could only jam one, the other two being too near our own. As for the medium wave, on which the Workers’ Challenge Station was broadcast, the use of one of our high powered transmitters would interfere with the scheme of synchronisation. it was possible to turn over some small transmitters with a local range for this purpose, but in this connection Mr. Ryan pointed out the results in France of attempting to jam Stuttgart locally.

It was stated that the Germans were now jamming our short wave extensively, and at a rough guess the B.B.C. considered that not more than 40% of our propaganda was getting over. The medium waves were also partially jammed. There were probably about 50 stations effectively under German control, whereas we had only 12. It would be difficult for the Germans to jam all home wavelengths effectively. The B.B.C. view was that the jamming of one or two stations would not be a complete answer; that to do so would further increase our numerical inferiority of transmitters; that it would give the stations advertisement; and that it would show both to ourselves and others that we feared the effectiveness 302 of the propaganda. The B.B.C. thought therefore that we should concentrate on silencing this type of propaganda by public morale to resist it. After discussion the Minister agreed that we should mention the following points to the War Office:-

(1) We doubt whether these broadcasts have a bad effect.

(2) Even if they do, we do not wish to use up transmitters.

(3) The public will think we are frightened.

During the discussion a further point arose which the B.B.C. undertook to investigate (letter on this subject has been written to the B.B.C. ). The Deputy Secretary undertook to have the paper for the War Office prepared.

4. LOCAL PRODUCTION OF LEAFLETS

Sir Kenneth Clark reported that he had seen a pamphlet in Gloucester produced locally which gave muddled instructions to the local population on points which the Ministry of Home Security had refused to give to us for general distribution. R.I.O.’s had been asked to watch for any further examples of this and the Ministry of Home Security were taking action in this particular case.

5. MR. PRICE'S QUESTION

The Minister stated that he was putting up a paper for the Cabinet to-morrow asking for further direction on the question of points which should be made in propaganda relating to our war aims.

Mr. Valentine Williams stated that Hitler's last speech had been studied very carefully by Electra House. He produced an analysis of the impressions and a paper giving the recommendations of the Electra House Planning Committee on the subject (circulated herewith). He emphasised very strongly the necessity to put Hitler on the defensive. Sir Kenneth Clark thought that for home consumption the speech might well be dropped. It was also mentioned that Mr. Sefton Delmer had replied to Hitler's speech almost immediately and that the effect of this reply in Germany was considered to be very good.

6. B.B.C. AGREEMENT WITH SERVICE DEPARTMENTS

The B.B.C. were awaiting a suitable communiqué to raise the issue in a practical form.