Mr. Nicholson produced a report to the Policy Committee (Annexe 1) . He referred particularly to the following three points:-
(1) Can the Duty Room Committee be instructed so to frame guidance to the Press and B.B.C. as to restore confidence in official news ? He observed that the troops returning from Flanders were spreading stories derived from their own partial experiences which gave emphasis to the particular deficiencies from which they had happened to suffer, e.g. equipment, aircraft at Dunkirk, etc. Mr. Kirkpatrick referred to a conversation with the Commander of the troops in Iceland who had formed an unfavourable impression of the B.O.W., and told him that the troops were listening to the German communiqués, because they did not feel confidence in news of British origin.
The Director General referred to a suggestion that the Press should voluntarily give up publication of the German communiqués. The Press had at first been hesitant and had finally disagreed with the suggestion. Mr. Macadam considered that at present there was an increased confidence in British news amongst the civilians in this country, but he was not able to answer for the troops who had returned or for the effect which the troops might have. Mr. Ogilvie referred to a great irritation on the part of the B.E.F. at the lack of scale in the war news in the last three weeks, and in particular to the preponderance of R.A.F. news which did not correspond with the personal experience of some of the men. He also referred generally to the need which was felt at the B.B.C. of a more aggressive attitude on the part of the Government towards propaganda. In answers to Parliamentary question alleging insufficiency of the B.B.C. news, we sometimes adopted an apologetic tone and had not taken any credit.
The Director General asked whether it was thought that the Ministry should now begin to stir up the people's more primitive instincts. After discussion it was considered that we should now pay attention to stirring up people's anger. It was probably not expedient to do this by emphasising atrocity stories. It might be merely sufficient to impress the people that they were in fact angry.
It was decided to invite the Minister to give a talk on [illegible] in its general aspect. In particular he might feel prepared to point out that the side conducting a successful offensive has a very much easier task than the side in the position which the [illegible]Allies found themselves in the last three weeks. It was also [illegible]
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decided that the whole subject should be discussed with the Minister after his return.
(2) The Emergency Committee considered it most important to carry on an intensive campaign about production in order to combat the feeling that our chances were being endangered by lack of equipment. He suggested, and the Policy Committee agreed, that Lord Davidson should be asked to take charge of this campaign, which would necessitate his getting into touch with the Ministry of Supply and inducing them to make available the proper kinds of material for all the media he wanted to employ. It was decided to discuss the matter on Wednesday when Lord Davidson would be present. Mr. Ogilvie was anxious that Lord Davidson's activities should be co-ordinated with those undertaken by the B.B.C.
(3) The Emergency Committee felt that it was now time to direct the public attention towards the larger issues of the war. Hitherto the Government had not been in a position to give such guidance as enabled the public to attach much concrete meaning to the broad principle which had been indicated in ministerial speeches. Mr. Ogilvie supported this view, and observed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to continue effectively the broadcasting treatment of the well known themes and a great need was felt for material to fill out these themes and to give the public some definite aims which they might adopt to make the sacrifice worthwhile and to combat defeatism. Mr. Nicholson referred to the “Four Points” formulated by President Wilson. Lord Perth considered that the five points made by the Pope in his address were also relevant (Annexe 2). It was also thought that Lord Macmillan's original Policy Paper should be reread. It was decided that in the first stage, Mr. Nicholson in collaboration with Lord Perth should write a note for the Minister on the subject.
It was agreed that a copy of, the report for the Policy Committee should be sent to Mr. Mabane at the Ministry of Home Security.
2.
APPROACH TO MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY
Arising out of the last paragraph of the preceding item, Mr. Macadam reported that the Ministry of Home Security appeared to be adopting a non-co-operative attitude on questions or home morale, for which they apparently regarded themselves as entirely responsible . He reported certain incidents bearing this out. Mr. Nicolson and Mr. Macadam were to visit the Ministry of Home Security that day in order to clear up certain outstanding points in this matter, and it was decided that there should be a discussion with the Minister as soon as the meeting had taken place.
3.
STATEMENT FOR TRANSMISSION TO INDIA
Sir Walter Monckton read a statement on the position of the war in the last three weeks intended to be translated into Hindustani. Certain amendments were suggested with the object in particular of giving more emphasis to the part played by the French and to avoid giving the impression of over-confidence as to the ability of the French to maintain their present positions in all contingencies.
4.
PAMPHLET ON INVASION
Mr. Nicolson reported that we had been requested by the War Office to distribute a pamphlet on invasion as widely possible. It was decided that the Post Office should be requested to do this for us.
5.
TREATMENT OF FRENCH & OTHER TROOPS TEMPORARILY IN THIS COUNTRY
It was noted that there were a very large number of
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Foreign troops in this country, and it was uncertain whether after the preliminary steps taken to welcome and look after them, anything else was being done for them. It was thought an excellent opportunity to approach the Foreign Office at once and to work out what could be done by way of local and other measures to take advantage of this opportunity.
5.
DE LUXE PUBLICATION
The Director General referred to a proposal that we should support a de luxe publication, and enquired whether there was a Treasury ruling on the subject. The Deputy Secretary stated that the previous Chancellor had given a ruling applicable to any kind of de luxe publication, and that there was no doubt that the present proposal would fall under it. The Deputy Secretary also understood that the Treasury would not necessarily apply this ruling to publications for export. The ruling was noted.
DECISIONS
MEMBER CONCERNED
1) that the Minister should be invited to give a general talk with special reference to the difficulties of the last three weeks
Director General
2) that there should be a meeting with the Minister on his return on the subject of the necessity of restoring confidence in official war news
Director General & Mr. Nicolson's Committee
3) that Lord Davidson should be asked to undertake an intensive campaign reassuring the public about our production effort.
Lord Davidson informed by Secretary. Report to be discussed on Wednesday.
4) that a minute should he prepared for the Minister advocating that attempts should be made to formulate certain principles to be laid before the public as definite aims to combat defeatism.
Mr. Nicolson &. Lord Perth
5) that a copy of the Home Morale Emergency Committee report should be sent to Mr. Mabane.
Mr. Nicolson
6) that the allocation of responsibility as between ourselves and the Ministry of Home Security should be discussed with the Minister
Director General
Mr. Nicolson
Mr. Macadam
7) that the Post Office should be asked to distribute the pamphlet on invasion
Mr. Macadam.
8) that measures should be considered for taking advantage of the presence of French and other troops in this country to increase Anglo-French co-operation.
