POLICY COMMITTEE
4th July 1940 .

Present:

Minister

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

P.P.S.

Mr. Ogilvie

Mr. Valentine Williams.

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

1. RECOMMENDATIONS OF SWINTON COMMITTEE ABOUT COUNTERING N.B.B.S. PROPAGANDA.

In answer to an enquiry from the Minister Mr. Wellington said it was not possible to from an estimate of the amount of listeners, but a certain that number of letters were received from the public and experience showed that generally the results of these broadcasts took about 48 hours to get back to Germany. The difficulty of jamming was firstly that the Cabinet had decided against it as a matter of policy, and secondly that the German and German controlled wireless stations greatly outnumbered our stations and it would be extremely difficult to make transmitters available for the purpose of jamming. Lord Perth was in favour of a campaign but without special reference to the station. Mr. Ogilvie agreed and referred to the unfortunate mistake which had been made in publicising Lord Haw-Haw. It was very important not to give the N.B.B.S. an equal publicity value. The Minister said that it was generally agreed that we should not encourage listening in to the N.B.B.S. The question was how far we should go in giving advice against bad advice. After discussion it was generally agreed to take what risk there might be in countering the more dangerous statements, and on Sir Kenneth Clark's suggestion it was agreed that an advertising campaign should be started with the help of the free space offered by the Brewers’ Society and others. The B.B.C. also were to cooperate with the Planning Committee in countering advice given from time to time. A plan including broadcasting and press publicity was to be submitted.

2. FRENCH SITUATION.

The Minister gave the latest details of the French situation. The Director General enquired whether it was possible to have some guidance on our attitude to the French Colonial Empire. The Minister indicated his view of the situation. No action at present could be 278 taken by us.

Mr. Kirkpatrick referred to the use of French people now in this country. General de Gaulle accepted no responsibility for propaganda and was concerning himself only with military matters. It seemed desirable that we should start a Committee. It was reported that the Foreign office had offered to lend us the services of Mr. Harvey. Mr. Kirkpatrick was to get into touch with Mr. Harvey with a view to considering the experience of the French department in such a way as to be able to cope with the new situation.

The Minister referred to Mr. Childs’ mission to the U.S.A. Lord Perth said that he thought that some Frenchmen might usefully go to the U.S.A. at the same time though nominally in an independent capacity. It would be wiser that they should not be overtly linked up with us.

3. ANTI-GOSSIP CAMPAIGN.

The Deputy Secretary referred to the paper circulated. He said that in conformity with the general policy of delegating work to the Divisions in the Office primarily responsibly he thought it well that all matters relating to anti-gossip should be handled by Sir Kenneth Clark as part of the duties of the Home Publicity Department. He referred to the War Cabinet's enquiry and said that in view of the recent tendency in the Cabinet Office to discourage large interdepartmental conferences he though it unnecessary to pursue the matter in this way. The Committee agreed.