283

SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
9th July 1940

Present:

D.G.

D.D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Peake

P.P.S.

Mr. Gates

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

1. FRANCE

Mr. Kirkpatrick reported that General de Gaulle had seen Mr. Oliver Harvey. He had asked for three fifteen minute periods a day for broadcasting and had suggested that he might have a representative on any committee in the Ministry dealing with French affairs. The request for a fifteen minute period would need consideration in the light of the line taken by Lord Swinton's Committee, and General de Gaulle had been informed that we had no fixed Committee but that we should be glad to receive an emissary regularly. Lord Perth drew attention to the great importance of organising the flow of agents from this country possibly to South America and French Canada as well as to the United States. There should be a considerable number of them and they would have to be organised at this end. He suggested M. Pierre Comert for the purpose. It was stated that four or five agents who had gone out would call on Lord Lothian, but that there was no other form of organisation at the moment, and indeed most of those who had gone out were not easily capable of organisation. Lord Perth undertook to prepare a note on the subject.

2. FRENCH AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS

The Director General mentioned that there were proposals from Lord Kemsley and St. Clements Press to produce French newspapers. It was noted that these proposals had been considered the night before at a meeting presided over by Mr. Oliver Harvey and that the matter was being pursued. It was reported that the Polish newspaper would start to-morrow. St. Clements Press had sufficient newsprint for a fortnight and we were to guarantee supply for a couple of months.

3. DUTCH BROADCASTS.

Mr. Kirkpatrick reported that he and Mr. Wellington had seen Lord Swinton, who had been willing to moderate the decisions of his Committee. It had been agreed that M.I.5 and M.1.6 should examine the credentials of Dr. Pelt, the organiser, scripts were to be submitted forty-eight hours before they were due, they would agree to scrambling and the scripts were to be looked at carefully after broadcasting, and no records were to be played: the time condition would be waived in the case of ‘hot news’.

4. QUATORZE JUILLET

It was noted that special arrangements would be 284 made, chiefly by the B.B.C., for the date. Mr. Kirkpatrick and Mr. Wellington reported that the matter was in hand.

5. LEAFLETS

The Deputy Secretary reported that he, Sir Kenneth Clark and Mr. Macadam had seen Lord Swinton, whose committee had reversed its previous decision. We were now completely free to issue our pamphlets,

6. NEWS ABOUT BOMBING TOWNS IN ENEMY OCCUPIED TERRITORY.

There was a suggestion from Sir Raymond Needham that we should withhold information in these cases. It was pointed out that the responsibility for this would he with the Air Ministry who issued the communiqués and it was agreed that this should be mentioned to them.

7. STAY PUT CAMPAIGN

Sir Kenneth Clark reported that it was considered that another pamphlet was required, and the Home Defence Executive had approved the idea. There was to be an advertising campaign for which the Whitbread's space should he used. Measures for self-defence (Winteringham recommendation) were not at present to be pursued. It was mentioned that it might be desirable to try to use space belonging to some other organisation as well as the Brewers.

8. PUBLICITY IN PORTUGAL

Lord Perth drew attention to the Minutes of the 5th July and said that he understood that Sir Walford Selby was to be asked for a plan without further delay. Mr. Kirkpatrick said that he had considered the matter further and had decided that it was desirable that we should increase the money for advertising and for papers circulated in the provinces. Communications were the overriding difficulty. It was suggested that we should explore the possibility of sending out material in bulk by sea and that Sir Walford Selby should he invited to make suggestions forthwith.