COPY letter to the Ministry from Lord Stamp.

Offices of the War Cabinet,

Richmond Terrace,

Whitehall, S.W.1.

2nd February, 1940.

S.E.P./24/1.

My dear Reith,

Guidance to the Public on the Direction of Spending.

You will have seen from time to time letters and leading articles in the Press asking for guidance on the subject of personal spending, and there is no doubt that the public realise the importance of the matter in the national economy and are really anxious to do the right thing. It is, as you will realise, extremely difficult for the Government to give direct advice on this in any but the most general terms, for (a) the collective effect is terrific and sudden, (b) the people affected have immediately a great grievance, and must organise trade or political opposition - naturally in self- defence and to mitigate the effects, and (c) specific advice is not an absolute , and may vary from time to time.

Non-official advice, on right lines, is not so devastating in its effects, and it does not engender official counter attacks.

I have given this matter some thought, and I enclose a letter I wrote recently to Pigou in this connexion, and his reply. The B.B.C. have had several talks by Hilton and others, and I am wondering whether there is any way of organising, under your auspices, competent outside addresses with co-ordinated action (through the B.B.C. and otherwise) on right lines, with informal governmental contacts. Such people as Pigou, Sykes of Exeter, Hicks of Manchester and Hilton, could study the situation and direct action appropriate from time to time to the actual conditions. It will, of course, be necessary to co-ordinate these with whatever you are doing on behalf of the National Savings Campaign.

It seems to be a job that badly wants doing in the national interest, and I should value your advice as to how it ought to be tackled.

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) STAMP.

Sir John Reith, G.C.V.O., G.B.E., Ministry of Information.