1. In the present state of affairs I consider it my duty, in order to meet possible contingencies, to ask for your assistance in setting up an organisation designed to steady and maintain the morale of the people in London and Greater London. In my opinion, the immediate crisis renders this step necessary.
2, . You will doubtless be aware that the Ministry has a Regional organisation covering the provinces. This organisation consists of a Regional Information Officer and subsidiary staff providing for effective contact with the provincial Press, prominent organisations and individuals, and for further close relationship with public sentiment through the medium of local committees, which, as the need for them becomes apparent, are established on the basis of Parliamentary constituencies. The Ministry's Regional Information Officer works in all cases in intimate relationship with the appropriate Regional Commissioner of the Home Security Department.
3. In the case of the London Region, comprising the Metropolitan Police Area, the standard pattern of Regional organisation does not seem to me to be entirely appropriate. I know that to a large extent the public life of the various boroughs, and urban districts, centres on the Town Hall. This fact has been emphasised by the existing situation, and I am persuaded that it is from the Town Hall that the Ministry local organisation in London ought to derive.
4. It appears to me that what is needed is a representative committee in each borough and urban district of London and Greater London, under the chairmanship of the Mayor or the Chairman of the Urban District Council and working as an organisation in close contact with the municipal departments generally.
5. Such a committee would not restrict itself to committee work as such, but would be, as I should hope, a
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- 2 -widely-operating, influence-making body, the members of which would be charged, in addition to their corporate and deliberative functions, with the business of singly and severally allaying possible public fear, stimulating public effort for victory, and passing by word of mouth and by other suitable means, that advice and exhortation necessary to hold the people together in times of crisis. In addition to this general commission it would in particular:-
(1) Disseminate information, and so controvert harmful and demoralising rumours, in cases where the ordinary means of transmission of news became temporarily suspended or insufficient.
(2) Give publicity by all possible local methods to necessary instructions issued in the interests of public safety
6. In these duties the Committee would work in liaison with those engaged on the executive work of Civil Defence measures (and other official and municipal bodies charged with war tasks) without trenching on such executive work but on the contrary reinforcing it by publicity operations and personal approach as requisite.
7. As regards the constitution of such Committees (which might be termed Ministry of Information local Committees) the co-operation of the main Political Parties has rendered it possible for the Ministry to use the very extensive machinery of these Parties, as it exists in the boroughs, and urban districts, and it appears to me that a combination of this machinery and that of the Town Hall would provide a suitable framework on which the Committees could be set up. They would then represent, in the main, the leaders of civic life and also those in charge of the political machines.
8. I would, therefore, ask you to consider the immediate formation of a committee which should consist of:-
The Mayor
The Town Clerk
(The leaders of the majority Party and the minority Party on the Council
The Chief Whips of these two Parties (The political Party Agents for the Parliamentary Constituencies (or where there is no agent, the
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- 3 -Secretary of the local political organisation) in your area - one for each Party
Other representative persons
9. In considering representation under the last mentioned category, leaders of important organisations, Members of Parliament, members of the County Council, as well as persons of note and influence in a purely individual capacity, ought to be carefully considered. The criterion should in all cases be capacity to make an important contribution to the strength and usefulness of the Committee.
The addition of persons under this head would be a matter of local option.
10. I am aware that a Committee constituted on these lines would necessarily contain persons who, owing to the claims of Civil Defence and other public duties, would perhaps not be able, however willing they might be, to discharge the duties falling upon them on behalf of the Ministry of Information. I would, therefore, invite you to consider that in addition to the persons appointed as above, you should also, where necessary, appoint to the Committee other persons who would “double”, or represent, such ordinary members of the Committee (in particular representatives of the Council) as might find themselves unable fully to act in an emergency. The Committee would thus be able to function in case of acute crisis with sufficient members free to take in hand the business required.
On the other hand it is very important that the operative committee called upon to take urgent action at any time should not be so large as to be unwieldy.
11. It is suggested that the Committee should meet at regular intervals, with provision for emergency meetings as necessary, and that the Honorary Secretary should be a member of the Town Hall paid staff, or in the case of Urban Districts, of the staff of the Council Offices.
12. In consonance with the practice in other Regions a central Advisory Committee is being constituted and a Ministry of Information London Regional Office set up. The staff of the
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- 4 -latter, which will consist of a Regional Information Officer, principal officers and subordinates, will act under the direction of Ministry Headquarters in association with the Committees which I hope you will agree to form. The Regional Information Officer and his staff will assist and guide the local Committees as may be required, and will as far as possible co-ordinate their activities to the common end.
The names of the Regional Information Officer and of his principal officers, and the address of the Regional Office will be communicated to you at an early date.
A memorandum showing, in more detail than is given in para 5, the proposed functions of the local Committee will also be forwarded to you within a day or two.
13. I invite you to give urgent attention to the foregoing proposals, in which I am asking for your help, and I suggest that, if you agree, the following is a convenient plan for expeditious action:-
(1) You should take immediate steps to make the necessary appointments and to convene the committee for its initial meeting as soon as possible;
(2) At this initial meeting the Committee should consider the memorandum referred to in para 12, outlining the work it is desired the Committee should undertake; and
(3) At the same meeting the Committee should nominate two of its members to attend a central conference which I propose to call at a very early date to consider the scheme as a whole and to discuss any major difficulties. For purposes of continuity the persons so nominated should be such as will be available to attend further central conferences as necessary.
14. A copy of this letter has been sent to the
Town Clerk
