344 345 - 2 -

SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Wednesday, 5th March, 1941 .

PRESENT:

D.G.

D.D.G.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The Minutes of the meeting on 4th March were taken as read and approved.

2. MONITORING DIGEST

Mr. Fraser referred to discussions by the Board about the Monitoring Digest. (see Minutes of meetings on 31st January and 4th February), and asked what progress had been made in the matter. The D.G. said he would speak to Mr. Radcliffe, bearing in mind the growing popularity of the material now available in the basement.

[RC/51]

3. B.B.C. AND PEOPLES CONVENTION.

Sir Kenneth Clark referred to the difficulty in which the Governors of the B.B.C. now found themselves through their decision not to allow broadcasts by avowed pacifists. It was explained that in connection with the Peoples Convention the Governors had decided they must ask all signatories of the six-point document opposing the war effort whether they did in fact subscribe to the views expressed in the document; it had appeared that many did not. The Board was agreed that the Minister could not do other than accept the decision of the Governors.

[B/112]

4. PRESSMEN AND THE HOME GUARD.

The D.D.G. reported a discussion he had had with Captain Anderson who had wished to recruit Pressmen for the Ministry's Home Guard. the D.D.G. had pointed out the difficulties which might be involved in this and the Board confirmed his view that membership of the Home Guard should be confined to the Ministry's staff.

[A/446/1]

5. WARNING TO PUBLIC IN THE EVENT OF INVASION.

The paper prepared by Mr. Macadam was discussed. Mr. Macadam explained that in all the discussion there had been on this question two separate questions arose; one, of preventing members of the public from entering an area under fire or otherwise concerned in military operations, and, secondly, the more general question of informing the public about the facts of invasion and giving them proper instruction about how they should conduct themselves. It was agreed that on the first of these questions the problem arising must be left largely with the Police and that the influence of the Ministry should be used in support of the line that difficulties in which the local Police might be involved through the absence of an audible warning system would not be sufficient to justify the amount of upset which would be caused by instituting such a system. The danger of rumour which would arise as soon as news about the invasion was given could best be dealt with in Mr. Macadam's view through a straightforward statement of facts given as far as possible through the ordinary system of news distribution. It was agreed that the importance of this point should be emphasised in an expression of the Ministry's view.

[X/106/1]

In regard to Point B in paragraph 9 of Mr. Macadam's paper (need for compilation of a News Bulletin in the early hours of the morning) it was agreed that the papers relating to arrangements for the issue of bulletins through the Air Ministry should be examined by Mr. Macadam and Mr. Gates and that the matter should be brought before the Board again on Friday, the 7th March.

In the course of the discussion reference was made to the following points:-

(a) There would be no need for alteration in the part of the leaflet on invasion which closely concerned the Ministry.

(b) The B.B.C. is able to undertake a twenty-four hours service almost immediately. The D.D.G. suggested in this connection that the best means of countering rumour might be to instruct people to believe nothing they heard until it was given by the B.B.C. in broadcasts which would be arranged at half-hourly intervals (subject of course to transmitting stations not being completely closed down for military reasons).

(c) The possibility was suggested by Mr. Fraser of consulting the Newspaper Proprietors Association with a view to arranging for preparation and distribution of special editions of the newspapers.