SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Tuesday, 20th May, 1941

Ministry of Information War Diary for the week ending Saturday, 10th May, 1941

Draft by the Parliamentary Secretary

Monday, May 5th Anti Gossip campaign

The Ministry having been asked to undertake a further campaign to discourage careless talk, a scheme was submitted to the Executive Sub Committee of the Planning Committee by Mr. Donald Gillies.

Past experience had taught the Ministry that it is impossible (and perhaps undesirable) to prevent the public repeating rumours and gossip. All that one could hope for was to prevent them being indiscreet about information which they know to be true. It was felt that Mr. Gillies' scheme (with certain modifications) might at least avoid causing offence, and the matter was referred to the General Productions division for further scrutiny.

(H.P.C, 853)

Tuesday, May 6th Campaign for Ministry of Works and Buildings

Building trade operatives were lagging behind in the general war effort and the Ministry were asked to launch a poster campaign to show that bricks and mortar were an essential preliminary to all other forms of defence activity. After Lord Reith had convinced Lord Davidson that such a campaign was necessary and might prove effective, the proposal was approved in principle by the Executive Board.

(Ex. Bd. 1; H.P.C. 347,852)

Wednesday, May 7th Permission to journalists, etc. to accompany bomber raids over enemy territory .

The Air Ministry, in the earlier stages of the war, had objected to journalists being carried in British bombers engaged upon raids over enemy territory. They had now withdrawn these objections and it was proposed that British and American journalists and broadcasters should be taken on such flights. It was pointed out that such talks might not in fact be very welcome to British or American listeners and that in any case such passengers would not be able to see very much. It was decided however that the Ministry could not oppose the Air Ministry's desire to facilitate such trips.

(Ex. Bd.6; Duty Room Guidance 561, 563)

Thursday, May 8th Publicity regarding Shipping Losses

A difficulty arose in connection with the publication of tonnage lost during the Battle of the Atlantic. The Prime Minister was understood to be opposed to publication on the ground that if the figures were very bad it would cause depression and if they were very good it would encourage the Isolationists in the U.S.A. It was pointed out to him that to withhold publication would alarm opinion both at home and in America. The matter was brought to a head by Senator Vandenberg who quoted a letter from Admiral Land, Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission, stating that of the 205 ships that had left American ports with military supplies in the first three months of this year only nine had been sunk. A statement was hurried out on the evening of Friday, May 9th, in which a total figure of shipping losses in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean was given. As this figure was somewhat misleading a meeting was held between the Minister and the First Lord and an agreed tabular statement (which separated losses in the Mediterranean from losses in the Atlantic and which included figures for enemy losses during the same period) was put out on Saturday, May 10th.

(PQ 698, Pol. Cttee.3, Duty Room Guidance 559, 560)