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SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
7th March, 1941.

Present:

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Macadam

(For Items 1 and 2)

Mr. Wiltshire

(For Item 3)

Mr. Herbert

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

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

2. London's Awake.

The D.G. referred to the discussion of this periodical by the Board (see Minutes of meeting on 25th February), and to the discussion to take place that morning with the R.I.O.s. It was agreed that in view of the complaints which had been received by the Parliamentary Secretary and others London's Awake should come to an end; material of particular importance could always be circulated by R.I.O's as occasion arose.

[HP]

Mr. Macadam suggested that the circulation of “Talking Points” in the Regions should also be stopped on the grounds that people did not need to be informed of German lies, that in its present form it did not give the proper answer to the view held by certain sections of opinion that “It doesn't matter if Hitler comes” and that the cheapness of the presentation was unsuitable. The D.G. agreed that the question should be discussed with the R.I.O.s, having in mind the view of the Board that the experiment of circulation in the Regions might now come to an end.

3. Radio-Telephone Communication with Lisbon and Madrid.

The paper circulated was discussed, and Mr. Wiltshire said he would like to leave open for discussion the question whether discrimination in the use of the facility was practicable.

[RC/73/10]

Mr. Herbert explained that the proposal had originally come from Sir Samuel Hoare, and he and the D.D.G. outlined the progress of the discussions at meetings of the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Censorship; Mr. Herbert gave it as his view that there could be little objection on security grounds to outgoing calls, which could be suitably controlled by censorship, but under present conditions there could be strong security considerations against the extension of the facilities for incoming calls to include persons who might be unsuitable. It was explained that the main domestic concern of the Ministry was that there should be a service of incoming calls which could be used by Reuters, A.F.I. and the Exchange Telegraph Company. It was agreed, however, that difficulty might arise from discrimination against correspondents of British Newspapers in Lisbon and Madrid and with the administration, for discrimination against other nationals.

Sir Maurice Peterson said that if, as was explained, there would be no attempt to circumvent the local censorship on the part of the news agencies using the link he did not think that the Embassy would disagree on the ground that the use of the facility would embarrass them with the Portuguese and Spanish Governments. It was agreed that the Ministry should submit a paper, to be prepared by Mr. Wiltshire in consultation with Mr. Radcliffe, setting out its view on the whole question for consideration by the Standing Interdepartmental Committee on Censorship, emphasising that it was of the greatest importance for the Ministry to secure a prompt statement of the British case to America.

4. Broadcasts about Bombed Towns.

[B/123]

Sir Kenneth Clark referred to discussion by the Duty Room and the Planning Committee on the objections to the type of broadcast which had hitherto been made following on heavy bombing in particular districts. Mr. Wellington said that the B.B.C. were aware of the objections which had been raised and that he, himself, felt it might be as well to cease these broadcasts and arrange broadcasts by local individuals after some little delay. He agreed to mention the matter at the meeting of the B.B.C. Home Board that morning, and to report on it to the next meeting of the Planning Committee.

5. Use of Official Material by Persons employed in the Ministry.

[HP/164/20]

The D.D.G. referred to correspondence with the Institute of Journalists which had arisen from the case of Mr. David Masters, and said the Institute were proposing to publish the reply the Ministry had sent to their representations. He agreed that the official letter which had been sent should be circulated in the Ministry so that officers should be reminded of the existing rules on the subject.

6. Accommodation.

Mr. Bamford mentioned, in view of the poor accommodation for certain of the Ministry's staff, that steps were being taken to hasten the construction of the School of Oriental Studies adjoining the Institute and for the Ministry to have the use of the building when completed.

[A/8/7/17]

7. Joint Broadcasting Committee.

Mr. Bamford reported that he and Mr. Wellington had seen Mr. Clynton-Baddeley the previous day, and that the B.B.C. and J.B.C. were now in consultation about responsibility for the J.B.C. being undertaken by the Corporation.

8. Bulletins on Invasion (see minutes of meeting on 5th March).

Mr. Gates reported the history of the arrangements for co-ordination of bulletins by the Air Ministry and issue of a daily bulletin at 6 p.m. by the Air Ministry through the Ministry of Information. It had been subsequently arranged that the Minister should be in charge of the co-ordination, assisted by a skeleton staff from the Ministry working in the War Room of the Air Ministry. It was agreed that a more appropriate arrangement might be for the Cabinet Secretariat to be responsible for the bulletin and the D.G. said he would explore this question with the Minister.

[X/106/1]

In regard to the particular question raised by Mr. Macadam about instruction to the public at the beginning of invasion it appeared that there was uncertainty about whether the Home Secretary or the Air Minister was responsible and the D.G. said he would bring this matter before the Board again.