SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
Tuesday, 1st April, 1941.

Present:

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Waddell, (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the meeting on 25th March were taken as read and approved. The D.G. mentioned that he had written to Mr. Priestley about the Authors’ National Committee and that in regard to the Committee of Directors of Public Relations he had suggested to the Minister a meeting at which the Minister would be in the Chair and representatives of the Departments chiefly concerned would be present.

[LE/2/15]

2. Responsibility for Drafting Communiqué about Invasion. (Meeting of 7th March, 1941.)

The D.G. reported the upshot of discussion with Sir Arthur Street, who felt that the Air Ministry was probably the most suitable place for the drafting to be done, since the Cabinet Secretariat were hardly equipped to do it. The D.G. said he would report his discussion to the Minister and it was felt that subject to the Minister's views the matter might be allowed to rest.

[N/6/9]

3. The Battle of the Atlantic.

[6P/297]

The D.G. reported conversations he had had with Mr. Harriman and Mr. Whitney which suggested to him the need for the Ministry to consider carefully whether a better and fuller treatment of the Battle of the Atlantic, possibly under the heading “The Battle of the Bridge,” would not be desirable. Reference was made to the difficulties recently experienced in obtaining adequate information from the Admiralty about the action in the Ionian Sea as well as about the Battle of the Atlantic, and it was agreed that one great difficulty was that under the present system the Ministry's 8 - 2 -desire to give the fullest possible information could frequently be hampered by comparatively junior officers in Service Departments. It was also agreed that in order to do effective propaganda in America on the importance of the Battle of the Bridge it would be essential to publicise it fully in this country.

In general discussion the D.G. mentioned that a report was awaited on the Ministry's organisation for publicity in America and that the Minister was proposing to have a discussion on certain aspects of the work at the Policy Meeting that week. He asked Members of the Board to consider the various points which should be brought forward in that meeting.

4. Commander Jarrett’s Report.

Lord Davidson referred to the important recommendations which had been made by Commander Jarrett on film arrangements in America and it was agreed that his proposals should be considered urgently by the D.D.G. and the D.G.

[F/280/1]