159 160 1 161 2 162 3 163 4

SECRET
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION .
Weekly Report by Home Intelligence - No. 31.
Copy No. 31

(From Wednesday, April 30th, to Wednesday, May 7th, 1941)

In reading this report, it is important to bear in mind that it does not set out to record facts , except in so far as public opinion is itself a fact. It is a record and reflection of the public's views and feelings about the war in general. Therefore, on matters on which public opinion is ill-informed, prejudiced or inconsistent, the report does not imply any endorsement of the views which are expressed in it.

Note : The figures in brackets refer to sources of information, a list of which is given at the end of this report.

I. GENERAL COMMENTS

1. General state of confidence and reaction to news .

The feelings of despondency and suspense which were apparent during the evacuation from Greece, have now had time to run their course. In their place a sense of irritation is growing up and a desire to find someone or something to blame. This is not necessarily in connection with the Balkan campaign, though there is some sharp criticism of our Military Intelligence, but applies, at the moment, to any unfavourable war conditions. Even Mr. Churchill has not been free from criticism, perhaps as the personification of the Government. We have discovered no comment, so far, on his speech to the Poles. Towards the end of the week an improvement in spirits was noticeable, when the first reaction from anxiety had worked itself out. Typical of this was the change in the public's attitude to the news from Iraq. In the first half of the week the expectation was of another disaster, and the usual comment was that we are always too late with our preparations. Later comments reflect the growing idea that our action had precipitated the military coup and thrown out Germany's time-table.

A gradual changing of the public's idea of the probable length of the war has been accelerated by the Greek and Libyan reverses. Coming after a period of good news from Africa and the Mediterranean, the effect of these has been particularly deflating. It has reduced to 13%, (according to the poll of the British Institute of Public Opinion), those who still expect the war to be over in a year's time. At the outbreak, 27% expected it to end within a few months; only 11% then thought it would last three years or more. Now 23% expect this, not as the total length of the war, but in addition to the past 20 months. While expectation of a quick war has diminished considerably of late, the number (38%) who have never had any opinion on its probable length remains unchanged from the beginning.

Complaints about the presentation of news are as strong as ever. They fall roughly into three categories.

One result of the Greek evacuation, coupled with the reticence of the B.B.C., and the Service communiqués, (to which there are again ferocious references) has been the increase in the number of listeners to Haw Haw. This has been reported from many sources. The German broadcasts are not regarded as more reliable than ours, but as being almost as reliable, and so much fuller that this outweighs their untruthfulness. It is thought not to be enough to discredit them on the grounds of lying while they continue to give more up-to-date news than we do.

Among people who listen habitually - notably those with relations in the Navy and Merchant Service - Haw Haw's prestige has gone up through the intensification of the Battle of the Atlantic. On several occasions lately he is said to have given the first news that a ship, mentioned by name, has been torpedoed, and this has later proved correct.

Changes in the Cabinet seem to have aroused practically no interest. Though there was very little criticism of the new appointments, the fact that it was thought necessary at this time to make any changes at all was regarded with slight misgiving in some quarters. Those who showed any interest in the subject were puzzled by the significance of Lord Beaverbrook's metamorphosis.

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5x, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 20 Aberdeen, Inverness, Manchester, Nottingham, P.C., 23.)

II SPECIAL COMMENTS

2. Air Raids .

Owing to the serious dislocation of telephone and teleprinter services, very little information is yet available about the Belfast and Merseyside raids during the early part of this week. A brief report from the R.I.O. on the Belfast raid of Sunday night states that damage in the central business areas has been considerable. The evacuation position is less acute than on the previous raid of April 15/16. Owing to the failure of the electric current, many thousands of wireless sets are out of action, and it is, therefore, impossible for people to hear the news bulletins.

(14 Belfast).

3. Gas Leaflets

The following results are those of an enquiry by Mass Observation into the effects of the leaflet: “What to do about gas”. These results are, of course, subject to the limitations of this method of investigation.

285 people were questioned, the majority of whom were in London. Within the distribution areas “there were considerable numbers who had not read or seen it”, but among those who had done so, it apparently had a good effect, and was remembered in some detail. Though it has increased their knowledge of what to do, no very large number of people seem to have been sufficiently impressed to take action. Gas mask carrying has not gone up, and only about one-third of those who now know what to do about food protection have taken the necessary precautions. There still seems to be extensive ignorance of what to do when gas rattles are heard, and there is confusion about antidotes to splashing. The conclusion reached in the report is that “there is still a definite need for more education on the subject of gas”.

4. Rumours

Apart from an increase in stories attributed to Haw Haw, the rumour situation is unchanged. From two separate sources it has been reported that Mr. Churchill's health is failing, and that Lord Beaverbrook is being “nursed for Premier”. This note has been much sounded on the German radio.

Again there are reports of the amount of gossip which goes on in queues, and of the way “rumours are bandied about in them”.

(3, 23, 34)

5. Labour

Reports from almost all industrial areas indicate that absenteeism, which is already a serious problem for war production factories, is on the increase; among young workers it is particularly prevalent. Wages are so high, compared with what they would be earning in peace time, that they can well afford to lose a few days' pay when they feel like it, knowing this to be their only risk, since they can no longer be dismissed.

Income tax, (another cause of absenteeism), is an innovation for which the necessity, as part of the war effort, has not yet been brought home to the majority of workers. Rather than pay the tax, many of them prefer to keep their earnings below the taxable level, and enjoy extra leisure instead. The Lease-and-Lend bill is also said to provide an excuse for staying away from work, on the assumption that “America will now make the stuff for us”.

At Bridgend, in an industrial community of 40,000, conditions are reported to be particularly bad, it being a matter for boasting among the girls that they can absent themselves whenever they like, and a number of employees have been fined for false clocking-in. In another district men have been taking a day off for a journey to fetch cigarettes. (The cigarette shortage, in which London is believed to be unfairly favoured, is becoming an important trouble in factories).

Criticism of inefficiency in industrial management is said to be made by the more responsible element among the workers in certain areas. In Stoke and Birmingham there are complaints that the people in charge of factories are often appointed for their technical ability alone, and are no good as administrators. It is said that work people arriving at the factory are kept idle, on day and night shifts, either from lack of direction or lack of material, until their keenness evaporates and they settle down to a routine of getting through time as easily as possible.

(1, 2, 8, 9, 13, 34).

6. Food

Complaints this week are mostly about prices. The cost of fish is serious for many working people, for whom it is often an important item in the evening meal. Although there are frequent accusations of “profiteering” and “racketeering”, people are apparently unwilling to come forward with evidence against shopkeepers of whom they complain.

There are still many reports of queues throughout the country. Working women who cannot find time to do their essential shopping are exasperated by those who have plenty of time to stand in queues, and who are, therefore, said to obtain “more than their fair share”

There are many reports of shortages; eggs seem to be particularly scarce, especially in London. There is also said to be a scarcity of beer and alcohol in some districts.

The “milkless day” continues in many places and still causes much criticism.

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5x, 6, 9, 10, 12, 22, North Western P.C.)

Home Intelligence.