WAR NEWS SERVICE
♦ ARRIVAL OF BRITISH TROOPS IN FRANCE MUDDLE OF THE WORST KIND. MR A. GREENWOOD’S CRITICISM. By Telegraph—-Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, September 13. In the House of Commons, Mr A. Greenwood, Acting Labour Leader, at‘ tacked the Ministry of Information and declared that its treatment of the story of the arrival of British troops in France had created among the publishing and newspaper trade in Britain consternation, dismay, confusion and enormous expense Which were unwarrantable. He explained that the Ministry first allowed publication of the news and then cancelled it, then again allowed it. Mr Greenwood declared that the newspapers were justified in calling it a muddle of the worst kind. “We are entitled to know,” he said, “who is responsible for treating the people of Britain like children. I have a document here showing that the absurdity was due to one person, Mr Hore-Belisha, who had no right to override the Minister of Information.” Mr Greenwood added that there was no effective co-operation between the fighting services and the Ministry of Information. The neutral press was re lying on German sources because it got plenty of news in good time. Turning to supply, Mr Greenwood said the task was not being faced with sufficient vigor. Profiteering was going on on a large scale. The trade unions were in no mood to be regarded as a poor relation and claimed equality in the direction of policy. Sir Samuel Hoare gave an assurance that a senior officer in each service would in future be at the disposal of the Ministry of Information to act in conjunction with it. He added that the General Staff had protested strongly against publication of the news of the expeditionary Force, but when it was pointed out that it was already in circulation the prohibition was withdraw. The fact that public discussion was possible on the mistakes of the Ministry was a sign, not of weakness, but of strength. It would naturally take time to get a complicated department running smoothly. The Minister of Information considered that the Department should be a source of information, hot ah organ of censorship and Was determined to tell Britain’s story fully in England and abroad.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19390914.2.54
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1939, Page 8
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372WAR NEWS SERVICE Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1939, Page 8
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