WAR OUTLOOK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1940, Page 8

WAR OUTLOOK

SURVEY OF OPINION IN BRITAIN DOOR TO DOOR INQUIRIES DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 1. An interesting debate took place in the House of Commons tonight on the question of the war social survey of Britain being conducted by investigators make house-to-house visitations at the instance of the Ministry of Information. The main criticisms were that such action was an invasion of the privacy of the ordinary householder and housewife. The process was described by one speaker as “snooping" and spying around the homes of citizens.” He said that members of Parliament themselves were quite competent to represent public opinion as revealed in their constituencies. On the other hand, some members congratulated the Ministry of Information on adopting a new and scientific method of social survey to discover the opinion of British people, stating that it was not a novel idea, having been successfully used for many years by the 8.8. C. and the Post Office. Lady Astor said many ordinary housewivse were leading very anxious lives at present and answering questions gave them something to talk about. The Minister of Information, Mr Duff Cooper, said it was of the greatest value to ,the Government to know the state of mind and condition of the people. For two and a half months the system of obtaining information had been in active operation, and there had been only one complaint. Information of great value was being obtained by a method which was working well and caused no perturbation in the public mind. The chief constable of Derby warned the public not to answer the Ministry's questions. “It is a lot of damned silly nonsense,” he said. “I am not going to have the people of this town worried by officials knocking on the doors and asking what they think of the war and other absurd questions. We have all got enough to do without this.” METHODS DEFENDED MINISTER ANSWERS CRITICS. LONDON, August 2. The Minister of information. Mr Duff Cooper, in the course of his reply to the debate, said the information obtainable through members of the Commons was limited. Its accuracy and modernity were limited and the qualifications of members of the Commons were limited. “The campaign of criticism is a Press stunt,” Mr Duff Cooper said. “If there are snoopers in the world they are employed by the Press. Unhappy would be the Government relying solely on the Press for information. The investigation began in the middle of May. I do not believe the survey is disturbing the popular mind and advise the Government to continue it.” ____________