A MUDDLE?

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20909, 14 September 1939, Page 9

A MUDDLE?

MINISTRY CRITICISED MORE NEWS WANTED DISCUSSION IN COMMONS ■United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 14, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 13 In the House of Commons Mr A. Greenwood, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, attacked the Ministry of Information. He declared that treatment of the story of the arrival of British troops in France had created among the publishing newspaper trade in Britain consternation, dismay, confusion and enormous expense, which was unwarrantable. He explained that the Ministry first allowed the publication of the news, then cancelled it, then again allowed it. Mr Greenwood declared: “The newspapers are justified in calling it a muddle of the worst kind. We are entitled to know who was responsible for treating the people of Britain like children. J have a document here showing its absurdity, due to one person, Mr L. Hore-Belisha, who has no right to over-ride the Minister of Information. The neutral press is relying on German sources, because it got plenty of news in good time.” Turning to supply, Mr Greenwood said: “The task has not been faced with sufficient vigour. Profiteering :s going on a large scale. Trade unions are in no mood to be regarded as a poor relation, and claim equality in the direction of policy. Assurance by Minister Sir Samuel Hoare gave an assurance that the senior officer of each service would in future be at the disposal of the Ministry of Information and act in conjunction therewith. He added that the General Staff had protested strongly against the publication of news of the expeditionary force, but when it was pointed out that it was already in circulation the prohibition was withdrawn. The fact that a public discussion was possible on the mistakes of the Ministry was a sign not of weakness but of strength. Naturally it would take time to get a complicated department running smoothly. The Minister of Information considered the department should be a source of Information, not an organ of censorship, and was determined to tell Britain’s full story fully in England and abroad.