THE B.B.C. AND PACIFISM
Sta,—About a fortnight ago I found out that certain well-known people, whose voices had come to be looked forward to by con- siderable sections of the Radio public who listen to religious broad- casts, had gone off the air, and, on making enquiry, learned that they were unlikely to be allowed to take part in broadcasting again during the war because they had previously expressed pacifist views. Check- ing upon this I found that it applied to Canon Raven, Dr. G. F. Macleod and the Rev. Donald Soper. I have got into touch with the Archbishop of York, and with the religious director of the B.B.C., and entirely satisfied myself regarding the facts. There is a danger of a state of affairs becoming accepted as the regular practice in which no minister of religion, who has expressed pacifist views, will be allowed to broadcast on other topics or take part in radio services.
I am convinced that many such voices—apart from those I have mentioned—are looked forward to keenly by a large congregation, whose disappointment may lead them to make wrong assumptions regarding the Government's or the B.B.C.'s motives for banning such speakers ; they will be induced to distrust the sincerity of those who are guiding and supporting the war effort, if it has been necessary to silence the voices of men whose aid and constructive criticism may be of vital value in the difficult days of peace and reconstruction. I am so sure of the rightness of the democratic cause that I am jealous of its reputation and anxious to keep out all trace of Gocbbels technique in the B.B.C. or the Ministry of Information. Can those of us who are not pacifists in this war, but who feel the cause we fight for too noble to be dwarfed and defiled by acts of petty censor- ship, do something about it?—I am, yours sincerely,
DAVID CLEGHORN THOMSON.
Appleby Lodge, Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester.
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