OFFICIAL NEWS
rip HE task of the Ministry of Information is a difficult one, calling for reticence and frankness, for quick- ness of judgement and courage in taking decisions. The Prime Minister was justified in asking the House of Commons to recognise that there was likely to be "a little bit of creaking at first" in bringing into operation so complicated a machine. But it is also true that it is at the first moment that it is most important to point out mistakes and correct the formation of undesirable habits. There was one error of judgement last week which pro- voked severe criticism from the general public, when the news of an unsuccessful air reconnaissance by Germany should at once have been issued to account for the morn- ing air-raid warnings and to forestall rumour; rumour is sure to spread if news is delayed. Nor is there any apparent reason why the heartening information given by Mr. Chamberlain about the brilliant R.A.F. exploit at Wilhelmshaven should not have been given equally fully at least a day or. two earlier.
Again, last Monday night the newspapers were sub- jected to an amazing exhibition of inefficiency. The news that British troops were then in France, of which the French Press had already informed the world, was belatedly released along with a statement that they were already in the fighting line. Suddenly the news was stopped, the despatch of papers already printed was held up, and after a serious dislocation of the distri- buting service, the news of the landing of British troops in France was again released—too late for publication. Another example of the withdrawal of information already passed would be entertaining if it were less serious; the private information explaining to editors why it should not be sent abroad was read out over a loud-speaker in the hearing of foreign jour- nalists. How little the Ministry at present appears to understand the importance of making the right impres- sion on foreign opinion is illustrated by the complaints American correspondents have made concerning the obstacles repeatedly put in their way.
These are criticisms which ought to be made at the outset while the Ministry is shaping itself to its new tasks and establishing a mode of procedure. About the general principles which should be applied there are no signs of disagreement between the Government and its normal critics or between the Government and the Press. The Ministry has a double function—the positive one of providing news, and the negative one of censoring it —the governing principle being that the maximum of news should be issued or passed so far as is consistent with safety. No one questions the need of a censorship. It is obviously necessary to forbid the publication of news which would give military information to the enemy; and it is important that publicists should know what kinds of statement might give the enemy a clue to the location of troops or munition centres, or might lead them to conclude that in this or that attack they had correctly or incorrectly divined a military objective. There are several classes of innocent-looking news which might in fact enable the enemy to piece together infor- mation of military value. That all this must be kept out of print and off the wireless is generally agreed. The censorship of the Ministry of Information exists to give advice, and to help the Press in avoiding offences under the Defence Regulations.
It is a sound principle that the censorship of the Press should be a voluntary one—that publication should be left to the discretion of individual journals on the under- standing that they know the rules, and will comply with them to the best of their power. The Ministry offers to co-operate with the Press and invites it to co-operate with the Ministry on the understanding that they stand together in the common task of enlightening the country. On these questions of general principle there is no dispute. The real problem lies in their right applica- tion, and that will be no easy matter. We need not now dwell upon a possibility that was envisaged at an earlier stage long before the war began—that the Government or departments of the Government should use the Ministry to shield themselves from criticism. It has been promised that no such use shall be made of its powers, and it is to be hoped that no such question will ever arise. But the problem which must present itself is in regard to the character of the information divulged. The military authorities, who will rightly have a powerful influence in the censorship department, will naturally be disposed to stop all news which might, though per- haps only by remote contingencies, give information to the enemy. But in some such cases the civil authori- ties might conclude that it was even more important that cur own people should be informed than that the enemy should be misled. There may be news which it is really desirable to keep from the enemy, but which has already reached them from a reliable foreign source. In such a case it would be senseless to keep it from the British public. Again there are items of news each of which individually should be kept secret, though much might be given when they are treated collectively—for in- stance, in regard to the destruction of submarines.
The tendency of officials in so important a Govern- ment department will be to play for safety—when in doubt, suppress the news. It is that tendency which Lord Macmillan and his staff will have to counteract. The one unpardonable mistake would be that of sup- pressing news on the sole ground that it is adverse or unpalatable. On this ground there should be no censor- ship whatever. Just as the public expects to have news, and as early as possible, of any success achieved by our arms, and will be duly encouraged by it, so, and no less fully and quickly, it expects to be given news of any re- verse to our arms that may occur, or of any blow that the enemy may succeed in striking with its Air Force. The courage, public spirit and determination of the people are among our greatest assets in the war. The people are unanimously behind the Government, and may be counted upon to face setbacks with undiminished reso- lution and to do all in their power to make good anything that may have been lost. What they would not tolerate is to be kept in ignorance or doubt. There must be trust between partners. If they are confident that from the Press and the official informants they are being given a square deal they will be capable of receiving bad news without loss of dignity, or good news without foolish optimism. With this sense of mutual understanding as the guiding spirit behind the Ministry of Information it will be able to contribute much for the triumph of the cause.
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