§ 31. Mr. SMITHERSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to a seditious pamphlet entitled Sailors and Marines Programme, published by the Communist party of Great Britain, with a foreword by a serving sailor; and what steps he is taking to prevent its circulation in the Navy?
Mr. ALEXANDERYes, Sir, copies have been circulated among naval ratings from time to time, but in nearly every case the distribution took place on shore. The statement that the foreword is written by a serving sailor gives no clue to its authorship. I do not think there is any need to regard the matter seriously, and there is no evidence that it is so regarded by the Navy.