HC Deb 02 May 1940 vol 360 cc880-1
30. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Home Secretary whether, in considering action to be taken against subversive journals and organisations, he will include those likely to injure the cause of the Allies by their support of that cause in terms approximating to Nazi hatred and mendacity?

Sir J. Anderson

As the hon. Member will realise, any attempt to suppress statements which may be open to objection on the ground that the language used is inaccurate or immoderate would involve a very extensive interference with the liberty of the Press. As I previously indicated, what I am considering is a guarded and limited provision to enable action to be taken in serious cases of propaganda deliberately designed to impede the national war effort.

Mr. Sorensen

While appreciating the difficulties of the right hon. Gentleman and the statement he has made, can we take it that he would, in fact, deprecate any attempt to imitate in journals the Nazi hatred mendacity?

Sir J. Anderson

I think that is a matter of personal opinion.

Mr. Thurtle

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, if he considers action of this kind, the difficulty of distinguishing between the policy of a journal now, and its policy before the war? For instance, is he aware that there are some organisations which were bitterly denouncing Nazism before the war but have now become flatterers of Nazism?