§ 59. Mr. G. Straussasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now make a statement about the protests made by leading British journalists in India against the Army censorship authorities; and whether he is satisfied that the censors acted solely on grounds of military security.
§ The Financial Secretary to the War Office (Mr. Arthur Henderson)The censorship action against which five correspondents protested was taken on instructions from South East Asia Command because, so I understand, it was felt that the success of operations might be jeopardised by the publication of their reports at that moment. There may of course be room for differences of opinion as to what information will be of use to the enemy, but the judgment of the Commander-in-Chief in such cases must be accepted.
§ Mr. StraussIs the Minister aware that these correspondents maintain that no security matter whatever was contained in the cables which had been censored? Has the War Office looked into the matter and considered what the despatches were?
§ Mr. HendersonAs a matter of fact we have asked for a further report. We are anxious to establish proper relations between the Press and the military censorship authorities, but I would prefer to add nothing to my answer until we have had this further report.
Mr. AstorCan the Minister say whether steps have been taken to strengthen the censorship and public relation offices in that Command?
§ Mr. HendersonWe had better wait until we have had this further report, and then we can decide what further action, if any, is necessary.
§ Sir H. WilliamsWhy not use the new public relations officer of the Treasury, because he will have nothing else useful to do?
§ Mr. SorensenCould the Minister let the House see at an early date what it was that the correspondents were supposed not to send?
§ Mr. HendersonI should prefer to wait until I see this further report.
§ Mr. GranvilleIn view of the great efforts the Government made to get war correspondents to go to this particular front, and in view of the willingness of the newspapers to see that this war front gets a good show, will not the Minister see that nothing is done to prevent the right background and local colour being given to this important campaign?
§ Mr. HendersonI think that, on the whole, the relationship between the Press and the military censorship authorities has been good. I would like to wait until I get this report so that I may see what happened.
§ Mr. StraussWould the Minister bear in mind that military censorship always has a tendency to develop into political censorship unless it is carefully checked?
§ Mr. GallacherAre we to take it that it is not just the "Daily Worker" that the Minister does not trust but that he does not trust any of the papers?