HL Deb 06 June 1951 vol 171 cc1057-9
LORD VANSITTART

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask whether the attention of His Majesty's Government has been drawn to a letter issuéd by the Shipping Federation, covering a specimen of a detailed Communist directive to ships' crews to cause damage and subversion aboard; whether the source of this document has been found, and what action is contemplated in the matter.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH)

My Lords, the attention of His Majesty's Government was called to this document some time ago. The source of the document has not, so far as I am aware, been traced, and His Majesty's Government do not consider that any action lies with them that would be at all helpful or effective. The document has already been brought to the notice of owners, officers and men by their own organisations, and it is not at all likely that British seafarers, whose loyalty to the interests of this country cannot be doubted, will be misled by the suggestions which this document contains. His Majesty's Government consider that in putting all concerned on their guard the most effective action possible has been taken.

LORD VANSITTART

My Lords, may I point out that copies of this document have been found in all ships touching at Mediterranean ports, particularly Marseilles and Genoa? I should have thought that that would have provided some clue as to where the documents came from. This is a matter which I regard as of some gravity. In an article in the February number of The Seaman, Mr. Thomas Yates, General Secretary of the National Union of Seamen, says: I regard it myself as one of the most subtle forms of sabotage to which the Communists have got down in their studied and calculated service to Soviet Russia. I should have thought, therefore, that there was some justification for calling in our Intelligence Service.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, I was not aware that this document had been found in all ships in the Mediterranean. We know that it was found in one ship in the Mediterranean, but if the noble Lord has any further information beyond what I have, I shall be glad to bring it to the attention of the appropriate authority for such action as that authority may think desirable.

LORD VANSITTART

My Lords, my justification for saying that the document has been found in all ships in the Mediterranean was the statement in the article in The Seaman by Mr. Thomas Yates, in which he says: In plain terms, copies of this document have been found in all ships touching the Mediterranean ports….

LORD HAWKE

Are His Majesty's Government going to publish the document, in order that the British working man can see what attempts have been made by a foreign Power to sabotage his efforts?

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

The document has already received wide publicity, and I do not think any useful purpose will be served by republishing it.

LORD WINSTER

My Lords, while not in the least minimising the importance of the remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Vansittart, may I say that the association representing the officers of the Mercantile Marine are well alive to the effects of attempted Communist infiltration? We have no reason whatever to think that this Communist propaganda is having any effect upon the officers of the Mercantile Marine, for whom alone I am able to speak. I cannot speak for the men.

LORD VANSITTART

My Lords, I fully accept that, but I should like to see something done about the matter.