6/11/39 No. 1. FR]2NCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (Morning). The following communique, was issued this morning by French G.H.Q" :­ Local artil::'.:e.ry activity at several points of the Front. 6/11/39 -No.2. EMPIHE SECTION. UNEhlPLOYMENT IN ULSTER. 12,000 DOWN IN TWELVE MONTHS. There were 69,255 unemployed people in Northern Ireland on the 16th October 1939 which was 12,180 fewer than in October 1938 and 4,633 more than on the 11th September 1939. The annual revision of the estimated number of persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Schemes in Northern Ireland shows that under the General Scheme there are 299,600. In addition there are also 30,500 covered by the Agriculture Scheme and some 18,330 juveniles. The total estimated nmnber of persons insured against unemployment in Northern Ireland in July last was about 350,470 against 347,955 in 1938. The Minister of Labour aru1ounced in the House of commons on 26th October ths.t men in agricultural occu1)ations liable for military service vvllo registered under the procla;nation of 1st October would not be called up until Januaryj 1940. This follows a simi1ar arrangement whereby the calling up of n1en registered in June u... 1I1raining Act vms deferred '1der the rUlitary until after the harvest . These men Nill be required to join the Colours during November. These concessions have given farmers employing men who are liable for military servi.ce an opportunity to look ahead and consider how to meet the situation when their men are called up; and farmers who need substj_tutes are r:itrongly advised to make full use of th8 }'}nploynent Exchange machinery of the Ministry of Labour and .Nation,;11 Service 9 which may be able to give them a good deal of help in these times . Apart from the regular ar;ricultur:al workers on the books of the I~.x.changes , a nurnber of wen :in rural districts have been throvm out of employment since the outbreak of war, many of whom have had prevtous experience in farm work. Arranger:ients have been made so that when a man in a rural distrjct wishes to register for er;1.ployment, any previous agricultural experience he has h 'ad is recor(led, so that his name may be submj_tted for any agricultural vacancies notified. These aprangements are not confined to labourers, but extend also to persons por:;sessing qualifications for posts as foremen and managerf; of farms. As a resti1t of these arrangements the Minisi,ry of La-Dour will have on their books, during the next few monthsj a number of men who could be very usefully employed in agricultuPe a·1: the present time. The :"~xehanges v1ill a1so be able to put farmers into touch with the Women 's I,e.n.d Ar·rr.;sr County Organisations if women workers are preferred or if suitable men are not available . Farmers should give th3 local officers of the Ministry of Labour and National Service as long notice as possible of their requirements . IS8USD THROUGH 'lf!:T~~ PRI'~f)S BUR~~AU. G/11/39 EMPIRE SECTION. BIG 1\IR ':CRAINTNC SCHEiiIE _/_RRAHG:=D 'JI':_'H 'I1HZ BRITISH GVJERNMENT ____ _, ·-· -------­ S1)ecial training schools for Airmen r,re beinc established in various parts of South Africa by arrangement with the British Govei-•nmento The training riot onl3r of pilots~ out of observers 9 photogre.phers and in.achine g•J_nners is to 1)e carried out on a large scale, and there :Ls intense activity j_n the O:'~'c1nance Depnrtmento Never before in the Defe~ce Forces of South Africa, it is made clear in semi-official L~ssages ~ram Pretoria, has there been such a spirit of enthusiasm and -brisk effic:i.encyo South Africa is preparing with the utmost seri ousness for a possibly active share in the war" He·:.;rLJ_i tine; to 1_,:':Lng all Active Citizen Force uni ts D-:1_) to vvar strength (nhj_ c!i invclv«:::-s doublinc; theiI' ·!eo.ce-tirne s tre:1gth) has. rns.c1..e great progress and there j_ s no lack of voli_,uyi~eel"So Intensive traini:1.g o:r-: A8tive r~'. i tizen Poree uni ts has been extencied~ and ' specialists j_n all technical dep2rtrnents, such as signallings despatch riding, machine g-uns, Bren guns, etcc 9 al"e unde:>going courses a t the South AfricanMilitary College near PretoriaD Adeq_uate arrangements for the coastal defence of South Africa have been r.mde. The Special Service Battalion (which no1•nally recruits youths who combine rnili tary -vvi th voea tional treininc;) has been increased to the strength of a brigade, and a second brigade is to be formed. EMPIRE S:CCTIO:N --·-­ For morning 1?_a:.:iers of 7th Novc:;rnber.. 19390 COLONIAL SECRETARY STRAITS SETTLELIEHTS. Q It is announced by the Colonial Office that HI'o So v7o Jones, C. M. G~ , British ~(esident, Selanzor (Colonial Adrninistrative Service) 5 has 'been selected for appoint~ent as Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlements, on the forthcoming retirement of Sir Alexander Srnall, Ko B. E. , C"' IVio G"' (Mra S.~. Jones, Barrister-at-Law, joined the service of t~e Federated Malay States in 1911; served continuously in Malaya as Cadet, District Officer anc1 Local Exarninei"' in Lav-v-and Malay. He ·was then appointed Cornrnissioner of Lands and Mines, Johore, 1933; Under Secretary to the Government of the Federated Malay States, 1935; and British Resident, Selangor, in 1937.) 6/11/3Q .... No,6, EMPIRE SECTION 11THE LION H.AS WINGS" FLIES OVER The Air Force film 0 The Lion Has Wings" is being sent by air mail to be shown in the Domini.on~ The agents of United Artists, who are arranging tor an immediate release; are waiving their barring clause reserving the first showing "for renters served by United Artists. 6/11/39 No.7. MINISTRY OF HEALTH. P.rovision continues to be made in hospitals throughout the country for the treatment of the sick. Not only a.re out-patients' departments functioning at full capacity in a l arge nunber of' hospitals, but treatment for in-patients is also widely available. Reports received today show that the nine big hospitals of the London Sectors, under the Emergency Medical Scheme (London, St. Bartholomews, University College, Middlesex1 St. Mary's, Westminster, St. Thomas', King's College and Guys), all have vacant beds available for the ordinary needs of the population of London. ------000--------­ MINISTRY OF HEALTH, Whitehall, S. W.1. MINES DEPARTMENT ANNOUN8EMENT. ___.,.___. ---------~-··---­ Petrol Rationing. The second Petrol Rationing Period will begin on Basic Ration Pooks . ~:L2.l_~men~ary Allovm:ices . 23rd November, The new Motor Cycles, ~unit coupons from 'l'uesday, and will continue until 31st January, 1940. basic Ration Books for Private Cars and together with a separate book containing for auto-cycles, will be available en and 7th November, at Local Taxation Offices or Post Offices at which Motor Licensing Business is transacted, A single Ration Book is being issued and the period of validity is printed at the top of each coupon. No application form is required, but the Registration Book of the vehicle must be produced at the time of application. The co11er of one of the basic Rati on Boolrn in respect of the previous period should be sur rendered in all cases where such books had been issued. Owners of t axicabs licensed in t he Metropolitan Police area should apply to the Metropoli tan Polica Hackney Carriage Departrne:n. t . For all ct.her taxicabs, application should . be made to the Local 'fa.x'-3. t:;. .:-:1 Office . Owners of privnte cars and motor cycles are particular'ly requested not to submit claims for supplementary allowances unless they are urgently needed for essential purposes . Vlhere such allowances are necessary, th2 appropriate application form should be obtained from the same office as the ba.sic Ration Book, and sent by post as soon as possible after the 7th November to the Divisional Petroleum Officer for the area i n which the vehi cle is normally garaged. The application form must be accompanied by the R~gistratj_on Book 9 but neither insurance certificates nor basic Ration Coupon Books should be enclosed. It is in order to R • ( HlVl . 0n . ) R. (M.S.) R.(M.S . ) R. (IvI . S. ) 4 R. (IVI.S.) 5 Dean Stanl ey Street, Millbank, London, S. VJ. 1. 6th November, 1939. No. 8. important that the correct forms should be used avoid delay. These are as follows: ­ , ..L 2 3 Private cars 8.nd hackney vehicles (other than taxicabs and public service vehicles) . Motor cycles, tricycles and auto-cycles . Provincial Taxicabs . Invalid Carri.ages . For all othe r purposes , including machinery, domestic lighting plant, etc . These forms ums t be sent to the Divisional Petrole'..i.m Officer for the area in whj_ch the machine, or plant, is operated. MELI. TO SUB-EDITORS: --· As this script f s being issued in advance 9 it is necessary to check it against the actual broadcast at 7~50 this (Monday) evening on 391 o~ 449 metreso BROADCAST ~l)J¥ I?_'{ THE RT. HON. R~ g. CASEY. (fllinister for SUl)}_)ly and Development, in the Cornrnonwealth of Australia) I' rn glad of the chance of a fevr minutes ·talk to you. I've come, with three advisers 9 half round the uorld in an aeroplane to represent Australia at this Conference on the conduct of the war. Our task is to find out 9 by franlc discuss:ion9 just what the present position is 9 hovr it may develop, and how Australia can give the greatest assistance to the common cs.use. Novv, I don't Yv-ant to attempt tonight to use high flown language or to make a set speech to you. I want to speak to you as individuals in the languag~ that means most to you and to me ­in OI'dinary conversational terms;­ This war is an 11 all·-in11 1xcsiness. It7 s our war as m~ch as it1 s your v,raro I'm an Austr'alian of three generations 9 in that my Grandfather i:-.rent out to Australia over a hundred years ago and all my fore.bears and relatj_ons have b een vvell rooted in Australj_a ever since. I hope a:rid believe tho.t I can call myself a typical Australian. l want ray children to co~r'ltinue, after me, to be able to call themselves Australians and sub jeiJts of the King. There is only one way, 'tS I see it, that this co.n. ha))en -and that is by all parts of the Bm;;il"'e r allying to each other's assistance rrhen any or1e or more parts of the Empire are threatened. This isn't only a high ideal·· it's a practical fact 9 in that it's happening now. It's the only real and successful example of what the diplomats call "collective security" that exists in the world. /We .·. -2 ­ We needn't bother tonight to go into the business of how this war started. Mr. Chamberlain, your great Prime Minister, has told you all about that. But there's one point that I'd like to remind you of. In the White Paper published by your Government there is a passage recording a conversation between Sir Nevile Henderson, the British Ambassador at Berlin, and Herr Hitler, a few days before the war started, in which Herr Hitler said in effect that if he were given a free hand in Europe and elsewhere he would personal~arantee the contin~le~~_ existenc~_of the British_ Em.J2...~r~. Otherwise, if he were not let have his way, he inferred that he would break the back of the British Empire. Herr Hitler, mind you, was willing, if Britain were to stand. aside, t~ guarantee personally the continued existence of the British Empire. Well, 1 don't k:t1ovr how you react to that, but a great many of us in Australia get r ather imitable when we read that -and we said to ourselves that perh~ps someone else besides Herr Hitler would have some say i n this not unimportant matter of whether the British Empire continues to exist or not. I don't know if you happen to have listened to the German propaganda broadcasts that have been on the air from German stations in the last few days. They have made repe~ted statements to the effect that Britain can expect little active hel1) from the Dominions in this war. Please don't allow these statements to mislead you. They are complete nonsense, as the unfortunate German people will realise before very long. The f act that an Australian delego.tion -together with other· Dominion delegations -is on London discussing war problems with the British Government at this early date is an earnest of th e determination of the Australian Government to pull our full weight -and, more than that, -it's evidence of the unity of all the Empire countries in t he f ace of a comrnon danger. 3o Many foreigners find it hard to understand ·~h~,,. a remote r:relf­governing country like Australia goes to war, without any pressure being l:'~oughttc h::.:e.:::•. on her, just because your little island, on the other side of the world to us, is at ware The answer is, o~ course, that we're all of the same British race and we belong, and willingly and gladly belong to the same British Emp:Lre -and that. when the King is at war, we are all at waro We Australians share your disgust at the sinister influences that have governed Germany in recent years -bad faith backed up by brute force in international relations, and o,pression and persecution of J_)eople vrho can't hit back. Although we in Austra]_ia are 13,000 miles away, we've seen, as clearly as you, the systematic destruction of three small European countries one after another ­and, like you, we realise that if this gangster business isn't stopped, normal life will become impossible for half the world -including ourselveso Af·~er all, the relations lJetween nations are governed in the; long run by the same considerations as the relations between one man and another. There are those who trick and cheat and lieo They may get away with it for a time -but in the end the same standard ofl decency and hone sty :prevails between nations as between individuals,o Well, now, and will be asking ·-what exactly is Australia going to do in the war by way of active help ? That is what the Australian Government has sent me here to discus2·o We 1 ve been actively building up our fighting services for the last five yearso -4 ­ We are spending this year ten times as much on Defence as we were five years ago. We have a special Division now in training for overseas service, and we have five other Divisions doing special four months training for home defenceo V'ie have what is for us quite a large and rapidly expanding Royal Australian Air Force. Our Royal Australian Navy is o.n effective force which works in very closely with the Royal Navyo We have a very long coast line which we have to defend by fixed coastal defence gu.ns a.t all j_mi)ortant poin;!ts. We have also been buildtng up ou:e munitions manufacturing capacity for many years. In the las t war we had to rely on you for practically everything that our troops requircdj except rifles and small arms arnmunitiono It's a v~ry different story todayu We are now very much better prepared. Besides making rifles and n1illions of rounds of small arms arnrr:\;.1.i tion a dr.y . we have f e.c to:ries for making Vickers, Lewis and Bren machine r_;u:ns 7 we make anti-aircraft guns of the most modern type 9 high c;x:plos5.. ves of a:_1 typesj gun ammunition -shells -· of all sorts r.nd sizes from two -·)ou:.c1er to six inch, depth charges and mines f or the Navy, aircraf ~ l>ombs for the Air Force -and a hundred and one other items of armament stores and equipment uniform with tho;;e used by the British Army, Nav;r and Air Force. We are also making ~nodern fighting aircraft Jn .!\ustr«.:~li::i. -and the last thing I did bsfore I left Australia, a bare three week0 ago, was to arrange for th0 manufacture of some hundl'eds of training aircraft on which 1lD train the many thousam~.s of new ·0ilots as p:i.rt of t he g!'eat Empire air training schemeo So far as munitions of war are concerned we can now not only meet practically alJ. of our own requirements but we can help supyily other British communities on our side of the world. 5. So far as foodstuffs and raw materials are concerned, as you know we produce great quantities of wool and wheat and meat and butter, sugar, dried fruits, metals -and all these things we can and will supply to you here to the limit of our ability. Well now -you ask what part we Australians are going to play in this war. I can't tell you yet -but I can tell you that we are actively and forcefully preparing to pull our weig:h.t in whatever way is decided as being best in your and our common interests. Now, my time is up, -and I'll end by a few things that occur to me about you peoDle here in Britain. You are, if I may say so, very much the same as we are -or, I suppose, being a visitor, I should say that we Australians are very much like you. People of the British race are very similar wherever they are situated in the world. Ve are all reasonably commonsense, stubborn people -not the cleverest people in the world -not the most passionate -not with all the graces, but capable of getting very irritated when someone tries to put something over on us. This is what Germany has tried to do. I don't underrate Germany. I think we're going to have a hard time. We have to steel ourselves to face dark days, with probably many reverses. But I have no fears as to the ultimate resulta You are the senior partners in this business and on you will fall the brunt -but you have some junior partners who will see the job through with you and who will help you to the utmost of their ability. Goodbye to you for the present -and good fortune to you -and to all of us. 6/11/39 -. No. 10. NAVAL AFFAIRS ASK US TO CIRCULATE THE FOLLOWING REVISED STATEMENT SHOWINGHNUMBER OF BRITISH, ALLIED AND NEUTRAL SHIPS 2 AND TOTAL TONNAGE, LOST. SINCE OUTBREAK OF VIAR. Shi;QS British. ShiJ2S · Allied. Sh112s Neutral, September 37 255,636 ]l 2,660 14 34,283 October 19 83,159 6 45,275 16 41,752 November 0 Ol 2 12,450 56 238_, 795 T 47,935 32 88,485 6/11/39 No. 11. NOT FOE PUBLICATION IN Ju\fY FORE BEFORE i'!IORNING PR:SSS OF TUESDAY9 7TH NOVEMBER 5 1939. The King has been graciously pleased to approve the ap~ointment of Sir George Arthur Drostan Ogilvie Forbes 5 I\. C. 1·:1. G. 5 Counsellor at His Majesty's Legation at Oslo to be His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and MiniRter Plenipotentiary at Havana in succession to .Mr~ H.A. Grant Watson5 C. II. Go FOR~IGN OFFICE 5 6th Noven:iber 9 1939" 6/11/39 No.12. I The War Office announce that relatives of personnel serving with the Briti3h Ex-peditionary Force who wish to apply for them to be sent horreon leave on conwassionate grolUlds, should address their applications to the Under-Secretary of State (A G4A), War Office, not to the British Expeditionary Force. In cases of serious illness medical certificates should be enclosed with applications. ------000--------­ FOR PRESS AND BROADCAST. 6/11/39 No. 13. P R E S S NOTICE Sir John Anderson, Minister of Home Security, and Captain Eu.an Wallace, I!Iinister of Transport, held a conference at the Home Office todey with representatives of various organisations on the subject of road accidents in the black-out. Representatives were present from the Royal Automobile Club, the Automobile Association, National Safety First Association, Pedestrians' Association, National Cyclists' Union, Cyclists' Touring Club, British Motor Cycle Association, Institute of Municipal and County Engineers and the County Surveyors' Association. The conference was also attended by Sir Philip Gar11e, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, Sir Hugh TurnbullJl Commissioner of Police for the City of London, the Chief Constables of LancEl.shire, Salford and Lano.rk, and re~resentatives of other police forces. The problem under consideration was what steps could be t aken to reduce the serious increase which has occurred in road accidents since the introduction of the black-out two months ago. A nurnber of suggestions were put forward, for which consideration was promised. The conference 12,sted over tvvo hours. -------000-------­ MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY. NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN ANY FORM BEFORE MORJHN.G OF TUESDAY 7th NOVEMBER2 1939 -No-.14. Further enquiries have now been made into the German allegations regarding the ill~reatment of certain officials of the German Consulate at Glasgow during the 2_)eriod of their detention in that city. The information given by the authorities concerned shows that these allegations are entirely without foundation. While under detention in Glasgow Herr J_,iebske was treated as an untried person. He wore his own clothes and used his ovm night clothes. He had and used his ovm toilet requisites, was accommodated in a furnished room and was attended by a prisoner so that he did not have to keep his room in order. He had his food and vrine from an out·side restaurant and was allowed to smoke at his pleasure. He Wf'IS allowed to purchase newspapers and magazines and had the choice of any books in the prison libraries. He did no work of any kind except in connection with his O\llffi affairs: he had papers in his possession and spent a considerable time writing. He was visited by the Swiss Consul, the Assistant Chief Constable of Glasgow and by the Commissionnaire of the Consulate who is a British subject. On the day of his liberation Herr Liebske came to the room of the Governor of the remand prison where he had been detained and thanked the Governor and Deputy-Governor for the courteous and kindly treatment accorded to him. On the next day he came back voluntarily and repeated his thanks to the Deputy­ ·Governor. The porter of the German Consulate in Glasgow, Georg Apfelstadt, was treated in the same way as Herr Liebske but be did not wish for food from outside and accordingly received the prison diet. He was supplied with newspapers and drawing books and was visited by his wife and daughter. The woman secretary at the Consulate, Eva Wagner, was also treated as an untried person and was ;Jrovided with the clothing appropriate to one in such position since she had no change of clothing with her. She asked to be allowed to work and was employed at what is consi.dered the most desirable job in the prison, namely assisting to prepare the food in the officers' mess. In that work she had a cGrtain amount of normal washing up duty but there is no truth whe.tever in the statement that she was ~ut to cleaning latrines. Fraulein Wagne~ did not ask for special attendants to relieve her of the duty of keeping her own room clea:iJ but was glad to have that to do in order to fill in her time. Neither did she ask permission t o smoks, She was allowed every facility open to untried persons 2nd received visits from friends in Glasgow. Like other untried persons she had access to the prisoner's library. On liberat i on she expre;::::rlher wan)li ·thanl-rn to all concerned for the kindly and cor>.sider