1/11/39 - No. 1. OFFICIAL FRENCH COMMUNIQUE Reduced activity during the night. FROM FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 1/11/39 - No. 2. MINISTRY OF HEALTH Compulsory Notification of Measles and Whooping Cough. The Minister of Health (Mr. Walter Elliot) in Circulars (Nos. 1896 and 1896a) sent to-day (Wednesday) to the County Councils and to Local Authorities in England and Wales states that Regulations relating to measles and whooping cough have been made to come into operation forthwith. The Regulations provide for the notification of . all cases of measles and whooping cough "by medical practitioners to Medical Officers of Health. The object is to enable the Department to ascertain readily and rapidly the incidence of these diseases as it may be affected by the displacement of child population caused by the recent emergency measures, and the changes that may have occurred In the geographical distribution of infectious diseases. At present measles and whooping cough are notifiable to a limited extent in certain districts. Such limitation is usually confined to the first cases occurring in a household or to children under five years of age. MINISTRY OF HEALTH November 1, 1939 1/11/39 - No, 3. For the information of the Press, the following Officers will he present at Lieut. Col. f Muirhead s funeral to-day:- Air Commodore J.C. Slessor, representing the Royal Air Force, and Air Commodore W.F. MacNeesh Poster, representing the Air Council. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. 1/11/39 No. 4. P.N. 1589 NOTICE FOR THE PRESS. The Postmaster General announces that in view of the war the usual list of latest dates of posting for Overseas Christmas mails will not be issued this year. To ensure delivery by Christmas, a margin of time, both for letters and parcels, should be allowed as compared with previous years. GENERAL POST OFFICE. Ist November, 1939. 1/11/39 - No, 5. EMPIRE SECTION H.M.S. "SOUTH AFRICA" As a "Scotsman born in South Africa" , Sir William Campbell Mitchell Cotts, Bart, has contributed 100 guineas to the fund sponsored by the Mayor of Port Elizabeth for building a cruiser to be named "H.M.S* South Africa." ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. 1/11/39 - No,. ,6x EMPIRE SECTION TIN QUOTA. The following is issued by the Chairman of communique the International Tin Committee under the authority of that Committee: In modification of the communique issued on 11th October 1939? the International Tin Committee has fixed the quota, for the fourth quarter of 1939, at 100% of the standard tonnages. The Committee has also decided that the quota, for the first quarter of 1940* shall not he fixed at a rate less than 60% of the standard tonnages. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU 1/11/39 - No. 7. INFORMATION FROM OVERSEA BROADCASTS. A Continuous Watch. There was no broadcasting in the last war. (The first programme to be publicly broadcast in this country was a concert from Chelmsford on February 23rd, 1920.) But it was foreseen in time of peace that in any future war the bulletins, communiques and general programmes broadcast by other countries were likely to move a new and vital source of prompt information. That forecast has been proved true by events. In this war broadcasting already stands out as an essential source of immediate and often authoritative information. The Ministry of Information arranged that the 8.8.C. on the outbreak of war should immediately develop, on a considerable scale and at the Ministry's charges, the modest amount of work of this kind which it has for long regularly conducted for the guidance of those in charge of its Foreign Language Services, and for other more technical purposes. This work is always known in the 8.8.C. as Monitoring '<, 5 The service thus jointly organised by the Ministry and the 8.8.C. involves a continuous watch for 7 days of every week and throughout the 24 hours of every day uron the broadcast programmes of many other countries» The transmissions of th€ world are thus brought under continuous or periodical observation as changing needs from time to time dictate. The list of countries to which the monitoring organisation listens includes not only all the main European countries and the United States, but sich distant countries as Japan and Chile. The languages, with which the staff of the service must be familiar, whether broadcast from the country to which they are native or used in broadcasts addressed by one country to another, range through French, German, Italian and Russian to Arabic and Ukrainian. About About 150\news bulletins alone, in a variety of languages, are being regularly monitored every day; while from time to time special arrangements have to be made, often at short notice, to take down word for word and to translate a foreign speech of importance. Some 250,00 C words are caught up by this service from the ether every 24 hours. This traffic is, however, not evenly distributed, the main rush coming during the hours of darkness. The material as it is taken down by the monitors is rapidly passed to an editorial staff, which prepares at speed a daily summary. This summary at present runs to as many as 30 000 words a day. The summary is stencilled and immediately dispatched to some 25 ( Government agencies, all the departments directly engaged in the prosecution of the war. In advance of the issue of this summary, information of special urgency is telephoned immediately to the departments knownto be interested. The raw material, after it has been edited, has to be arranged in a form which will enable later enquiries to be answered or confirmations to be given. The assembly and equipment of this service on the outbreak of war was a complicated undertaking both on the human and the technical sides* A staff of very varied linguistic expertness had to be recruited* This task alone involved the interviewing of hundreds ‘of candidates and the eareful testing of their capacities. Some individual members of the listening team can speak and write as many as four or five languages* In general, however, they are recruited from first-class experts in one language or perhaps in two. Members of this staff must also be physically capable of standing not only much all-night work, but also the considerable strain of listening continuously to broadcast programmes liable to atmospheric disturbances. Technical facilities had to be provided at the listening points for the recording and later reproduction of broadcasts of importance. Other broadcasts, or items of broadcasts, are reported by the monitors in the form of summarised notes. The service has to be conducted at once with high speed and with accuracy. The monitoring staff is deliberately scattered between a number of points, but is closely linked to a single centre by telephone, teleprinter and dispatch rider. It is assisted by a corps of shorthand writers. The editorial staff must have a sound and up-to-date appreciation of international affairs, and must acquire a detailed knowledge of the special needs, often varying from week to week, of the departments whom they are serving* These qualifications are necessary to enable them to weigh and assess quickly the relative importance of different items in the raw material which streams on to their tables# The scope, operating speed and accuracy of the service have been continuously improved since the outbreak of war. It is now about to be further remodelled in the light of experience gained during the last two months to meet the steadily growing demands made upon it from official quarters. That process of f re-organisation must be carried through without an hour s interruption of the work. New uses are being continually disclosed for the service and the material which it assembles. It seems clear that its value will increase as the war develops and that it will be at least as essential during any future period of peace negotiation as it has already proved itself to be in war conditions. No. 8. M. A. F. 80 . Ist November, 1939. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCEMENT. FRUIT TREE PLANTING IN PRIVATE GARDENS. In the endeavour to increase the staple food crops during war time it has been necessary to concentrate in the open fields on such crops as cereals and potatoes, and to discourage the use of fresh land for trees, unless they are planted amongst the food crops. This does not mean, however, that the Ministry of Agriculture deprecates the planting of fruit trees generally. In private gardens, fruit trees and bushes are usually planted in the kitchen garden and it is hoped that the normal planting will still continue. The nursery trade has ample stocks of trees and bushes. The majority of gardeners can grow much of their own fruit without any appreciable loss of ground for vegetables and flowers; and no fruit is quite like that picked fresh from one’s own fruit tree. It is hoped that private gardeners will still plant their normal supplies of fruit trees and bushes during the war period, bearing in mind that crops should be planted between the trees. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. 1/11/39 - No. 9. Air Vicre-Marshal W. L. Welsh will attend the funeral service of Lt.Col. Muirhead, whick takes place at St.Margarets, Westminster, at 12.30 p.m. tomorrow (2nd October). ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. 1/11/39 - No. 10. NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE 4.30 p.m, WEDNESDAY NOV. 1st SCHOOLS IN EVACUATION AREAS TO RE-OPEN BUT LORD DE LA WARR APPEALS TO PARENTS NOT TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN BACK. Replying to a motion by the Bishop of Winchester in the House of Lords to-day (Wednesday) Lord Be La Warr, President of the Board of Education referred to the arrangements made for the education of children in reception areas and continued:- "I pass now to another aspect of the problem which has given me far more concern than the children who have been evacuated. I refer, of course, to the children who have stayed in evacuation areas. This difficulty would not have arisen if all parents had taken advantage of the Government’s scheme for moving them out, but they did not do so u It is no good blaming them. The scheme was voluntary and they had their reasons, some good, some less so. Our task is to face the hard fact that more than half the school children who could be at school in comparative safety are, in fact, still in the vulnerable areas and receiving little or no education. The Government remain of the opinion which underlay their evacuation scheme that the further we can remove our children from the danger and the nervous strain of possible bombing, the better* We feel moreover that the children in evacuation areas are getting the worst of both worlds. On the one hand they are running a quite unnecessary risk - and on the other they are missing all social care and schooling, and a great number of them are acquiring habits of idleness, if not worse» Such a situation cannot be allowed to continue,, There are only two solutions, and each of them has its /advocates advocates. The first is to get all the remaining children out of the vulnerable areas. Only compulsion could do this, and to compel the parents of % million children to part with them for an indefinite period is a step which the Government would, rightly I think, be unwilling to take in any but the most desperate circumstances. We find ourselves, therefore, driven "back to the second solution - some measure of reopening the schools in vulnerable areas - and this is the course on which the Government have decided. This decision must not he taken as an All Clear signal for a return to the evacuation areas. We have been influenced simply and solely by the fact that as a nation we cannot afford to let J million children grow up without education, school discipline or medical care. The'merit of a democracy is that its citizens have a sense of responsibility. In speaking to parents therefore I feel that I am speaking to a body of adult and responsible people. If I could address them personally I should say:- "In your children’s interests leave them where they are. As yet we have had no air raids at all in terms of what took place in Poland. That is all to the good, but we don’t know what’s coming and this is a matter quite literally of life and death. English people don’t like the idea of running away from danger, but that is no reason for denying children the safety to which all children are surely entitled. Every child in the Public system of Education has been given full opportunity of safety with transport accommodation and education - all including accommodation and even keep, up till now at full Government expense. It has not been easy for anybody, and it's been very expensive. But in the view we took of the dangers, we felt and still feel it to be necessary. So did you when you sent therm Of course you miss them and you feel a sort of break in your family life, But we are fighting this war as a whole and united nation. I ask you to do your bit by sticking it a little longer, and we for our part will undertake here and now to tell you just as soon as we think you would be doing right to bring " your children back. That is what I would say to the parents and I would also ask them to remember this. If the raids really come, there can be no nice orderly evacuation as before. There will just be a rush, and everyone will have to take his chance. The Government will do its best to help, but it just won’t be possible to do much. Parents won’t be able to count on the trains in an emergency, nor will they find householders whose friendly help they have rejected, prepared to make all that effort a second time. Nor, of course, will the education he any better or indeed as complete as what is being given in the reception areas. Many of the schools are either so constructed or so placed - for instance in the London dock area - as to render their opening quite out of the question. Others have been requisitioned and by no means all of them could be released. Also the provision of protection will in itself limit accommodation in the buildings that are available. Numbers will have therefore to be limited and many schools will be operating on a double shift basis. The Government have decided, however, that as many schools as possible shall be reopened for the education of the children of parents who desire them to attend. My Right Hon, Friend the Home Secretary has promised to help Local Education Authorities by instituting at once a survey of the school premises in order to decide which of them are suitable and what form of protection is most appropriate in each case. We have also been in touch with the War Office and we can definitely rely on them to help us wherever possible by releasing school buildings though though we cannot of course expect them all to be released. There is a great deal for the Local Education Authorities to do before many of the schools can actually open they will want to work on the basis of a thoughtout plan and this will mean, surveys to decide on the number of teachers to be recalled and on the steps to be taken to protect buildings. It may be that only some of the schools can be reopened before the Christmas holidays but the soaner the arrangements can be made the better. My Right Honourable friend, Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to say that similar arrangements will be made for the reopening of schools in evacuation areas in Scotland and that he is making a statement on the subject in the other House today. I hope that your Lordships will share my view that the decision as to reopening of schools in evacuation areas was the only one which the Government could reach and will feel that we are right in trusting to the good sense of parents of evacuated children to keep them where they are and not to misinterpret our action. 1.11.39. - No. 11. EMPIRE SECTION THE "ALLIED” SPIRIT IN IRAQ. HEAD OF GOVERNMENT MEETS BRITISHERS IN BASRA. His Excellency, Sayid Nuri as-Sayid, Premier of Iraq., recently paid an informal visit to the local '’Overseas Club” in Basra to chat with members of the Basra British community. This community grows with the expansion of Basra as a vital Air-port in the East, and welcomes and varied of officers a large "floating” population and men from the Merchant Navy plying the Persian Gulf. Typical of the sympathetic spirit that inspires Anglo-Iraqi co-operation in these days was this informal visit. The Premier was accompanied by the Mutasarrif, the Rais al Baladiyah, the Chief of the General Staff and the Commandant of Police, and was received “by the British Consul, who introduced him to every British guest* ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU 1/11/39 - No. 12. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN ROYAL AIR FORCE PHOTOGRAPHING NORTH WESTERN GERMANY. The Air Ministry announces: During the past twenty-four hours Royal Air Force Aircraft carried out successful reconnaissances over North Western Germany, in the course of which photographs were taken. All our aircraft returned safely. 1/11/39 - No. 13. BOARD OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENT RECREATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Grant from the Board of Education. One of the first steps taken by the National Youth Committee to stimulate interest in the wellbeing of young people was to recommend that certain voluntary organisations should be financial given assistance in order that the work they were doing before the war could be carried on. As a result, the Board of Education have made arrangements to provide financial assistance to the Central Council of Physical Recreation. The Central Council was in receipt of grant-aid from the National Fitness Council which was suspended at the outbreak of war. The C ntral Council was set up in 1935 and is representative of e 113 national organisations. Its aim is to improve the physical and mental health of the community through physical recreation such as gymnastics, "keep fit" exercises, and various sports and games. Physical recreation can play an important part in the development of qualities such as physical and mental alertness, endurance, determination, quick response and responsibility which, on the home front and with the forces overseas? will do much to win this war. This week, 22 representatives of the Council, men and women with full physical training qualifications, will take up their posts in different parts of the country. These representatives are qualified to assist with the training and supervision of leaders, with the development of outdoor sports and games with a view to encouraging a fuller use of playing fields and playgrounds, and with the organisation of demonstrations and physical training centres.. They , will co-operate with the regional officers recently appointed by the National Council of Social Service as well as with Local Education Authorities and physical training organisers. Local Education Authorities, voluntary organisations and individual concerns will he ah]e to call on them should they so desire. The War Office, London, 3.'7.1. 1st November,l939 COUNCIL OF VOLUNTARY WAR WORK. (c.v.w.w.) The War Office announces that Philanthropic and Religious Bodies have been given facilities to run canteens and buffets, not only at the London Termini, but also at provincial railway centres and stations where sailors, soldiers, and airmen are likely to pass through, and where it may be necessary for them to spend some time. The ’’Council of Voluntary War Work” (C.V.W.W.) has been formed by the War Office in conjunction with recognised Religious and Philanthropic Bodies. The following Bodies are represented on the Committee; Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army, Church Army, Catholic Women’s League, Church of Scotland, Methodist Church and Toe H. t The Chairman of the C.V.W.W. is Lieutenant-General Sir John Brown K.C.8., C.8.L., D.5.0., T.D., and the Vice chairman and Secretary is Major J.M. Reddie C.3. The main functions of the Council are, to co-ordinate the activities of the various philanthropic and religious bodies; to ensure that there is no unnecessary overlapping of effort; to arrange that the various bodies are equitably represented in the ' camps and at railway stations; to act as the medium between the philanthropic bodies and the various Ministries cf the Government; and to offer the facilities cf a general information bureau to philanthrcpic bodies who desire to offer their services, especially as regards proposed sites for canteens etc., outside camp and station areas. All/ All enquiries should be addressed to:- The Secretary, Council of Voluntary War Work, 92, Gloucester Place, W.l. It should he noted that this Council is in no way connected with matters concerning Comforts, gifts of cigarettes, tobacco, books, games, donations etc., which are dealt with by.- The Army Comforts Committee, Romney House, 8. 1/11/39 - No* .15. ECONOMIC WARFARE: BILLS OF LADING. The Ministry of Economic Warfare wish to make known as widely as possible the following information with regard to Bills of Lading made out "to order", which is of particular interest to commercial houses in the United Kingdom acting as intermediaries between overseas suppliers and overseas buyers. The Ministry of Economic Warfare are prepared to regard a Bill of Lading made to the order of a Bank or Accepting House and hearing the inscription "notify buyers Me55r5:,...'....." as equivalent to a Bill made out to a named consignee. A. .person so named on the Bill will he regarded as if he were named as the consignee of the goods. The use of this form of Bill will remove from the consignments covered the almost certain presumption of ultimate enemy destination at present attaching to goods consigned simply "to order" when sent to a country from whence they might reach the enemy; although'clearly, whatever the form of Bill used, no goods will he exempt from seizure if there is a suspicion of ultimate enemy destination* Ist November, 1939* FOREIGN AFFAIRS 1/11/39 - No. 16. ' £> * rf $9- BOARD OP TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT. The Board of Trade have issued the Import (Certificates of Origin and Interest) Order, 1939, dated the 28th October, 1939. This Order, which comes into force on the 2nd November, requires that goods imported from a number of European neutral countries shall be accompanied by a certificate to the effect that they are not of enemy origin and that there is no enemy interest in them. A large number of commodities are exempted from this requirement, including all foodstuffs, feeding stuffs for animals, numerous raw materials, newspapers, periodicals and books, personal effects, certain samples, bona fide gifts, etc. The Order will, moreover, not affect goods shown to the satisfaction of H.M. Customs and Excise to have left the place from which they were last consigned not later than the 5th November. The full text of the Order has "been published and is on sale by H.M. Stationery Office. It is also printed in the issue of the Board of Trade Journal of the 2nd November. Board of Trade, Ist November, 1939. No, 17 Ist November, 1939. M.A.F.82. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCEMENT. Who a t A cts, 1939 and 19 59 » Advance Payment to Registersd_Crowers on Account of Deficiency “payment or 1939740. In accordance with Dye-law 31 of Wheat Bye-laws 1932 the Wheat Commission give notice that they will make an advance payment to registered growers who make proper applications on valid wheat certificates delivered to the Commission on or "before Friday the 3rd November, 1939* in respect of sales made not later than 20th October. 1939. This advance pt merit is on account of the deficiency payments that will "become uue under the Wheat Acts for the cereal year ending 31st July, 1940* It will "be made on or about Saturday 25th November, 1939, and will be at the rate of 3/- per cwt, equal to 13/6 per quarter of 504 lbs which is the same advance payment as was made by the Wheat Commission in the middle of October. In present circumstances it is more necessary than ever to avoid the trouble and delay which occurs if wheat certificates are delivered to the Wheat Commission in an incomplete state or with wrong particulars*, By making sure that certificates are in order "before they are sent in, farmers and authorised merchants help the Commission and safeguard their own interests. All wheat, Certl.fi eaten and correspondence for the Whe at Commi ssi on sh oul d be ae nt to; «• BROOKLAYDS HOUSE, WBYBRIiDG-E, SURREY. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU No # 18 1st november, 1939. M.aYF', 81. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCEMENT. Rat Week Begins Monday, 6th November# Next Monday, 6th November, is the first day of National Rat Week, It is hardly necessary to remind everyone that it was never more important than now to make a united effort to exterminate as many as possible of these vermin. They rob us of tens of millions of pounds worth of food every year. Co-operation, by way of united action throughout the whole country is essential or the rats merely leave an area of attack until the "all clear" sounds. For those who need advice, the Ministry of Agriculture provides a leaflet (Advisory Leaflet N0.49#) post free on application at 10, Whitehall place, S.W.l# It is called "The Destruction of Rats and Mice", and gives useful hints on hunting, gassing, poisoning and trapping these pests# Very nearly 25,000 of these leaflets have been-, issued since last September. It will be of interest to those concerned to know that rat baits containing barium carbonate or red squill poison (either as bulb, powder or liquid extract) are strongly advocated in preference to stronger poisons in all places where there are cats,dogs, or other domestic or farm animals, as these poisons are comparatively harmless to such animals. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU FROM FOREIGN OFFICE NEWS DEPARTMENT.* 1/11/39 - No. 19. FOR PUBLICATION IN THE MORNING PAPERS OF THURSDAY NOVEMBER 2ND, 9 1939 IN THE EXACT TERMS IN WHICH IT IS GIVEN. The King has been graciously pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. David Victor Kelly, C,M,G., M.C., a Counsellor in the Foreign Office, to he His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Berne in succession to Sir G. Warner, K.C.V.O., C.M.G*, who is retiring at the end of the year. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY. PRESS NOTICE. TIMBER CONTROL. The circular notice R.L. issued to the Timber Trade on the 2nd October requires a return of stock to be made up at the end of each month end rendered to Area Officers within 7 days. The return for November should however, be related to the stock position on the 2nd. December and rendered to Area Officers on or before the 9th. December. Issued through the Press and Censorship Bureau 1st* November, 1939. Ministry of Supply, The Adelphi, W.C.2. 1/11/39 “ Ho. 21, MR, W.S. MORRISON’S STATEMENT ON FOOD RATIONING© Mr© W.S Morrison, Minister of Pood, replying to a question in the House of Commons today on the Government's intentions with regard to Pood Rationing said:- "H©Mo Government have decided that it is desirable to take the necessary steps to enable the rationing of individual consumers to be put into operation© Instructions will accordingly be given to all Pood Control Committees in the United Kingdom to issue the appropriate Ration Book for every individual consumer© "There are, however, only two commodities, namely, bacon and butter, which the Government consider it necessary to ration, and even in the case of these two commodities it is not proposed to begin rationing before the middle of next month© The actual date will be announced later© During the interval each consumer will be asked to register with a retailer of his or her choice for bacon and for butter© "Both the commodities which we propose to ration are perishable© Neither commodity was suitable for storage and consequently no Government reserve of either existed on the outbreak of hostilities© Later on, we expect supplies to increase, but, for the present, imports from European sources have been reduced and there has not been sufficient time to fill the gap from more distant sources of supply© The amount of the ration of these commodities will depend on the supply position from time to time© Provided that imports continue at the present rate, as there is good reason for assuming that they will, the ration for both bacon and butter will be four ounces per week for every individual consumer, i© e© a pound of bacon and a pound of butter for a family of four persons© "It is desirable that I should say a few words on sugar* The supplies in sight, both home-produced and imported are sufficient to meet normal requirements© Since the outbreak of war - and indeed for some weeks previous to the 3rd September ~ purchases of sugar by consumers have been much above normal, even for this period of the year when considerable quantities of sugar are used in many homes for Jam making and preserving fruit® In view of the fact that supplies are at present adequate, the Government does not desire to impose the rationing of sugar and, if each consumer restricted purchases to 1 lb. per head per week, there would be sufficient supplies for some months for every home as well as for manufacturers, hotels and restaurants without the need for rationing® In order that we may know the aggregate quantity required for distribution in each area, the Govern- ment will ask each consumer to register for sugar with a retailer, but it will not be necessary to use the coupons in the Ration Books® "The Ration Books, which will shortly be distributed through the General Post Office were prepared and xorinted more than twelve months ago. Consequently, provisions for all contingencies had to be made in them, and consumers will find that these books contain coupons for many foodstuffs which it is not necessary to ration now, that is, for meat, margarine, cooking fats and sugar® There are also some spare pages which could be utilised later on if circumstances should develop which render it necessary to add other foods to the rationing scheme® "There is no need now to impose rationing for any commodity other than bacon and butter,, The manufacture of margarine has been greatly increased since the outbreak of war; the quantity of cooking fats available is equal to normal* In the case of meat, for which we are dependent upon imports for about one-half of our requirements, adequate supplies should continue to be available® During the last few weeks there has been some reduction in the volume of imported supplies available in certain districts. This has been due to additional allocations to the Fighting Services, coupled with the inevitable delay in the arrival of meat ships while the convoying of merchant shipping has been organised® The supplies in sight, however, for the future - home-produced and imported - are ample to meet all reasonable require- ments both of the Services and of the civilian population* Meat rationing is, therefore, not considered necessary at present® "In the meantime, it is important not to waste food® Our war-time military requirements and those of our Allies necessarily make large demands upon our shippings Therefore I ask every householder and every housewife to make it a stringent rule of the house not to waste food®" MINISTRY OF FOOD, MINISTRY OP SUPPLY & T.U.C. After consultation with the Prime Minister and with the full concurrence of the Ministers concerned, the Trades Union Congress has appointed a Committee to be an Advisory Committee to the Minister of Supply and to the Secretary of State for Air. The members of the Committee are as follows Mr. E. Bevin Mr. J. Brown Mr. J. Bullock Mr. A. Conley Sir Walter Citrine* K.B.E. Mr. J» Hallsworth Mr. M. Hodgson* J. P. Mr. W. Holmes Mr. J. Kaylor Mr* P. Wolstencroft Ministry of Supply, Press Office, Ist November* 1939 1/11/39 - No. 23. BROADCAST TALK BY MINISTER OF ECONOMIC WARFARE (Mr. R.C.Cross M.P.) U ~p.m. November Ist 1939. Some of you may be asking how successfully Great Britain and Prance are waging their economic against Germany. This war is, of course, not easy to answer after such a short time as 2 months, for the economic v/eapon acts gradually. But there is already plenty of evidence of Germany’s economic and financial difficulties, and since we retain command of the seas these difficulties are bound to increase and eventually paralyse the enemy. In the first six weeks of the war we and the French succeeded in intercepting about 488,000 tons of petrol, iron aluminium, copper and phosphates, amongst other things destined for Germany. The figures for the past fortnight have not yet been fully worked out but I can tell you that the Allied total has now comfortably passed the half million mark. Germany’s losses have been our gains. These figures, however, represent only actual seizures or detentions and give little idea of what Germany has indirectly lost owing to our Navy’s watch on her sea communications, whereby overseas shippers have not even attempted to send goods to Germany. This means that since the beginning of the war Germany has had to forego practically all her seaborne imports. Naturally the Nazis resent our success and recently they have accused us of conducting an inhumane policy of starvation against our enemies, on the ground that the "burden falls most heavily on the civilian population. Our action, which is not a blockade but part of an economic warfare campaign recognised under international law, is one of our most powerful weapons, particularly today, when whole nations, not only armies, are mobolised for war. In our considered opinion the treatment of food as conditional contraband is an essential element in our economic warfare, which would be seriously weakened without it. To/ T'o'< except certain foods from our contraband list would merely have the effect of prolonging the war, while the attempt to differentiate between one kind of foodstuff and another would be most difficult. You may ask, how much food we have actually intercepted? Of our total seizures so far, only about IL|s would normally be classified foodstuffs. as But of this 9/o consists of commodities containing oils and fats which the German Government could just as easily use for munitions. The choice between "guns" and ”butter” has not been a mere metaphor to the Nazis. The German Government has been diverting its supplies of fats to guns and has in consequence been starving the people of butter, or its equivalent. Much of the other 5% consists of cereals; these might be given to the German but they people as food, could also be converted into spirit for the use of mechanical vehicles. The rest of the intercepted goods, of the total, in fact the overwhelming bulk of our seizures, have been materials which can be directly used for war purposes and cannot be used for food. It has been alleged that the stoppage of foodstuffs going to an enemy country is inhumane. But humanity begins at home, Think of the number of our own soldiers, sailors and airmen who would lose their lives, if we allowed the enemy to prolong a war, which it was in our power to shorten. That would be the worst cruelty. To prolong the whole war unnecessarily is incomparably more cruel than to exercise economic pressure on a nation, and anything that increases the general store of supplies of a nation which otherwise would be suffering from a shortage must tend to prolong the war, Moreover, it would really not be we who would be starving the German people, however effective our economic warfare might be. The/ The German Government will always have sufficient resources at its disposal to feed the German people if it chooses "butter" rather than "guns", and employs sufficient of its money and men on agricultural production A good deal has been said in Germany about the legal aspect of this question. International law fully recognises the classification of foodstuffs as conditional contraband - that is, to put the matter in general terms, contraband on condition that they are going to help in the prosecution of the war - nor has any British Government ever signed any declaration that foodstuffs were not to be classified as conditional contraband. Food has been so treated at least from the time of the French Revolution. At that period it was in general possible to make a distinction between goods intended for the use of the armed forces, or consigned to an enemy government, ?/hich might be presumed to be destined for their armed forces, and goods destined for the civilian population. In modern times this distinction has almost entirely disappeared,, Let me quote one of the foremost American writers on international law:- "as war is no?/ conducted it is a probability rather than a possibility that foodstuffs imported into belligerent territory will serve a military end, and so be used for hostile purpose". The truth of this was recognised by both sides in the last war. The German Chief of Staff, General Ludendorff, wrote:- "in this war* it was impossible to distinguish ?/here the sphere of the army and navy began, and that of the people ended". The German Government itself was ready enough to condemn cargoes of food carried by neutral ships to any destination in allied territory, on the ground that such cargoes might be commandeered by the allied governments. In the case of the ship "Maria", for instance, the German Prize Court condemned a cargo of wheat destined for Belfast and Dublin. Evidence was produced that the wheat was intended to be sold to millers operating solely for private purpose, but the German Court rejected it, since "it could not be positively established to what use the wheat would actually have been put upon arrival in Belfast, and whether the English Government would not gladly have purchased it". In modern times no government has done more tha-ft the German to abolish the distinction between the army and the civilian population* We may well ask what is the object of the German submarine campaign, with its indiscriminate sinkings, if not to prevent all cargoes of foodstuffs from reaching this country* War is no longer a contest of armed forces only* Whole nations with all their industrial resources and their complete populations are mobilised for modern wars. It is inevitable, therefore, that where the enemy government has complete totalitarian powers, a cargo destined to enemy territory may be presumed to be of use for military or quasi-military purposes. An immensely powerful and ambitious military state, like Germany is unable to draw supplies from oversea* Secure her supplies and she can devote her whole forces to the prosecution of the war without anxiety in regard to her most vulnerable point. There is no doubt, then, of the need for our economic campaign against Germany c Of this our action through contraband control forms part and must include the whole range of vital commoditieso The best tributes to its success so far come from the Germans theems'elves c They complain bitterly of our "blockade", as they call it; they then / in then Idonst that it is hound to he/effective, and that in any case it is they who are blockading us» This variety of verbal defence alone proves that our economic campaign is taken very seriously in Germany. Its effect is best shown by the German efforts to evade or to counteract it o At the beginning of the war, the German Government was anxious to keep up its exports at any price* Nov/ it is no longer able to export certain manufactures containing raw materials in which Germany is deficient; it is even recalling manufactures of this type already exported* At the same time, the Nazi e resort to all sorts of tricks to run our blockade and secure unmolested transit for goods destined for Germany* The German experience in the last war has been useful to them, and we are confronted with a very carefully prepared organisation* In the last war, one German firm operated in neutral countries under 200 separate aliases, and that is the sort of thing which we are up against to-day* But I can assure you that there are very few tricks of which we are not aware. Finally, how has the German Government tried to counteract in Germany economic I have found that the home programmes of our campaign? German wireless lot You might have stations give quite a away* references to heard in the last week some very uncomplimentary myself as "Minister of Starvation", and some very interesting indications of the success of our campaign in producing what I might call Sven in the children’s hours, for industrial starvation* to the children of Germany to instance, you might have heard a call from to make cloth* The advanced gath.er nettle leaves which more lectured the virtues of artificial wool and school children are on artificial rubber* The .000 , a , „., 0 . housewives/ housewives are lectured on the excellence of artificial soap. Incidentally there is even a shortage of that. Perhaps they are all beginning to get tired of the word ’’Ersatz” (artificial); a few days ago they were reassured by an announcer, who told them that ’’ersetzen”, the word from which ’’ersatz” is derived, means to "replace by something better or at least as good”. Well you may say that these are all straws; hut they serve to show which way the wind is blowing, and I think you will agree that it’s a good wind for us. FROM FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 1/11/39 - HO.2U. MINISTRY OF SHIPPING. Press Announcement. The Minister of Shipping, the Rt. Hon. Sir John Gilmour, has appointed Sir Alan Rae Smith, 0.8„E., of Messrs. Deloitte, Plender, Griffiths & Co., to he Financial Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping. 1/11/39 - No. 35. BOARD OP TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT. The Board of Trade announce that they will shortly be issuing an Open General Licence under the Import Prohibition (No.l) Order, 1939, authorising, until further notice, the importation into the United Kingdom of the g;oods listed below:- Shell fish, fresh for food (not of British taking) the following:- prawns, shrimps, mussels, cockles and winkles. Red Cabbage Gherkins Garlic Horse-radish Citrus fruit juice Grape juice and must Meat extracts and essences Nuts used as fruit - Barcelona and hazel nuts, Brazil nuts and chestnuts. Dried vegetables, other than peas, beans and lentils (including such dried vegetables in airtight containers) Beans (other than runner beans), preserved in airtight containers Yeast Block milk. No further individual licences will therefore "be issued until further notice in respect of these goods. The Board also announce that they will not until further notice be prepared to consider applications (except those already received) for licences for the importation of the following goods: Cider and Perry Sweetened pickles, other than chutney Vegetables preserved in airtight containers other than dried vegetables, tomatoes and beans (other than runner bean s). Nuts other than almonds, walnuts, chestnuts, Brazil nuts and Barcelona and hazel nuts. The importation of nuts from the British Empire is however permitted under an Open General Licence which was issued by the Board of Trade on the 28th September. A further announcement giving fuller details will be made in the near future. Board of Trade, Import Licensing Department, 25, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, w f* p Ist November, 1939* 1/11/39. - NO. 26. Ministry of Agriculture Announcement. RESCUE OP GERMAN AIRMEN BY GRIMSBY TRAWLERS. The following report has been received from the District Inspector for the Grimsby area with regard to the air attack on a convoy of merchant vessels on 21st October last. ’’Letters of thanks have been sent from the Flag Officer, Humber, to the skippers of the Grimsby steam trawlers ’Refundo*, ’Renzo’, and ’Leonora’ for their excellent work in rescuing certain German airmen who were shot down in the enemy air attack on a convoy of merchant vessels on 21st October, 1939» One of the crew of the ’Leonora’ tried to swim over to the sinking plane with a life line but was defeated by the strong tide/’ ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. Not to be put on club tapes or published in any way before 2nd November, 1959. MINISTRY OF FOOD, GREAT WESTMINSTER HOUSE, HORSEFERRY ROAD. LONDON, S.W.I. Broadcast Talk to be given by the Rt. Hon. W« S. Morrison, M.C. K.C. M.P, , , . at 9,15 p.m. on Ist November, 1939. When I spoke food month I on our supplies a ago, promised to speak to you again before rationing began. So here lam this evening. The plain story is this The scheme will - apply to bacon and butter only, and even for these articles there is great urgency. will be rationed date which will no They on a be announced later, about the middle of next month. As things stand - and I see no reason to expect a rapid change - I expect that the ration will be a quarter of bacon each week, a pound of and the same of butter. That is my main announcement and now I’ll tell you the main reasons for our action. The ration books, which you will receive, were printed long ago, as part of our normal defence preparations. In them, we had then to prepare for anything. That is why the books contain coupons for meat, sugar and cooking-fats and also some spare coupons in case they were needed. Well as things have turned out, we now want the pages for bacon and butter only. All other food is unrationed. Some of you may have expected rationing earlier. There has been a good deal of talk about it, but I have had to watch the actual position the - supplies we have, the supplies we can expect and the rate at which we are using them. But I expect some of you may ask me - "Why choose bacon and butter, and nothing else?” Supplies of these two foods are lower than in peace-time. Our imports come largely from North European countries. The shipments are reduced and it takes time to arrange supplies new from further away. This turn of affairs was bound to come in a war with Germany, but neither bacon nor butter were suitable for inclusion in the Government reserve of foodstuffs. They are too perishable. What we could do, and what we did to fill up the gap in butter supplies, was to store the main raw material of margarine; and since the outbreak of war we have expanded the production of margarine. In the last few weeks we have "been dividing the supplies of bacon and butter between different parts of the country as fairly as possible, but I have had to ask myself -Is it right for me to leave it at that? Traders cannot supply their customers with their normal quantities. Is it fair to leave the difficulties of distribution on their shoulders? Is it fair to the housewives? A shortage of this kind was Just one of those things, those uncertainties, which led to food queues in the last war - with all the weariness and anxiety of long waiting. I know you will agree that we ought to avoid that. I don't want to impose restrictions, but I believe that in such a case it is the duty of the Government to make rules in the common interest for all to observe. It is our duty to see that supplies are shared by all of us alike, by all equally. That is done by rationing and that is why we have now decided to issue the Books. They may be a bit troublesome at first. Forms always are. But lam confident in the last war, housewives will get used to the business and be that, as soon glad of the assurance - each of her fair share, without waiting and uncertainty. The coupons will entitle you to buy the rationed amounts, and it is my Ministry's responsibility to see that those amounts are in the shops ready for you. And what - I think you are asking - of the other, unrationed foods? Take meat. Well, we draw about cne-half of our meat supplies from overseas, and these imports were delayed as the first result of war. We have had to supply greatly increased amounts of imported meat to the armed forces of the Crown. That accounts for the temporary shortages which have occurred in places. some But I can tell you this. On a longer view I see no reason to expect any shortage of meat, and I do not see any reason why we should at impose rationing. present We must, however, be careful, and economical, bearing in mind especially that our Services come first and must have what they need. I do not suggest any actual figure of consumption, any uniform yardstick in meat or in fats. All of us have our own needs and tastes and of living, Some of eat of thing, ways us more one and some more of another. Each of us must do our utmost to avoid waste. Please take note of this, now and for the duration. On sugar X shall be more definite, and my proposition is this that we - should set ourselves a voluntary limit of 1 lb. a week 1 lb. of sugar for each - person, and no more buying for household storage or reserves. My figure of 1 lb. will keep us to what is a normal rate of consumption, and I can say that there are sufficient supplies in sight, from home and abroad, to meet it. I ask also that everyone will register shop with sugar supplies, buy sugar a retail for and at that shop only. one This will assist the trade and the Ministry in the task know accurately the total quantity of distributing sugar fairly, for we shall then required in each area. It has been an enormous job to judge this, and keep track of the big movements of population. Now I want to tell you what to do. The ration books will be delivered through the post. You must not all expect them to arrive on the same day. If you have not received your book the next fortnight, you should make during, say, enquiry of the Local Food Office. There is a General Ration Book, a Child’s Book for children under six of and Travellers’ Book for persons who are constantly moving & bout years age, a the country. When you receive your hook, you should choose the retail shops from which you wish to buy bacon and butter. You may choose shop from which to one separately. You should fill buy them both, or two shops from which to buy them in your name and address on each of the two counterfoils. The retailer will cut them out and send them to the Local Food Office, to show his list of customers and so the amount of supplies which he needs. Persons who hold Travellers’ Books need not register with retailers. After has begun, must take book when you go to buy rationing you your bacon and butter. The retailer will take out the coupons as you make your There will be coupon each week for bacon and for butter. purchases. one one This latter coupon is marked “Butter and margarine”, but as margarine will not the word be rationed, the coupon will be used for butter only. Ignore “margarine” on the coupon. Of course ham is rationed with bacon. That is the scheme for rationing bacon and butter. They are important items in our larder —or I should not propose to ration them. But they are not take the of bacon indispensable. There are many unrationed things to place on breakfast table. of butter must turn to replace any deficiency To we our There is no scarcity of fats. The margarine now on sale has the same margarine. vitamin qualities as butter. You may call them the ‘’sunshine” qualities. The output of cooking fats is fully up to the normal. Milk, that is full cream milk, is in ample supply for all uses. I have, now, one final, special appeal. Do not "buy more "bacon or "butter in the next few weeks than you require, saying to yourself “I shall buy an extra pound before rationing begins”. It is the sort of thing which some good people do in a moment of thoughtlessness. It is not fair distribution. If one must not that person takes more, his neighbour has less. You give yourself sort of treat, which is a treat at the expense of others. It will "be the object of my Ministry to work this necessary business of food control so as to make things as easy as we can for all of you. We shall make the system as free as we can. I am considering now how to free the controls of margarine and dried fruits in particular. There has been no pooling of tea, and there is no possibility of it while the supplies remain satisfactory. On your side, I know I can count on every one of you to co-operate willingly with us so as to reduce our difficulties as far as possible. Me are all in this together. 1/11/39 - N0.28, MINISTRY OF LABOUR. For Press and Broadcast. The National Joint Advisory Council, whose function is to advise the Government on matters in which employers and workers have a common interest, held its first meeting to-day. The Minister of Labour was in the Chair, and there was a full attendance of the representative members nominated by the British Employers Confederation and the Trades’ Union Congress General Council. The subjects under consideration included the Schedule of Reserved Occupations, the Control of Employment Act, the question of the Cost of Living Index figure, and the possibility of reducing the black-out period. Upon the subject of the Schedule of Reserved Occupations, the Council decided to draw public attention to the fact that the Schedule merely places certain restrictions upon enlistment or enrolment in the Defence Services. Nothing in the Schedule affects the freedom of any person to change his civil occupation. The Council will hold its next meeting on 6th December, 1939. 1/ll/39 - KQ. 2g. FOR PRESS AHD BROADCAST. Mr* Osbert Peake, M. P. the Parliamentary Under Secretary , of State, on behalf of the Home Secretary, received a deputation at the Home Office to-day from the Lord ! s Day Observance Society, the Baptist and Methodist Churches and other religious denominations on the subject of Sunday opening of cinemas* The deputation was introduced by Mr. R. J. Russell, M. P. The deputation said that they understood the Government were being pressed to extend Sunday opening of cinemas in order to provide entertainment for troops, and pleaded for the retention of the Local Option clauses in the Sunday Entertainments Act, 1932.. In their view, it was essential that the Government should do nothing to destroy the traditional values of the Christian Sunday, and they were apprehensive lest anything done to meet war conditions might do permanent damage to the spiritual life of the nation. The Churches were prepared to submit a scheme to the Government for the provision of social facilities for servicemen. 1 Mr. Peake undertook to "bring the deputation s views to the attention of the Government and made it clear that the opening of theatres on Sundays was not under consideration. As regards cinemas it would "be difficult, in view of the suspension of elections to local government bodies under the Local Elections and Register of Electors (Temporary Provisions) Act, to continue to hold polls under the Sunday Entertainments Act, 1932, but he agreed that if local authorities were to be allowed to decide the question of Sunday opening of cinemas without a poll, due notice of their intentions should be given in order that objections might be raised. HOME OFFICE. Ist November, 1939* l/11/39 - No. 30 FOR PRESS AND BROADCAST Fireworks are brought within the scope of the restrictions on noise by the Control of Noise (Defence) (N0.2) Order made by the Minister of Home Security under the powers conferred upon him by the Defence Regulations. It provides that - i? No person shall, in any area in Great Britain, fire or cause or permit to he fired, any maroon or firework in such circumstances that the noise caused thereby is audible in any place to which the public have access. ” The general effect of this is to prohibit outdoor but not indoor fireworks. Indoor fireworks will be permissible provided they are not audible in any place to which the public have access. Bonfires are, of course, prohibited between the hours of sunset and sunrise under the Lighting (Restrictions) Order, 1939* The new Order modifies existing restrictions by exempting (i) the use of a bell by the driver of an ambulance; (ii) the use of a bell in association with a burglar alarm or fire alarm; (iii) the testing of boilers or their fittings after giving public notice in accordance with police directions. Church and chapel "bells, clock chimes and musical instruments, including bugles, are not affected by the restrictions since they are not liable to be mistaken for authorised warning signals. MINISTRY OP HOME SECURITY. Ist November, 1939 • MINISTRY OF FOOD, GREAT WESTMINSTER HOUSE, HORSEFERRY ROAD, LONDON, S.W.I. Not to he published on club tapes or in any form before 2nd November, 1939. RATION BOOKS - WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW. 1. A General Ration Book will be issued to every man, woman, and child over six. 2. A Child's Ration Book will be issued to children under six 3. A Traveller's Ration Book will be issued to people who do not live permanently at home. These people are:- Commercial travellers Lecturers Private nurses Theatrical and variety artists Employees on canal and river boats Lorry drivers Buyers Travelling inspectors Steam plough, motor tractor and threshing machine operatives and any other persons whom the local Pood Control Committees nay consider entitled to such books, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WITH YOUR RATION BOOKS 1. Only two foods are to be rationed at present, bacon and butter. 2. You should decide at which shop or shops you wish to register for your supplies of these foods. 3* Write the name and address of your bacon shop on the inside of the front cover of the Ration Book. In the same v/ay the name and address of your butter shop should be written inside the front cover. 4* Now turn to Page 3 of the Book. Here your for are coupons bacon and a counterfoil. Write in capital letters your name and address on the counterfoil at the foot of the page. 5. The same thing should be done on Page 4> which is your page of butter coupons. 6, Then take your Book to the shop - or shops, if you have chosen different ones for bacon and butter. The shopkeeper will write or stamp his name on the counterfoil,and cut it out of the page. 7. Don't do anything more at present. When the date that rationing is to begin has been announced it will be necessary to take your Ration Book to the shop every time you wish to buy your butter or bacon. If you like to save yourself the trouble you should enter your name and address on the space provided half-way up the page and ask the shopkeeper to keep it; he will then write on the inside of the cover, "page deposited", the number of the page and the date, and cut the whole page out of your Ration Book. 1. 8. Remember that the shopkeeper must have the counterfoil from the bottom of your page or pages to enable him to obtain his supplies for you. 9« When you buy your rations you must not cut the coupons out of the Ration Book yourself; your shopkeeper must do this. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COUNTERFOILS The shopkeeper will estimate from the number of counterfoils taken from the Ration Books of his registered customers how much bacon or butter he will require in order to provide them with their rations. He will then apply to the Local Food Control Committee for a permit to buy the necessary supplies. He will not, of be able to course, buy more than the total rationed amounts for which his permit is issued., A WORD ABOUT SUGAR Sugar is not to be rationed for the present. If people would restrict their of purchases sugar to 1 lb. per head per week supplies would be ample and there would be no fear of shortage. You are requested, however, to register for sugar and you should, therefore fill in the name of your chosen shopkeeper on the inside of the front cover, and on the counterfoil of Page 6 enter in capitals and address your name This is all you need do for the present. PEOPLE WHO BUY MEALS OUTSIDE THEIR OWN HOMES lo People who are away from home during the day. If you buy a meal away from home, which includes bacon or ham, you must produce your Ration Book from which a half coupon will be cut out by the person serving your meal. 2. No will be for any butter coupon required provided at a meal taken in a cafe, hotel or restaurant, as a small quantity of butter will be allowed to catering establishments. You must not expect to have unlimited quantity, but an you will be able to have a little. 3. People who are away from home during the week in connection with their "business will have a Traveller's Ration Book# 4* The traveller cannot register witha regular shopkeeper, but must write his and address in name capitals on the spaces provided on .Page 3 for his bacon and Page 4 for his butter. Every time that he has a cooked meal including bacon he must produce his Ration Book in order that a half coupon can be taken from it. 50. The traveller must not detach coupons half-coupons himself. or This must always be done by the person serving the meal (or rationed food). ! THE WEEKLY SEAMEN S RATIONS The seaman serving on weekly articles must go to a Board of Trade Office or Customs House at the port from which he is to sail and ask for Form R.G. 15* This form has to he the signed hy master of the "boat and countersigned by an official at the Board of Trade Office or Customs House., When this is done the completed form must be taken to the Local Food Office at which a special Ration Book will be issued to him; when he is not going to sea for some days he should ask for an ’’Emergency Card”. 2c WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU REMOVE TO ANOTHER DISTRICT Take your Ration Book to the Local Food Office at which all the necessary arrangements will he made so that you will he ahle to draw your rations in the new district. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IP YOU LOSE YOUR RATION BOOK Go at once to your Local Food Office and report the matter. All necessary arrangements will, he made for you to continue drawing your rations o THE EMERGENCY CARD - WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU GO AWAY FROM HOME If you go away from home for a holiday or to visit relatives you should go to the Food Office nearest to your temporary residence and ask for an Emergency Whilst you are in possession of an Emergency Card you must surrender your Ration Book, The card lasts for one week only and must he renewed when necessary. Before returning home you give up your Emergency Card: Your Ration Booh is then restored to you. ENQUIRE AT THE POST OFFICE FOR THE ADDRESS OF THE LOCAL FOOD OFFICE Ist November, 19390 EMPIRE SECTION. 1/11/39 - No. 32. THE ADVANCEMENT OF CANADA. GRANARY AND ARSENAL FOR THE EMPIRE. That Canada will emerge from the war as one of the great nations of the world is the opinion held by many responsible Canadians. The immense resources of the Dominion and its manufacturing facilities ensure that it will play a vital part in the conflict, and it is held that these guarantee its post-war destiny. Mr. William H. Funston, President of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Canada, put this view forcibly when he recently stated that this year Canada would have one of the greatest crops in her history and that with increasing demand and better prices the Canadian farmer entering upon another cycle of was prosperity. "Canada’s manufacturing facilities", he further declared, "have vastly increased since 1914, and very shortly I believe they will be producing to the limit and expanding still further. The demand on mines will be great, and with all classes steadily employed, Canada will be a hive of industry, acting as the Empire’s granary and arsenal." At the moment the thoughts of all are on aviation in and Mr. crystallised what is in developments Canada, Funston the mines of many when, describing the gigantic expansion in flying in Canada, he saids "Canada will emerge as the foremost country in aviation. " Actually Canada carries more freight by air than any other country in the world. Nor is the progress of Canada merely a matter of opinion. It has been officially revealed, for instance, that the quantity and value of gold produced in the Dominion in 1938 were the greatest ever produced in the history of the Canadian mining industry, and according to preliminary statistics of world production, Canada was surpassed as a gold-producing country in1938 only by the Union of South Africa and by Russia. A recent mining strike which has aroused wide interest is tnafc at the head of Poole Creek in the Franklin River area. This is said to be one of the largest on the West Coast. The gratification with which Canadians envisage their future is matched "by a determination strengthen the economic to position of the Mother Country. Leading Canadian journals have pointed out the necessity of ’'buying British.” It is remarked that since the British people have submitted to taxation of food for the purpose of giving a preference to their market to Canadian wheat, bacon and other farm-produce, the least Canadians can do is to demand British goods when quality and prices are equal to the quality and prices of foreign products. No repetition, it is stated, should be allowed of the conditions obtaining in the 1914-1918 war, when Canadian imports from the 8 the United Kingdom dropped as low as per cent and from United States rose to about 82 per cent of the total imports. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. EMPIRE SECTION. 1/11/39 - No. 33 CANADIANS' IMPATIENCE TO SERVE. Nothing can stay the enthusiasm of Canadian ex- service men, and the authorities are deluged with applications to serve. These men have "been 'beseiging the recruiting offices, and at their own expense have frequently travelled to Ottawa to try to enlisto Hundreds of them claim that, despite their age, they could very well undertake the duties of patrolling and protecting the coasts of the Dominion. Some of them are so anxious to serve that they say they will put them- selves at the service of the Mother Country, should Canada not feel in a position to avail herself of their services. When it is realised that nearly all of these men are in "good jobs", which they are quite prepared to throw up "for the duration", some idea of the loyalty of the Dominion which Germany predicted would desert Great Britain in time of emergency can be obtained. A striking instance of this devotion was recently provided by a farmer who actually walked 70 miles to Ottawa to enlist. ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU EMPIRE SECTION 1/11/39 - No, 3U. SOUTH AFRICA ON INDIA. South African newspapers are now commenting freely on the developments in India. The Johannesburg Star, while regretting the Congress attitude, says that it is unlikely materially to interrupt India's identification with the war aims of the Allies namely, the destruction of the Hitlerism menace. Indian opinion is united in condemnation of German aggression. Congress is evidently desirous of using the present war as the occasion for political Britain to accelerate pressure upon concessions, but already there were signs that this precipitancy would not be carried too far* The Rand Daily Mail declares that Indians detest Nazism and realise that Britain is their only defence, "but they cannot resist the temptation to exploit the situation* When the war was over, India would doubtless he offered great constitutional advances in return for the valuable services she might render to the common cause, but it was useless to discuss such matters while Britain was engaged in a bitter struggle to preserve the very ideal which induced her to give Indians their present degree of freedom.. The Cape Argus says the immediate granting of Dominion Status might create more difficulties than it solved* India would ultimately obtain Dominion Status, hut it would he unwise and ungrateful of the Congress Party to force the issue while Britain was at war# ISSUED THROUGH THE PRESS BUREAU. For Thursday morning's papers 1/11/39 - No 35 BOARD OF TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT. DYESTUFFS CONTROL ORDER 1959 The Board of Trade have appointed Mr. P. Caldwell, Major L.B. Holliday, Prof* J 0 Kenner, Mr. D.R. Mackay, Mr. N.G. McCulloch and Mr. C.M. Whittaker, to he a Committee called "The Dyestuffs Control Committee" to advise and assist the Controller of Dyestuffs. 1/11/39 -No, 3.6. BOARD OF TRADE MBOUN CEMENT. (For Press and Broadcast). The Import Licensing Department of the Board of Trade announce that they are now prepared to consider applications for I mport Licenses for goods imported under bond for re-export whether further processed in this country or not, and goods on which dutjr is paid and subsequently recovered on the re-exportation of the goods. They also announce that until further notice no applications apart from certain minor exceptions will be entertained for licenses to import apparel or other manufactures of cotton, wool, silk, rayon or linen from any foreign country except Prance. BOTE: (Not for Broadcast The exceptions are:- (1) Goods for re-export as above mentioned (2) Goods required in connection with Government contracts* (3) Silk "bolting cloth. (4) Habupai silk for A.R.P purposes and for electrical insulation. (5) Braids for electrical insulating sleeving* 1/11/39 - No. 37 MINISTRY OF FOOD FOR BROADCAST & PRESS In connection with the announcement made to-day regarding rationing, the Ministry of Pood wish to make it clear that bacon includes harm 1/11/39 - No. 38. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE The following communique was issued this evening by the French G.H.Q. During the day usual activity of smell infantry units on both sides at various points of the Front* 1-11-39 H0.39. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN. LORD NUFFIELD APPOINTED DIRECTOR GENERAL OF MAINTENANCE. The Air Ministry announces:- Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, has appointed Viscount Nuffield to he Director-General of Maintenance in the Air Ministry. Lord Nuffield will he responsible to the Air Council, through the Air Member for Supply and Organisation, for the organisation that has been established, and is in course of rapid expansion, for the repair of aircraft and ancillary equipment of the R O A*F. He will also exercise general super- vision under the Air Member for Supply and Organisation of the supply services of the Royal Air Force with a view to their co-ordination with the repair services. Lord Nuffield mil he assisted By Mr. Oliver Boden who has been appointed Deputy Director-General. Both Lord ITuffield and Mr Bo den have undertaken to c discharge their offices without remuneration of any kind.