B.L.I, Expansion : War Time*      1552/ JJ /59____
BRITISH EMBASSY,
WASHINGTON, D. C,
December J30th, 1939
No* 1433
My Lord,
In ray despatch No. 1412 I had the honour
to advise that in a despatch by the next day I
Intended to deal with the position of the British
Library of Information generally and particularly;, with
the situation created by your -telegram No. 894 to
which I have now replied in ray telegram Ho. 987.
3. Since the early days of the war the Library
has been performing two functions.   In the first place
it has been watching and reporting on opinion regarding
the war in this country.   The material on which the
reports are based consists firstly of a series of
m
nespapers covering the country from West to Kast and
North to South, secondly clippings from other
newspapers containing comment of special interest
forwarded by Consulates, and thirdly regular reports
from Consuls on opinion in their districts. From
this material the Library staff has been preparing
day by day firstly by cable short reports on favourable
opinion in the United States press and secondly by
air mall more lengthy reports on the contents of the
New York press, on the substance of broadcasts
(valuable because the American broadcaster tends very
much to say what he thinks his public likes to hear),
memoranda prepared at short intervals on such matters
as religious opinion in this country, and special
reports on e.g. United states opinion with regard to
L:FKOtG war/
The Right Honourable
The Viscount Halifax, K.G.,
etc.,        ®tc., etc.
3
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war eiine, on opinion on the situation In the Far East,
etc.   I consider that these reports are especially
valuable* particularly because they are written in
this country and so against an American background.
I was therefore somewhat disturbed to find in your
telegram the suggestion that the Library should
discontinue them, to save a very email additional
expenditure on staff, and that they should be prepared
in England where it will be almost impossible for
any one no matter how conversant with this country
to sense the local atmosphere which la so important
to the accuracy and value of such reports. Reports
prepared in England on the basis of previous knowledge,
letters, newspapers and telegrams never will be as
reliable as reports prepared by men in this country
and in daily contact with the local personalities and
atmosphere.   Of course I have no objection to
Chatham House making Its own independent survey in its
general appreciation of world opinion.   But I am sure
that both from their point of view and yours the first
necessity is that a full survey and appreciation of
American opinion should be prepared by the British
Library of Information in this country for transmission
home*    Z enclose a copy of a very complete memorandum
by Mr. Fletcher on this side of the Library's work.
3, The second and I consider not less important
task of the Library is to supply Information to
enquirers in this country.   It has to be in a position
to answer the large number of intelligent enquiries
which come from friendly circles, and to provide
enquirers with adequate information, the diffusion of
which in this way la one method of meeting the flood
of/
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of German propaganda, which I referred to In my
despatch Ho* X41S and which Is often good and subtle,
playing on various ant1-British prejudices and
elements in American opinion, raising doubts as to
the sincerity of our war aims, whether we ought ever
to have gone to war, and why we should continue it*
The answering of such queries takes up a great deal
of time and is a heavy strain on a small staff hut
unless they are answered intelligently we may lose
good and in some cases old friends* and miss the
opportunity of "killing" promptly enemy lies and
innuendoes.   Equally important is the provision to
enquirers in an accessible and in distributable form
of Information regarding our efforts and intentions.
The Blue Book was most valuable for this reason, and
so have been the reprints of the Prime Minister's
broadcast on 26th November.   Tour Lordship* s
broadcast of November 7th and the speeches of Mr.
Atlee on October 10th and the Archbishop of York on
October 2nd, all of which the Library has had printed
in How York and distributed not only to enquirers at
the Library itself, but through the agency of the
various Consulates to enquirers all over the country*
The Library must have a supply of good up to date
topical material in a form suitable for handing out to
the public and I trust that there will be no question
regarding the small expense involved in having it
printed locally.   As the character of the war develops
and particularly in consequence of the new angle
created by the Russian attack on Finland the simplicity
of the issue as it has existed hitherto is likely to
disappear, end it will almost certainly be necessary
to/
to have sore and more information and interpretation
aTailablea often in the afaape of ad hoe pamphlets.
Some can be prepared here, moat of them will have to
come from the Ministry of Information.   But in the
case of pamphlets and of speeches such as thoao
mentioned above it is moat satisfactory to forward the
material to the British Library of Information aa fast
as possible and then to have it printed in Hew York.
It may be a little cheaper to have it printed in
London hat it takes too long for the supplies to
cross the Atlantis and to bo of use the information
must he available quickly*
4. To perform these two functions has proved a
heavy strain on an insufficient staff working until
quite reosntly in inadequate quarters*   The problem of
accommodation has been satisfactorily solved by the
reeent authority to rent additional space and the
Library is now adequately but no more than adequately
accommodated.   If the staff asked for in my telegram
No. 736 is approved the Library will* in my opinion,
be sufficiently, but no more then sufficiently
staffed.   It will etill be working under great
pressure and be hard put to it to deal adequately
with its other main function, the provision of
information*
B* With sufficient staff I believe that the
Library can do all that it is required at present*
British lecturers* except for a very few exceptions
who do not talk shout politics at all. are not called
for.   They are almost invariably a definite liability
not so much because of what they say but beoause any
British lecturer is regarded from one end of the
United/
Halted stategi to another, as coming orer bore for
one purpose and one purpose only, to "propaganda"
America into some thing It does not want to do -
usually to get into the war.
6. Finally, Z would urge again that the boat
answer to German propaganda is publicity from London
of what Britain Is thinking and doing presented by
first class American press, radio and film experts,
who should be allowed the freest access* both at
the front and at home, to information and eminent
personages so as to be able to present as full, vivid
and accurate a story as possible*   Probably nothing
impresses this country so much as "hot" news and
pictures from their own correspondents, which seems,
from its frankness, to have "beaten the censor".
I have the honour to be,
with the highest respect,
My Lord,
Tour Lordship's most obedient*
humble servant.
(SOD) LOTHIAS