PEACE SPIES’ PAMPHLET

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30108, 17 April 1963, Page 15

PEACE SPIES’ PAMPHLET

Civil Service Leak Ruled Out <A.Z. Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, April 16. Special branch inquiries into the “Spies for Peace revelations on nuclear planning were going on last night in a score of British provincial towns and university cities, the “Daily Mail’’ reported. Detectives called on acquaintances of “suspect civilians” who had access .to secret documents which provided material for the 12-page Spies for Peace” pamphlet, w'hich caused a security sensation over the week-end. I he pamphlet was handed out to marchers in the annual ban-the-bomb march from Aldermaston, Berkshire, to London.

The “Daily Mail” said the hunt had been ordered after first reports from security men ruled out the possibility that a civil servant was responsible for the leaks. A special branch memorandum sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) last night directed suspicion at persons outside Whitehall and other Government offices, it said. The investigation was focused on scientists and civil defence workers engaged in recent ou clear war exercises. The “Spies for Peace”

pamphlet deals with arrangements for regional government from bunker - type centres in the event of a nuclear attack

Four thousand copies of the pamphlet and 24.000 summaries of it were distributed, said the “Daily Mail.” The newspaper said one inquiry theory was that the pamphlet was based on material provided by a recent convert to nuclear disarmament.

The "Daily Mail” said the special branch had been given the names of about 200 civilians. These possible suspects had taken part in regular and frequent mock war exercises at R.S.G.s (regional seats of government) throughout Britain. Some were communications experts. Cthers included

welfare service workers, civil defence heads and heads and scientists from universities near the underground hideaways who had volunteered for civil defence duty.