MINISTERS AS WRITERS
DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS USE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION' London, March 3. Mr. T. Griffiths (Lab.), during the course of a question in the House of Commons obviously aimed at Mr. Winston Churchill’s war book, suggested that it should be a condition of the acceptance of Ministerial office that confidential information gathered while in office slibuld not be used subsequently for Press articles for money. Mr. Baldwin replied that the present practice was to preclude Ministers from practising journalism In any form, but tlie prohibition was not extended to the authorship of books on literary, historical, scientific, philosophical, and romantic-subjects, for which there were numerous and respectable precedents. Mr. Baldwin added that confidential information should never be improperly used, particularly by former holders of high office. “In my opinion, any confidential matter which might be acquired by virtue of an official position ought not to be published without formal permission.” Mr. C. G. Ammon (Lab.) : “Did Air. Baldwin condemn the actions of Mr. Churchill, who had reflected upon a high officer of the Admiralty in statements in the Press? Were these literature or journalism?” The Speaker intervened, and shut out any further questions on the subject. *
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Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 136, 5 March 1927, Page 9
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199MINISTERS AS WRITERS Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 136, 5 March 1927, Page 9
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