PUBLICITY FOR DEMOCRACY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 225, 21 June 1939, Page 9

PUBLICITY FOR DEMOCRACY

New British Office

PURPOSE EXPLAINED IN COMMONS

(British Official Wireless.) (Received June 20, 7.5 p.m.)

RUGBY, June 19.

The recent announcement of the setting up of a boreign Publicity Department at the Foreign Office, with Lord Perth at its head, gave rise to a number of questions which were answered in the House of Commons today. Members showed interest that the department’s functions should include giving publicity to the principles of international justice, cooperation and peace, to which Britain subscribed, and the Foreign Under-Secretary, Mr. Butler, replied with assurance that none of the clauses for which Britain stood would be overlooked.

It. was made clear that the purpose of the Vansittart Committee, appointed some 18 months ago, was to co-ordinate the work of foreign publicity undertaken by such bodies as the British Council, tlie British Broadcasting Corporation and the Travel Association, and to bring together such Government departments as were concerned in this work.

The new department at the Foreign Office would henceforth be responsible for co-ordinating these activities and would have the export advice and assistance of these and other outside organizations in making better known abroad significant sociological developments and industrial and cultural achievements in Britain. It. was also stated that the existing relations between the 8.8. C. and the Foreign Office regarding foreign language broadcasts would undergo no change. Although the responsibility for these broadcasts will continue to rest with the 8.8. C., it will continue to maintain the closest contact with the Foreign Office and will make full use of the information at the disposal of the Foreign Publicity Department.