WATCH YOUR WORDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1940, Page 10

WATCH YOUR WORDS

Nations at war have long realised the vital importance of information regarding the enemy's plans and movements or any new weapon it is intended to use. Hence the existence of espionage and secret services to supply the demand and all sorts jof drastic measures to prevent the leakage of information. The death penalty for the detected spy is one form of deterrent to the insidious activities of enemies within the gates, but there is also the danger of careless or indiscreet utterance which may lead to perhaps a no less serious leakage of information. It was probably to this that the British Prime Minister (Mr. Chamberlain) referred in the House of Commons yesterday when he said that the Government was considering the introduction of legislation to provide for the imposition of the death penalty in the most serious cases of leakage of information of possible use to the enemy. Whether Mr. Chamberlain had in mind any particular example of such a case is not stated, but he said he was satisfied that all vigilance was being exercised. Where damage may be done, no doubt quite unintentionally, is through careless gossip, such as the passing on from mouth to mouth of titbits of information which in this way may eventually, through various channels, reach the enemy. Hence the British Government is starting an anti-gossip campaign and posters are being distributed all over the country warning people of the danger of careless talk. A similar procedure was pursued in the Great War. A number of these posters are to be sent to different parts of the Empire, and one was mentioned by the Daventry radio as having special reference to the movements of shipping. As the main effort of the enemy is directed so far against ships at sea, it should be clear that casual conversation may easily lead to the scene depicted in the poster of a sinking ship with the crew rowing away. It is one of the first duties' of citizenship to avoid saying or doing anything that might react detrimentally to the interests of the Empire at war.