NO FOREIGN MONEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23882, 9 August 1939, Page 9

NO FOREIGN MONEY

ACTIVITIES OF " THE LINK " STATEMENT BY COUNCIL LEEDS BRANCH DISBANDED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Aug. 7. " The Link" council, after a meeting, described Sir Samuel Hoare's House of Commons statement as a travesty of facts, and scouted the assertion that "The Link" was an instrument of the German Propaganda Ministry. The council denied that foreign money helped to support it. It declared that Sir Samuel Hoare should have approached the council instead of resorting to despicable methods, and hoped that official sniping at the council's activities would cease. Professor A. R. Laurie, who attended the meeting, stated that members, without engaging in propaganda, might receive money for special articles or for working for German firms. A Berlin flrm had paid him a lump sum for his book "The Case for Germany," which London publishers refused to print because it was too favourable to Germany.

Sir Hugo Domville said "The Link " would close down if the Government did not desire its friendly activities to continue.

The Leeds branch of " The Link " disbanded as the result of advice from Mr C. Dixon, the vice-chair-man, after a personal investigation in Germany, where the Nazis told him that "The Link" was an integral part of German propaganda, and would not exist without the German Government's assistance and permission.

Sir Hugo Domville, commenting on Mr Dixon's statement, said it was a pack of lies.