B.B.C. PROPAGANDA

Southland Times, Issue 25025, 10 April 1943, Page 5

B.B.C. PROPAGANDA

BITTER ATTACK BY M.P.

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. “We question the authority of the 8.8. C. and the Minister of Information to recruit members and yesmen from various political parties,” said Mr J. McGovern, M.P., attacking 8.8. C. propaganda. “We get a one-sided view which shows a complete lack of faith in the democratic situation. Those selected to put over the talks on religious matters are what I might call safe, patriotic men, the sort of people who praise 80001 b bombs and hope that, they do God’s work.

“It is a remarkable thing that the 8.8. C. states in medical talks that all foods which are difficult to obtain have no food value, whereas the rubbishy substitutes are stated to be of great value. This shows how the medical profession can adapt requirements to the political need of supporting a Government which is waging a war.” Mr McGovern added that abominable things were constantly said over the German radio about the Jews, but no Jew was allowed to reply over the 8.8. C. Mr McGovern said the manner in which speakers gloated over the massacre of Germans from the air had caused a revulsion among decent people. “We can only say now the moral protests against the bombing of London arose because we had insufficient planes. Once we got them, moral objections went into the limbo. “This totalitarian radio instrument is being wielded for the benefit of the Government at the Prime Minister’s dictation. Everybody seems afraid to face up to this individual. He appoints, in every phase of public life, those who can be depended on to carry out his wishes in every phase of his political dictatorship.. The radio should be a national instrument for the propagation of every viewpoint and unless the BJB.C. is radically changed we will go headlong into the Continent’s mistake.”

Mr McGovern is a member of the Independent Labour Party and represents the Shettleston Division of Glasgow.