PROPAGANDA WORK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1274, 13 March 1918, Page 5

PROPAGANDA WORK.

VALUE OF NEWSPAPER MEN. (lU'utcn LONDON, March 11. In the House of Commons, replying to Mr Austen Chamberlain, the Prime Minister said that he disagreed with the contention that owners and directors of newspapers should not hold Ministerial ollices. Lord \orthclitfe held no Ministerial ollice. while Lord Rofhcrmere and Lord Beaverbrook gave up all direction of their papers ns soon as they were appointed Ministers. Lord Rothermere had already reorganised an important department of the War Otlice, and his administration thereof was an unqualified success. Lord Beaverhrook had organised Canadian propaganda which had proved most successful. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of propaganda, which the enemy had used with deadly etfect in Russia and Italy. Lord Northcliffe had made a special study of conditions in enemy countries. and no man better qualified to direct propaganda in enemy countries could be found in the British Empire. Government propaganda in all other Allied countries and in Germany was conducted almost exclusively by experienced newspaper men, and, despite the inevitable prejudices which the Government apprehended might lie excited, they had concluded that they must follow that example as the only means of securing an effective presentation of tlu Allied cause. llis one object in this, as in all other Government appointments, was, he said, to secure the men best qualified to do the work efficiently.

Mr Lloyd George reiterated that he was in nowise responsible for the attacks which had been made on admirals and generals. It had been suggested that a member of his stall' had inspired such attacks, but he had thoroughly investigated the matter, and unhesitatingly declared that the imputation was utterly unfounded and unjust. Mr Chamberlain said that the principles laid down by Mr Lloyd George were satisfactory, but there had been too much coincidence between newspaper attacks on Government servants and their removal from office. He regretted that the Prime Minister had not made a clean cut and swept away for ever the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue. Mr Asquith deplored organised Press campaigns in wartime against soldiers and sailors. The first of these, he said, was against Earl KitIchener, which he (Mr Asquith) fell most keenly. Consequently, he had advised the King to bestow the Order of the Garter on Earl Kitchener at the earliest opportunity, which his Majesty did. It was of the utmost importance that the Government should be free from suspicion of direct association with the operations of the Press, therefore he advocated that the Propaganda Department should he absolutely watertight. without any influence on the policy of the Government. Mr Lloyd George, winding up the debate, said that lie accepted the Fundamental principles laid down by Mr Asquith. He said that after his explanation there had been no real ■ hallcngc as to the action of the Government. - He concluded with a tribute to Lord Xortlicliffc, who was, he said, from the standpoint of news organisation, a man of genius, and one of the greatest news organisers of the world.