TRUSTING THE PEOPLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 September 1939, Page 6

TRUSTING THE PEOPLE

RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT WAR EVENTS SUGGESTIONS iN BRITISH PARLIAMENT. STATEMENT BY PREMIER. (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 7. In the House of Commons Mr' A. Greenwood, Acting Labour Leader, emphasised the necessity of telling the public as much about the situation as possible and said that had Mr Chamberlain’s statement on the Kiel attack been made on the same day as the raid it would have heartened the people. If the people were told of a temporary reverse they would not be disheartened. The people should know that nothing was being withheld and they should be trusted with the truth, no matter how distasteful. Mr Chamberlain replied that the Government was putting into operation a complicated machine and there was apt to be a little creaking at tha beginning. He fully appreciated MiGreenwood’s point, which the War Cabinet had actually discussed that morning. He did not want, however, to give the public information, which might be inaccurate. It was not possible always to be certain of all the facts immediately they had word, but in the light of experience he hoped to do better in this respect in future. Discussing a statement in the House r.f Lords by Lord Stanhope similar to Ihaf. made by Mr Chamberlain, Lord Sne n said it was at present possible to get more information from America I han hi England, which should not be allowed to continue.