Triumph and Tragedy (The Second World War) (146 page)

policy. It would be unsuitable for a Minister to make a
particular newspaper his organ.

2. On the other hand, a Minister is entitled to write
on literary, historical, scientific, or philosophical topics
not connected with current politics at his pleasure, and
may receive payment for such work, guarding himself
all the time against criticism that he is neglecting his
official duties. Many Ministers, myself included, have
written books in office under the above limits, and these
books have been serialised.

3. In times of election greater freedom prevails. In
this present election Ministers may, without payment,
write in any newspaper in prosecution of the Government’s aims or defence of its policy. They must
however beware that favouritism of particular
newspapers, if pronounced, will lead to retaliation by
others. The matter might be mentioned in Cabinet.

Prime Minister to Admiralty

11 June 45

Please pass the following message:
Prime Minister to Commanding Officer H.M.S.

“Kelvin”

Please convey my warm thanks to all those stokers
under your command who sent me the delightful
flowers and kind message on the anniversary of my trip
in H.M.S. Kelvin to the Normandy beaches. This was
the only time I have been in action on one of His
Majesty’s ships.

Prime Minister to Minister

16 June 45

of Food

What is the point of bringing 500 tons of fish per day
to London if only one-half of it is edible? To what use is
the other half put? If there is no use for it could not the
salting be made at the place of delivery? Who pays for
the inedible fish?

2. You must do your best to reduce the fish queues
by quicker service. At the same time it should be made
public that people are coming for fish because they
Triumph and Tragedy

912

have heard rightly that the supply of fish to London has
been greatly increased.

Prime Minister to

26 June 45

Secretary of State for Air

andMinister of Labour

What is the truth in the suggestion that the Air
Photographic Units at Medmenham are to be re-employed on a large project, the total survey of
Europe? This is no time to make [official] work for
people, but, on the contrary, to release as many as
possible. It is intolerable that these efforts should be
made to find all kinds of sterile jobs for people. I had
the same trouble with the commission which was to
examine the effects of bombing, which was to amount
to about a thousand persons. The whole of this
proposal must be brought immediately before the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. Why are we to burden
ourselves with a total survey of Europe at this moment?

2. I expect you to address yourselves to these
matters with regard to the public interest and public
finance. We shall be tempted from every quarter to
keep in being needless appointments. Pray look into
this yourselves. I am not going to have a vast mass of
women kept at full charge as Government employees,
when they are needed in many other spheres in private
life.

Prime Minister to Sir

29 June 45

Alexander Cadogan

Is it possible that we are pursuing a policy of treating
the Austrians the same as the Germans in the matter of
nonfraternisation? All this matter requires grave and
urgent attention. We are dignified and insulting, and the
Russians are boon companions and enslavers. I never
realised such follies were being committed.

JULY

PROGRAMME FOR JULY 1945

Triumph and Tragedy

913

3 July 45

Victory in Europe was closely followed by the break-up of the Coalition Government, and much of the time
and attention of Ministers in the last few weeks has
necessarily been occupied with the clatter of the
General Election. Many problems await decisions which
are now required to enable the nation’s efforts to be
replanned and rephased to meet the end of the war in
Europe.

2. My colleagues have been busy in the last few
weeks, but I must call on them for an intensive effort
during the period between polling day and the
announcement of the result of the election. During this
period frequent meetings of the Cabinet, possibly as
many as three a week, may be necessary, and much
work must also be done by the Standing Committees of
the Cabinet, which have now been reconstituted….

DOMESTIC PROGRAMME

The Housing Squad, and, as necessary, the
Cabinet, will ensure an intensive drive forward with the
housing programme as a military operation in which all
controls are to be used and special brigades of
demobilised men enlisted for two years at exceptionally
favourable terms, to go from one part of the country to
another, getting the thing started. Among the Engineers
there are large numbers of eminently suitable men.

First, five regiments of a thousand each should be
formed. The matter of building these houses is to be
handled exactly with the energy that would have been
put into any of the battles we have won. Nothing is to
stand in the way. Apart from this, points to which
special attention should be given are:
(a) Supply of labour, both for the building and civil
engineering industries, and also for factories producing
building materials and components.

(b) Permanent houses: measures to secure an early
start with the construction of permanent houses by local
authorities and by private enterprise, and to accelerate
Triumph and Tragedy

914

the production of prefabricated houses and components.

(c) Temporary houses: measures to expedite the
preparation of sites and the production of houses.

(d) Emergency shelter: means of increasing, by
temporary expedients, the living accommodation
available for next winter, e.g., requisitioning, adaptation
of large houses, etc.

(e) Measures for establishing proper control over
building to ensure that the available labour is
concentrated on high priority work.

8. Exports. — Preparations for the export drive
should be advanced.

9. Coal. — A detailed scheme must be prepared to
give effect to the statement of policy made by the
Minister of Fuel and Power on May 29 on the future
organisation of the coal industry. All possible steps
must be taken to ensure that adequate supplies of coal
are available to meet the demand of next winter.

10. Rent Restriction, — Urgent consideration must
be given to the recommendations of the Ridley Report.

11. National Insurance. — Further progress should
be made with the preparations, both legislative and
administrative, for the introduction of this scheme.

12. National Health Service. — The form of the
legislation required to give effect to the modified
scheme should now be considered.

MAN-POWER

NOTE BY THE PRIME MINISTER

5 July 45

Women ought not to be treated the same as men.

The reason why we do not bring home the men we
want to get the industries started is because of the
anger it would cause among Class A. Class A stands
first and super-sacred. Any infringement upon their
rights might cause the gravest disaster, as it did last
time. We must carry them with us at all costs.

Triumph and Tragedy

915

2. But women are an entirely different category.

They do not mutiny or cause disturbances, and the
sooner they are back at their homes the better. This
idea of keeping masses of highly paid young women
hanging around at the Air Force stations and in Army
and Navy work, with a redundant staff finding a job in
teaching them to lead a better life, is one which should
be completely cut out of our system All women should
be free to retire as soon as possible from the Services,
and those who like to stay will be found sufficient to do
the necessary jobs. A regular ramp is growing up to
hold on to these women. No one who is not absolutely
necessary to the war effort can in any circumstances be
retained. Any who are to go to the Far East or India
must volunteer from those who wish to continue in the
Services. I trust within a few weeks we may be able to
declare that every woman who wishes to leave the
Services may do so provided the numbers who wish to
leave are not so great as to affect the rate of release of
Class A.

3. Pray let all efforts be made to realise this
objective.

Prime Minister to Colonial

6 July 45

Secretary and Chiefs of Staff

Committee

The whole question of Palestine must be settled at
the peace table, though it may be touched upon at the
conference at Potsdam. I do not think we should take
the responsibility upon ourselves of managing this very
difficult place while the Americans sit back and criticise.

Have you ever addressed yourselves to the idea that
we should ask them to take it over? I believe we should
be the stronger the more they are drawn into the
Mediterranean. At any rate, the fact that we show no
desire to keep the mandate will be a great help. I am
not aware of the slightest advantage which has ever
accrued to Great Britain from this painful and thankless
task. Somebody else should have their turn now.

However, the Chiefs of Staff should examine the matter
from the strategic point of view.

Triumph and Tragedy

916

Prime Minister to Sir Edward

7 July 45

Bridges

All women in the Services or in the war munitions
works are to be released if they wish to go, irrespective
of the category, corresponding to the male, in which
they fall. Direction will however be maintained to
women to go into civil manufacturing like textiles, etc.

No women are to be kept dawdling about waiting for
their turn to come, and no people employed finding
occupation for them meanwhile.

2. I am expecting half a million to be out of uniform
or out of munitions factories in three months from now.

Prime Minister to First Lord

17 July 45

of the Admiralty, Secretary

of State for War, Secretary

of State for Air, Minister of

Health, Secretary of State

for Dominion Affairs, and

Secretary of State for India

In May I gave directions that 1600 doctors should be
returned to civilian life forthwith from the Services. I
presume these are already out, and I should like a
report confirming this. The time has now come to make
a further cut of doctors in the Services in order to
ensure adequate medical attention for civilians in the
coming winter. A further 1600 doctors should therefore
be returned to civilian life by October 1. The proportion
in which the three Services release these doctors
should be the same as applied to the first 1600.

Prime Minister to General

23 July 45

Ismay

What is being done with German rifles? It is a great
mistake to destroy rifles. If possible, at least a couple of
million should be preserved for Britain.