CAB38-23 — Page 30

Page 30

Page 30

Page 30

rents on property, and interest on debentures, capital, and mortgages are to be permitted.

It follows that some communication with the enemy country is necessary, and as discrimination between classes of correspondence would entail not only insuperable difficulties but also popular dissatisfaction, the Sub-Committee are of opinion that the postal service with an enemy country should not be prohibited.

Correspondence of the Forces on Active Service.

11. Before recording their conclusions, the Sub-Committee desire to draw attention to a question, in regard to which it may be within their purview to make recommendations, but which can be dealt with more satisfactorily by the Admiralty and War Office. They refer to the treatment of the private correspondence of His Majesty's Forces while engaged in active operations. Such correspondence is liable to contain information of inestimable value to an enemy, and requires, consequently, most careful censorship or regulation. The Sub-Committee are informed that the War Office have approved of the censorship of all private correspondence, and the following procedure has been authorised, vide Chapter XII, paragraph 100, Field Service Regulations, Part II, 1913. In order to facilitate correspondence of officers, soldiers, foreign attachés, and civilians accompanying the Army, post-cards have been printed with a number of sentences to the effect that the sender is in good health, in hospital, or wounded and progressing favourably or otherwise. The sender will strike out the sentences other than those he requires and append his signature. Urgent letters in respect of family or financial matters may be submitted to the commanding officer or officer in charge of the sender, who, after satisfying himself that it contains no information of an objectionable character, will enclose it in a special red envelope (A.F. A 2043), which he will close and countersign. These letters will then be exempt from further censorship. All private correspondence other than that specified above will be subject to special censorship regulations. The Sub-Committee learn that a scheme is also under consideration by the Admiralty.

Conclusions.

(A.)-Period of Strained Relations.

(1.) In a time of strained relations it is impossible so to control communications that intelligence as to such main facts as the mobilization of our forces can long be concealed from a prospective enemy, and the best counter-action we can take is to ensure that we are at least equally well and promptly informed as to measures taken by a prospective enemy.

(2.) During this period the only practicable measure of postal censorship is to keep a watch on the correspondence of persons at home and abroad whom the Naval and Military authorities have reason to suspect to be agents of a prospective enemy, and on the correspondence in particular classes of business transactions which, in the opinion of the Naval and Military authorities, may have a connection with warlike intentions. In this connection the Sub-Committee wish to point out the importance of making the information regarding suspected persons and their foreign correspondents as accurate and up to date as possible in time of normal relations. The Admiralty and War Office should be responsible for uotifying to the Home Office and the General Post Office in time of strained relations the names of suspected persons and the names of the firms engaged in particular classes of business transactions whose correspondence they desire to be scrutinised.

(3.) Communications intended by correspondents resident in this country for foreign journals should be specially watched. The War Office to be responsible for notifying to the General Post Office the names of these correspondents.

(B.)-War.

(4.) When war has actually been declared or an immediate declaration decided upon, the Sub-Committee recommend that, in addition to or substitution for the action

Page 30

Page 30Page 31