The Misuse of the High‐minded: The British Government's First Campaign Against CND

Extract

On March 24, 1958, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan sent a remarkable memo to a member of his Cabinet, Dr Charles Hill, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The memo read:

It is most important that we should fmd some way of organising and directing an effective campaign to counter the current agitation against this country’s possession of nuclear weapons. This is a question on which the natural emotions of ordinary people would lead them to be critical of the Government’s policy, and to accept without question or reason the arguments which our opponents use... .

The question is how to ... exploit the differences between those who oppose our policy.

Mr. (R.A.) Butler has been asked by the B.B.C. to take part in a discussion on this in Panorama in a week’s time, and I have asked him to accept... . Could we not get the I.T.A to take the initiative, but perhaps in a more positive way, by finding suitable people who would speak in support of the U.K.’s possession of nuclear arms? ...

There are no doubt many other ways in which we could press the campaign... . Can we persuade some influential publicists to write articles? Are there any reliable scientists? Or Church of England Bishops? What about Sir John Slessor, or Professor Bullock? Mr. Aiden Crawley would probably help.

Will you please look into this question, in consultation with the Conservative Central Office, and let me have a report as soon as possible.