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T H I S D O C U M E N T IS T H E P R O P E R T Y O P H I S B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y ' S G O V E R N M E N T
Printed
for the War Cabinet.
February
1944.
W.M.
^2
Copy No.
- S E C R E T .
(44)
18th Conclusions.
WAR
CONCLUSIONS
S.W.
of a Meeting
1, on Friday,
CABINET
18
(44).
of the War Cabinet held at 10 Downing
11th February,
1944, at 11-45 a.m.
Street,
Present :
Chair).
T h e R i g h t H o n . WINSTON S. CHURCHILL, M . P . , P r i m e M i n i s t e r (in the
T h e R i g h t H o n . C R . ATTLEE, M . P . , T h e R i g h t H o n . ANTHONY EDEN, M . P . ,
Council
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e
for
Foreign
Lord
P r e s i d e n t of t h e
Affairs (Items 1-4).
(Items
1-3).
T h e R i g h t H o n . S i r JOHN ANDERSON, T h e R i g h t Hon.. ERNEST BEVIN, M . P . ,
M i n i s t e r of L a b o u r a n d N a t i o n a l
M . P . , Chancellor of the E x c h e q u e r .
Service.
T h e R i g h t H o n . OLIVER LYTTELTON, T h e R i g h t H o n . HERBERT MORRISON,
M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for the M . P . , M i n i s t e r of P r o d u c t i o n . H o m e D e p a r t m e n t a n d M i n i s t e r of H o m e Security. The Right
H o n . LORD WOOLTON,
M i n i s t e r of R e c o n s t r u c t i o n .
T h e following were also p r e s e n t
T h e R i g h t H o n . VISCOUNT CRANBORNE, T h e R i g h t H o n . LORD BEAVERBROOK,
L o r d P r i v y Seal.
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for D o m i n i o n
Affairs.
ARCHIBALD T h e R i g h t H o n . Sir STAFFORD CRIPPS,
The
Right
Hon.
Sir
K.C., M . P . , M i n i s t e r of A i r c r a f t
SINCLAIR, Bt., M . P . , S e c r e t a r y of
Production.
S t a t e for A i r .
T h e R i g h t H o n . HUGH DALTON, M . P . , T h e R i g h t H o n . R. A . BUTLER, M . P . ,
P r e s i d e n t of the B o a r d of E d u c a t i o n .
P r e s i d e n t of the B o a r d of T r a d e .
the
Right
Hon.
J.
J.
T h e R i g h t H o n . R. S. HUDSON, M . P . , Colonel
LLEWELLIN, M . P . , M i n i s t e r of Food.
Minister
of
Agriculture
and
Fisheries.
M a j o r t h e R i g h t H o n . G . LLOYD T h e R i g h t H o n . BRENDAN BRACKEN,
M . P . M i n i s t e r of I n f o r m a t i o n .
GEORGE, M . P . , M i n i s t e r of F u e l a n d
Power.
T h e R i g h t H o n . RICHARD LAW, M . P . , T h e R i g h t H o n . LORD CHERWELL,
Paymaster-General.
M i n i s t e r of S t a t e .
T h e R i g h t H o n . HARCOURT JOHNSTONE,
M.P.,
Secretary,
Department
of
Overseas T r a d e .
Secretariat:
S i r EDWARD BRIDGES.
S i r GILBERT LAITHWAITE.
CONTENTS.
Minute Subject.
No.
M
i
n
e
r
s
'
W
a
g
e
s
'.
1
S e c u r i t y of P r e p a r a t i o n s for " Overlord " ....
....
.....
2
N
a
t
i
o
n
a
l
H
e
a
l
t
h
Service
....
....
....
....
....
3
A n g l o - A m e r i c a n D i s c u s s i o n s u n d e r A r t i c l e V I I ....
....
4
A u s t r a l i a - N e w Z e a l a n d A g r e e m e n t of 2 1 s t J a n u a r y , 1944
5
[26931-^2]
Page
82
82
83
83
84
Miners'
Wages.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (42) 79th
Conclusions,
Minute 5.)
1. The Minister
of Fuel and Poiver said t h a t a p o i n t h a d
a r i s e n in r e g a r d to the P o r t e r A w a r d on w h i c h t h e G o v e r n m e n t
w o u l d have t o m a k e an i m m e d i a t e s t a t e m e n t . U n d e r t h a t a w a r d
the m i n i m u m weekly w a g e s of a d u l t u n d e r g r o u n d w o r k e r s a n d
s u r f a c e workers, a n d of y o u t h s u n d e r 2 1 , h a d been increased a n d
n e w r a t e s h a d been l a i d down for overtime a n d week-end pay. H e
t h o u g h t t h a t the G o v e r n m e n t m u s t accept t h e position t h a t
p r o v i s i o n would be m a d e e i t h e r d i r e c t l y or i n d i r e c t l y from the Coal
C h a r g e s A c c o u n t t o meet the cost of t h i s A w a r d , a n d also of a
p r e v i o u s a w a r d d e a l i n g w i t h h o l i d a y s w i t h pay. I t w o u l d also be
necessary t h a t t h e r e should be a n a d j u s t m e n t of p a y i n c e r t a i n cases
to remove c e r t a i n anomalies a r i s i n g directly from t h e P o r t e r
A w a r d . O t h e r w i s e t h e r e would, for instance, be cases i n w h i c h
" c o n t r a c t o r s " w o u l d have to p a y increases to d a y w a g e men i n
t h e i r g a n g w i t h o u t receiving c o r r e s p o n d i n g increase themselves.
I t a p p e a r e d , however, t h a t n e g o t i a t i o n s h a d been s t a r t e d between
the m i n e w o r k e r s ' a n d m i n e o w n e r s ' r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s i n c e r t a i n
d i s t r i c t s (notably i n South W a l e s ) for a s u b s t a n t i a l increase i n
piece-work r a t e s , on the u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t such increases would be
accepted as a c h a r g e a g a i n s t the Coal C h a r g e s Account.
T h e m a t t e r h a d been discussed i n the L o r d P r e s i d e n t s
C o m m i t t e e t h a t m o r n i n g a n d i t h a d been a g r e e d t h a t a n announce­
m e n t should be m a d e t h a t , w h i l e p r o v i s i o n should be m a d e from t h e
Coal C h a r g e s A c c o u n t to meet t h e cost of the P o r t e r A w a r d s , a n d
of a n y necessary a d j u s t m e n t s to m e e t obvious a n o m a l i e s a r i s i n g
d i r e c t l y from those a w a r d s (e.g.,- in r e g a r d to w a g e s of
" c o n t r a c t o r s " ) , t h e G o v e r n m e n t w e r e not p r e p a r e d to m a k e s i m i l a r
provision in r e g a r d to other w a g e increases. H e t h o u g h t t h a t , if
the G o v e r n m e n t took t h i s line, t h e r e w a s a r i s k of trouble in S o u t h
W a l e s , a n d possibly in o t h e r d i s t r i c t s . T h e M i n i s t e r s concerned,
however, were satisfied t h a t t h i s r i s k m u s t be faced. .
The Minister
of Laboiir and National
Service s a i d t h a t he
a g r e e d w i t h t h e views of t h e M i n i s t e r of F u e l a n d P o w e r . A n y
f u r t h e r concession would have serious consequences of a n infla­
tionary character.
The W a r C a b i n e t A p p r o v e d the course p r o p o s e d ; and took note -that t h e
t e r m s of the a n n o u n c e m e n t would be a g r e e d by t h e
M i n i s t e r of F u e l a n d P o w e r , i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h the L o r d
P r e s i d e n t of t h e Council a n d the Chancellor of t h e
Exchequer.
Seourlty of
Preparations for
" Orariord."
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (44) 10th
Conclusions,
Minute 5.)
2. The Prime Minister
r e f e r r e d to t h e C o m m i t t e e w h i c h h a d
been set u p u n d e r his C h a i r m a n s h i p to deal w i t h p r e p a r a t i o n s for
O p e r a t i o n " O v e r l o r d . " A t t h e m e e t i n g of t h i s C o m m i t t e e held on
W e d n e s d a y , t h e 9 t h F e b r u a r y , c o n s i d e r a t i o n h a d been given t o a
scheme for the i m p o s i t i o n of a v i s i t o r s ' b a n over a coastal belt from
the W a s h t o L a n d ' s E n d a n d covering c e r t a i n a r e a s of Scotland.
T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r said t h a t i t w a s of the u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e
t h a t due r e g a r d should be p a i d to m i l i t a r y security. H e t h o u g h t ,
however, t h a t c o n s i d e r a t i o n should be given to measures t o deal w i t h
t h e m a t t e r on a different basis, namely, by p r e v e n t i n g a n y informa­
t i o n p a s s i n g out of t h e B r i t i s h Isles. T h i s involved c o n s i d e r a t i o n
of t h e facilities enjoyed by t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of f o r e i g n Govern­
m e n t s . H e h a d asked t h a t a C o m m i t t e e consisting of t h e M i n i s t e r
of P r o d u c t i o n (in the C h a i r ) , M i n i s t e r of A i r c r a f t P r o d u c t i o n a n d
t h e J o i n t P a r l i a m e n t a r y Secretary t o the M i n i s t r y of S u p p l y should
be responsible for the p r e p a r a t i o n of a r e p o r t on these measures.
B u t , in view of t h e w i d e scope of t h e measures involved, h e t h o u g h t
t h a t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the F o r e i g n Office a n d of the H o m e Office
should be associated w i t h t h e t h r e e M i n i s t e r s w h o h a d been asked
to c a r r y out t h i s e n q u i r y .
The W a r Cabinet—
Took note, w i t h a p p r o v a l , of t h i s s t a t e m e n t .
\
National H e a l t h
Service.
(Previous
Reference:
W.M. (44) 17th
Conclusions,
Minute 2.)
3. The Prime Minister
r e f e r r e d to the discussion on this
m a t t e r t w o d a y s e a r l i e r . T h e m a t t e r had, of course, been very fully
discussed over a long p e r i o d o n the R e c o n s t r u c t i o n Committee. The
issues involved were, however, very f a r - r e a c h i n g , a n d he h a d come
t o t h e conclusion t h a t , on the whole, i t would be desirable t h a t they
should be r a t h e r more fully discussed t h a n h a d been possible o n t h e
occasion of t h e e a r l i e r meeting, before a final decision w a s reached
to publish the W h i t e P a p e r .
A f t e r a s h o r t discussion, the W a r Cabinet-—
A g r e e d t h a t consideration of this m a t t e r should be
r e s u m e d a t a m e e t i n g to be held a t a n early d a t e i n the
following week.
4. A t t h e i r m e e t i n g on the 21st December the W a r C a b i n e t
h a d i n v i t e d the M i n i s t e r of S t a t e to p r e p a r e a note focussing for
m i n i s t e r i a l decision t h e p o i n t s a r i s i n g out of the recent A n g l o A m e r i c a n discussions u n d e r A r t i c l e V I I of the M u t u a l A i d
A g r e e m e n t , a n d h a d asked t h a t t h e M i n i s t e r of S t a t e should be
(Previous
i n f o r m e d of a n y p o i n t s w h i c h M i n i s t e r s w i s h e d to r a i s e o n the
Reference:
subject.
W.M. (43) 173rd
T h e W a r C a b i n e t now h a d before them—
Conclusions,
Anglo-American
Discussions
under
Article Y I I .
Minute 1.)
(a) T w o M e m o r a n d a by the M i n i s t e r of S t a t e ( W . P . (44) 75 a n d
W . P . (44) 81) focussing issues a r i s i n g out of the
W a s h i n g t o n conversations a n d d e a l i n g w i t h the p o i n t s
r a i s e d by i n d i v i d u a l M i n i s t e r s .
(&) A M e m o r a n d u m ( W . P . (44) 82) by the Secretary of S t a t e
for D o m i n i o n Affairs r e c o m m e n d i n g t h a t the Censorship
should be asked to a r r a n g e w i t h the P r e s s for the
avoidance of all reference to the forthcoming discussions
w i t h the D o m i n i o n s a n d I n d i a w h e t h e r on t h e m o n e t a r y
or o t h e r aspects.
(c) A M e m o r a n d u m by the L o r d P r i v y Seal ( W . P . (44) 95)
criticising
the
outcome
of
the
Anglo-American
discussions u n d e r A r t i c l e V I I as r e p r e s e n t i n g i n effect
the revival of the gold s t a n d a r d issue a n d p r e s s i n g for
t h e i r rejection.
A g e n e r a l discussion took place on t h e issues a r i s i n g out of the
p a p e r s before the W a r Cabinet. A record is contained i n the
S e c r e t a r y ' s S t a n d a r d File o f W a r C a b i n e t Conclusions.
A t t h e e n d of t h e discussion the Prime Minister
summed u p
by s a y i n g t h a t t h e g e n e r a l view of the W a r C a b i n e t w a s in favour
of p r o c e e d i n g w i t h a policy generally on the lines discussed a t
W a s h i n g t o n , a n d as set out i n the M i n i s t e r of S t a t e ' s M e m o r a n d u m ,
a l t h o u g h no d o u b t t h e r e w o u l d be a n u m b e r of specific p o i n t s w h i c h
would require further examination. The main point which had
emerged from t h e m o r n i n g ' s discussion h a d been the i m p o r t a n c e of
t h i s c o u n t r y s e c u r i n g a d e q u a t e s a f e g u a r d s in respect of the
t r a n s i t i o n a l ' period. H e t h o u g h t , too, t h a t those h a n d l i n g these
q u e s t i o n s should not neglect to consider the a l t e r n a t i v e s w h i c h we
should have t o a d o p t if no a g r e e m e n t w e r e reached w i t h the U n i t e d
S t a t e s on the lines of the W a s h i n g t o n discussions.
T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r a d d e d t h a t it w a s a m a t t e r of u r g e n c y to
settle t h e lines w h i c h our officials should t a k e in the discussions w i t h
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e Dominions and I n d i a , w h i c h were d u e to
s t a r t on the 21st F e b r u a r y .
T h i s i m m e d i a t e t a s k should be
e n t r u s t e d t o a small committee of M i n i s t e r s , t h o u g h i t m i g h t later
be found desirable t o t u r n t h i s body i n t o a S t a n d i n g M i n i s t e r i a l
C o m m i t t e e t o consider our p o s t - w a r
financial,
economic a n d
commercial policy i n the i n t e r n a t i o n a l field, i n c l u d i n g g e n e r a l
p r o b l e m s likely to a r i s e in t h e t r a n s i t i o n a l period.
The W a r C a b i n e t Agreed t h a t a C o m m i t t e e should be set u p as follows : —
Chancellor of t h e E x c h e q u e r
(Chairman),
M i n i s t e r of P r o d u c t i o n ,
L o r d P r i v y Seal,
P r e s i d e n t of the B o a r d of T r a d e ,
M i n i s t e r of S t a t e ,
Paymaster-General.
T h e C o m m i t t e e ' s task w a s to d e t e r m i n e , in the l i g h t of
the discussion in the W a r C a b i n e t as s u m m a r i s e d by the
P r i m e M i n i s t e r , the a t t i t u d e to be t a k e n by U n i t e d
K i n g d o m officials in t h e f o r t h c o m i n g discussions w i t h
official r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the D o m i n i o n s a n d I n d i a over
the whole field of the W a s h i n g t o n C o n v e r s a t i o n s u n d e r
Article V I I .
I t was, of course, open to the C o m m i t t e e to i n v i t e o t h e r
M i n i s t e r s to assist them, as m i g h t be necessary, in r e g a r d
to any p a r t i c u l a r aspect of t h e i r e n q u i r y .
AustraliaN e w Zealand
Agreement
of the 21st
January, 1944.
(Previous
Eef erence:
W.M. (44) 17th
Conclusions,
Minute 3.)
5. A t t h e i r last m e e t i n g the W a r C a b i n e t h a d i n v i t e d the
S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e for D o m i n i o n Affairs to a r r a n g e for a reply to
t h e A u s t r a l i a n a n d N e w Z e a l a n d G o v e r n m e n t s to be d r a f t e d a n d
s u b m i t t e d to them. Copies of the d r a f t reply w e r e h a n d e d r o u n d
a n d considered a t the m e e t i n g .
The W a r C a b i n e t A p p r o v e d the d r a f t
p o i n t s :—
reply
subject
to
the
following
(a) t h e offer t o s h a r e i n defence responsibilities in the
Pacific w a s a notable l a n d m a r k , a n d should be m a d e
more c o r d i a l ;
(b) p a r a g r a p h 7 should r e a d a s f o l l o w s : " W e a r e i n
agreement with the general principle laid down in
t h i s p a r a g r a p h , w i t h t h e proviso t h a t i t s a p p l i c a ­
tion i n c e r t a i n i n d i v i d u a l instances m i g h t be
affected by t h e t e r m s of the a r r a n g e m e n t s m a d e a t
the time."
Offices of the War Cabinet, S.W.
11th February,
1944. 1,