BRITISH PRESS C0MMENT                    
 
                      March 25th - April 1st                
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
The British Press during this period was concerned mainly 
      with the Production Debate in the House of Commons, the Government's 
      threat to suspend the Daily Mirror for impeding the war effort, 
        the Indian question, and the need to help Russia.   
 
                                                            
 
 
(1) The Production Debate -- Lyttleton's outline of his functions 
      and aims received a warm welcome from the Press of the Left as 
      well as the Right. Daily Mail (Tory) commended the sense of urgency 
      in Lyttleton's speech. News Chronicle (Liberal) welcomed the 
      idea of a Production General Staff. The Times, after praising 
      Lyttleton, said the Production General Staff must be regarded 
      as part of Allied General Staff co-ordinating production and 
                            strategy.                       
 
                                                            
 
 
(2) Press comment on the Government's attack on the Daily 
      Mirror was unfavorable. The Times maintained the nation's morale 
      was good and would only be threatened if people were not free 
      to speak their mind. Policy immune from criticism always ended 
      in fatal blunders. Manchester Guardian (Liberal) attacked Herbert 
      Morrison for importing prejudice into the Debate and said the 
            Government took criticism too tragically.       
 
                                                            
 
 
(3) The Press commended the Government's plan for India. The 
      Times said credit belonged to Cripps, whose initiative brought 
      the plan to birth, and to Churchill who had the insight to seize 
      the moment for a revolutionary departure in policy. Socialist 
      Daily Herald as well as Manchester Guardian however complained 
     that the provisions of the plan were not precise enough
 
                                                            
 
 
(4) Aid for Russia was the theme of the Daily Mail, the Daily 
      Herald and the Manchester Guardian following Maisky's speech 
      saying that the war would be decided on the Russian front in 
      1942. Daily