| YOU SPOKE TO ME THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TELEGRAMS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN EVIL WHICH OUGHT TO BE CHECKED. MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS ABROAD SEEM TO THINK THAT THE BIGGER THE VOLUME OF THEIR REPORTS HOME THE BETTER IS THEIR TASK DISCHARGED. ALL KINDS OF GOSSIP AND RUMOURS ARE SENT, REGARDLESS OF CREDIBILITY. THE IDEA SEEMS TO BE TO KEEP UP A CONTINUED CHAT WHICH NO ONE EVER TRIES TO SHORTEN. I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD ISSUE A GENERAL INJUNCTION BUT THAT IN ADDITION TELEGRAMS WHICH ARE UNDULY VERBOSE OR TRIVIAL SHOULD BE CRITICISED AS SUCH AND THEIR AUTHORS TOLD 'THIS TELEGRAM WAS NEEDLESSLY LONG'. IT IS SHEER LAZINESS NOT COMPRESSING THOUGHT INTO A REASONABLE SPACE. I TRY TO READ ALL THESE TELEGRAMS AND I THINK THE VOLUME GROWS FROM DAY TO DAY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE.
Churchill's telegram to Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 11 January 1941. |