THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

August 21 [1940]

Dear Bantock¹

I feel that it is time that British musicians got together and looked for the release of their fellow musicians which are interned.
Musicians do not appear to come under any category in the ‘White Paper’² and this makes it difficult for us, but perhaps by a joint letter we could persuade the authorities to broaden their interpretation of ‘work of national importance’ (see ‘White Paper’ Section 8) and to point out that to fructify the life of the country is of national importance and the fact that artistic and intelligent people who will spread the gospel of anti-Nazism are an asset to the country.
Perhaps you have read Professor Rosenberg’s report on the appalling conditions in his internment camp.  This does not of course affect the injustice or otherwise of internment, but it does make it imperative, unless conditions have enormously improved, to release those, who ought to be released immediately. Could we have a meeting to discuss the question?
I am sending a copy of this letter to:
Dyson                     Walton
Marchant                Berners
Edric Cundell          Lambert
Allen.                     Colles
Whittaker.              Newman
Walford Davies
Boult
Dunhill³

Yours sincerely

R Vaughan Williams

1. Composer and, until 1934, Peyton Professor of Music at Birmingham University.
2. The White Paper (Command Paper No. 6217) listed 18 categories of internees who could apply for release in order to contribute to work ‘of national importance’. Two revisions to the Paper appeared later in the year. Civilian internees of enemy nationality: categories of persons eligible for release from internment and procedure to be followed in applying for release, Cmnd 6233, July 1940.
3. The recipients constituted perhaps VW’s view of the British musical establishment in 1940.