,. 

USCIB: 13. 5/54 

20 April 1954 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIB: 

Subject: 

Reference: 

Violation of USCIB Policy with Regard to Classification 

of Subject Matter Related to COMINT. 

USCIB 13.5/51 dated 7 April 1954. 

1. Further to the reference, the following information has been 

received from the Navy Member in answer to questions by the Executive 

Secretary-: 

a. As well as can be detennined, RADM THEOBAID was never a 

recipient of COMINT. 

b. Neither the article in question nor the book upon which it 

is based were submitted for review prior to publication. 

c. Navy Regulations governing submission for review of 

articles... for publication make no specific provision for retired personnel:'- !tie Office of the Judge Advocate General of Navy states that 

an interpretation applying to retired personnel existing regulations 

which cover "persons in the Naval Establishment" has never been put to 

test. It is, however, noted that about half of the retired Naval 

personnel who write for publication do file copies of the manuscripts 

with the Navy Department. 

d. It is feasible to have and there is in fact a mechanism 

for bringing to the attention of competent Divisions, Branches, or 

Sections in the Navy Department articles submitted for security review. 

Specific provisions for "spotting" COMINT do not exist but experience 

indicates that writings which may or do contain information based on 

COMINT do, in fact, get review in the office most competent to handle 

such matters. 

e. It is not practical to attempt to control publication of 

information ~lready otherwise revealed in official documents of public 

record. 

_j f. Legal advice available to' the Department of the Navy ind~cates no sanctions against RADM THEOBAID could be upheld in this 

case. 

USCIB: 13.5/54 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 04-08-2014 pursuant to E. 0. 1352B 

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;.• 

USCIB: 13.5/54 

Subject: 

20 April 1954 

Violation of USCIB Policy with Regard to Classification 

of Subject Matter Related to COMINT. 

2. In response to questions concerning the current use of the 

"Purple" Machine, the NSA Member has submitted the following information: 

111. Key generated by the •Purple Machine' still is being used 

on major lanes, including Tokyo to Brussels, The Hague, and New 

York. This key also is currently used in circular messages. It is 

not possible to state categorically that the machine still is used 

to generate key. The possibility exists that this is not the case 

and that the Japanese are using key previously generated by the device. 

112. If the Japanese were sensitive about the use of the •Purple 

Machine', it is believed they would not have made use of the device 

again after the information made generally available as a result of 

Congressional investigations into Pearl Harbor. 

113. Current traffic so far has not revealed any Japanese 

reaction to the 2 April issue of 1U. S. News and World Report•, but 

a close watch is being kept to note any indication of concern by the 

Japanese. Should any reaction be reflected, you will be advised 

promptly. 

114. In addition to the possibility of a COMINT compromise, it 

is noted that the article in question also makes reference to wartime US-UK CCMINT collaboration, citing the US grant of a 'Purple 

Machine• to the United Kingdom." 

3. In view of the above it is recommended that: 

a. No action directed against author or publisher be considered 

in this case. 

b. The current effort of the Security Committee towards revision 

of USCIB policy.on the classification of subject matter related to CCMINT 

include suitable statements removing classification requirements from 

information revealed as a result of official action such as the Pearl 

Harbor Investigation and instead provide for the following: 

(1) That each USCIB member department and agency take all 

feasible administrative action to require that public utterances which do 

USCIB: 13.5/54 - 2 -

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USCIB: 13.5/54 

20 April 1954 

1'0P S!eM:'f PftfJfll 

Subject: Violation of USCIB Policy with Regard to Classification 

of Subject Matter Related to COMINT. 

or may contain information based on CCMINT and which are originated by 

persons in any reasonable way controllable by such member department or 

agency, are submitted in advance of utterance to the cognizant office 

for review and advice. 

(2) That in the event COMINT inforina.tion already publicly 

revealed is included in a document submitted for review an attempt by 

persuasion be made to either eliminate such information or.express. it in 

such general terms as to conceal specific associations to the maximum 

degree possible. 

4. Beyond the recommendations set forth above, I can think of 

little to do about this kind of a situation. 

5. This matter will be placed on the agenda for discussion at the 

next regular meeting of USCIBEC. 

USCIB: 13.5/54 - 3 -

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