New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-12
KEEP THE NAVYS SECRETS
A Plea for Secrecy as to the Movements OF
Warships
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your paper Of this morning, March
2. 7 noticed a short news item on page three
relating TO the accident at the League Island
ward in Philadelphia to the drydock. mat
in itself was fairly legitimate news out az
the end of the item it was stated that the
feet. "the Atlantic feet" is now patrollihg
the coasts Of Mexico to guard against herman
U-boats. which are declared to have been get
ting fuel there, according to letter just
received by the wife of warrant ofhcer on
board one of the vessels"
Nv husband is ut present executive or one
Of the ships of the big feet, and recent letters
from him have emphasized most particularly
the urgent need of strict censorship IN
regard 10 the movements OF the SHIPS MS
letters bear no date or address, and ne
warns me that shortly he may be only al
lowed TO send me postal cards with prescribed
messages printed on them. This condition is
not an easy one TO face when the interna-
tional situation is so nearly state OF war.
|, as an officers wife, would like to add
my plea TO you as great public servant,
asking that you refrain from printing any
news whatever about the movements or dspo-
sition of the feet or the policy OF warfare
which the chiefs Of departments shall con-
slider it wise TO adopt.
Women are doing much in these stirring
days TO prepare themselves for service in
new and responsible positions. One OF the
least of the things they can all do, old and
young alike, is to give up, as the splendid
women of England have done, all news Of
their dear ones, in Difference to the wishes
of the government, and because, by making
this sacrifice, they are causing the least
possible embarrassment to the President and
the State War and Navy departments
IL / so clearly see my duty in this re-
spect, surely the public should be satisfied
to wait in patience the outcome OF what
seems now 10 be a most critical situation
am q constant reader and admrer of The
Tribune, and | should be glad 70 see you
set the policy of strict censorship in regard
to all movements Of ships and troops. Your
recent articles signed "Nsuticus" have been
appreciated by service people. AS you have
in the past done much by your intelligent
criticism, so you can do much more now by
your intelligent silence, where silence will
mean unhampered plans and successful car
rying out of naval policy and the safeguard
ing of the national honor. Your editorials
are splendid, your cartoons by Darling most
telling-will you not balance the account by
setting an example Of silence where it may
be golden) for all the other papers in the
land?
Let me quote from my husbands letter
for my closing sentence: "The order has been
issued in feet that neither in private cor
respondence nor conversation shall we state
where the feet is, or where it is expected to
go. Discovery, through letters, Of any fail
ure in carrying out this order will result in
cutting off all private correspondence from
officers and men on the ship from which the
letter has come. So from now on NUNS the
word" LAURA X. OWENS.
Boston, Mass, March 3, 1917.