Evening star., 1941-10-05
Overseas Policy Of Secrecy
Hushes Washington Officials
Country, Apparently on Verge of Terrific Plunge
In World Affairs, Is in Dark on British
And Russian Situations
Bv Constantine Br01pn.

Washington nevspapermen and some
high Government officials have para
phrased one of Prime Minister Church
ills historic statements about the graft
tude of the British people to the Royal
Air Force and have applied it to the
news situation in this country. The
para aphrasing of Mr. Churchill goes:
Never in the history of the world has
so much been kept from so many by SO
few"
Until the relationship between the
Governments of the United States ard
Great Britain became as intimate as it
is now, Americans were the best-iC-
formed people in the world on world
events. Washington was the clearing
house for worldwide information. The
administration was interested in keeping
the public informed so the average citi-
zen could form a clear idea Of American
policies.
Reports from American observers sta
toned abroad were treated confiden-
TALLY, it Is true. But when important de-
velopments were in the ofing the ad-
ministration made these reports indi-
rectly available to the American people
through the medium of the press. The
only restriction imposed on the neWsmen
was that they were not to quote directly
or indicate the particular source from
which the information originated The
newspapermen were satisfied with the
arrangement; it enabled them to impart
unbiased and reliable information TO the
reading public.
Secrecy Now From Abroad.
Today all this has changed A ques-
tionable policy of secrecy has been i'm
posed from overseas on Washington
officlaldom to an extent unknown even
during the last war. There is no CEN
sorship. it is true. But news from abroad
affecting the people of this country has
been drastically curtailed and restricted.
When neWspapermen complain that the
American people today more than ever
have right to know exactly what the
real situation is in Britain, Africa, Rus
sia and Japan-and in any other country
in which We are likely to have an i'm
portant stake--the State Department
reply is: Sorry, this matter must be
treated confdentially lest our own
sources of information dry up"
1t is unofhcially explained that while
the administration is fully aware of the
importance of sharing the news received
in Washington with the American people.
much of it is being kept from the public
eye at the request of the British Min
nf Tr7f< T 1,.r oil
indicated that If leaks" occur our own
officials will be treated as unreliable and
will no longer have access to the most
! confidential sources abroad
American officials stationed in foreign
posts have more responsible role than
ever before. Much depends on the cor
rectness of their informal tion. Our
policies regarding the manufacture of
war materials, rela TO other coun-
tries and so forth are largely shaped by
the reports of these observers. If London
should carry out its threat to close our
sources of information-if q news leak
should occur in Washington-the task
of our observers would become impos-
sible.
"ilCil HIltllNdIl OlIIldlS Ntlb StIlL lU
London late in 1889 and during 1910, an
admiral who had been selected for his
astuteness as an observer reported after
few weeks that. despite the courtesy of
British officials. he could not see the
forest because of the trees" Things have
changed for American observers since
enactment of the lease-lend bill and the
notrpl1inn nf lno ko,.+ !
States fleet.
News Stopped at Sources.
The result of this policy has been that
while some high officials in Washington
know what is really happening outside
of this country the public is being kept in
comparative ignorance. There is no
censorship of news, that is to say no
Government department makes the re-
motest attempt to censor news-if you
can get it.
Those in possession of minor details
have been warned to keep their lips
sealed. II an interesting item which
has been marked confidential" were to
appear in print in the United States
there would be an immediate canvass of
the men who were in possession of this
information, their friends and relations
would be checked and eventually some
body would get the AK
There is no question that there is some
military information which should not
be given to the public because it might
be useful to the enemy. But under cover
of informing the enemy much news
which is of paramount Importance to the
people of this country Is being concealed.
For instance, we have only a scant idea
of how much damage has been inflicted
on British ports. The question of how
much material aid the British can obtain
from this country depends largely on
their port facilities, on how quickly re-
pairs can be made to docks damaged
by the German air raids of last year.
Are the British navy yards now able to
produce ships? Have repair facilities
been improved? All this is of paramount
Importance because it enables us to
visualize more clearly the assistance we
are being called on to give our friends
across the Atlantic.
Russian Data Inadequate.
The situation of the Russian armies is
OF equal importance. We possess made
quate information of damage done to
Russian factories and to the armies of
i, ,AA L l.