The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-19

Secretary of State Frank B. Kel- logg sailed for Paris to sign his famous Outlawry of War Pact, the United states certainly faced no emergency. Yet when one of the Merry Go- Founders, accompanying Kellogg on his voyage frcm Paris Co Ireland aboard the cruiser Raleigh, wrote
 q dispatch kidding the Navy hand on losing the music score of the Irish National Anthem, the captain of the Raleigh ccn- sOrcd the message. It reflect cd on the efficiency of the Navy. s a...
 A few years later, in 1892, when, except for Manchuria, tho world enjoyed comparative peace, the Navy sent vessel to survey possibilities for @ submarine base at Kodiak Bay, Aleutian Islands. The survey was made secretly, on the pretext of studying geologi- cal formations for the Coast and Geodetic Survey. When one of these writers discovered the real purpose of the mission, he was re- quested by tho Navy to suppress the news because 1t would reveal q naval move to Japan.
 He compiled with the request. However, the reasons for the sur- vey must have been quite obvious to Japan; and shortly thereafter the President publicly asked Con- gross for funds to fortify not merely the Aleutian Islands but also Guam.
 In other words, the admirals went far beyond the President Of the United States in attempting to suppress news--and they al- ways do.
 PUPPETS OF THE BRITISH
 Today Secretary Knox and the admirals pass the buck, in part, to the British for their tight-fist- ed press policy. The British, they say, have specified that no infor- nation should leak out regard- ing the Royal Navy's ship move- ments in American waters.
 If this is the case, then 1t
 is the first time that American
 admirals, traditiOnally jealous
 of their own prestige and right
 fully proud of their own navy,
 have ever taken orders from
 the British Admiralty.
 Furthermore, when these col- umnists inquired at the British embassy regarding the impend- ing approach of Q British war; ship to be repaired in a U. S. navy yard, no restriction was put on use of the news; merely an expressed hope that the news be withheld until the ship was req sonably near American waters.
 HOWEVER, neither British nor American ship movements are the real essue behind the Navy's high handed methods of dealing with the press. Washington correspon- dents arc giving all possible CO., operation regarding ship move- ments. Real issue is the Navy attempt to control the traditional right of American newspapers to expose and criticize inefficiency. CONSCIENTIOUS PRESS
 COMMANDER
 In charge of the Navy's press relations at present (although soon to be changed) Is Comman- der Ray Thurber, capable, con- scientious and experienced. If the Navy's press policy were based upon Thurber's ideas 1t would be better off. But loyalty to his superiors sometimes carries the commander far afield even to the point of making such state ments as: 'NOw we could make It tough for you if we wanted to-"
 Not long ago, the commander objected to a story which revealed that Admiral Stark, Chief of Na- val Operations, had baked at @ State Department request to bring the chiefs of Latin American na- vies to this country and enter tain them as guests of the U. s. Navy in order to foster Henii- sphere solidarity.
 General Marshall, Army chief of staff, had entertained all the chiefs of staff of Latin Ameri- can armies, and had flown them all over the United States as .