Evening star., 1941-02-09
Knox Urges All u. 5.
To Protect Vital
Military Secrets
Don't Hell p Potential Foes
Thwort Defense Effort,
Secretary Pleads
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Secretary of the Navy Knox, In a
plea for the protection of military
secrets, asserted last night that "a
sentence spoken or printed might
wreck an arsenal, sink battleShlp
or destroy the lives of many who are
working night and day to make
America secure against all enemies,
potential or otherwise"
He expressed this thought in a
statement which urged the people
and the press to guard against un-
Intentionally passing along informa-
ton on vital matters to potential
enemies. within or without our
borders"
Such information, he said, gives
"ready assistance to the agents OF
belligerents, who are potential enc
mics, in their plans for possible OBJ
struction, sabotage and the ultimate
destruction of human lives"
Department Moves Guarded.
The Navy Department" the Sec
retary added, lis making what we
hope to be a proper distribution OF
our ships, aircraft and personnel to
cope with any situation should any
trouble be forced upon the United
States. If that distribution should
be made public, it would furnish po-
tential enemies with a ready guide
for their estimate of the military
situation. We have no such help
from any potential enemy.
The arrival or departure, actual
or intended. of ships and naval per-
sonnel, including, of course, our
valuable Marine Corps, is news,
This news, however, if carefully
pieced together by foreign observers,
would give very complete picture
of the disposition of our fleets, as
well as our military personnel.
1T is true. of course, that foreign
observers in each particular locality
will see and be able to report many
such movements. During peace
time they will encounter some de-
lays in making these reports. Should
war be declared, mail and cable
censorship, together with monitoring
of radio transmitters, will result in
the discovery and limiting of these
reports.
Every available source of infor-
nation leads the Navy Department
to believe that our new ships and
aircraft are abreast Of. if not ahead
Of, anything abroad. Foreign pow
erS are daily trying to learn as
much detailed information about
them as possible. They are not en-
titled to it. Why make it available
to them?'
Denies Peacetime Censorship.
Recalling that he had sent for
NAL request to American press,
magazine. radio and Photographic
agencies to avoid publicity on a list
of subjects, unless specifically au-
thorized by the Navy Department,
Secretary Knox said that accept
ance of the suggestions has been
almost unanimous and the patriotic
response to that request for CO.
operation has been most gratifying"
From a few sources" Secretary
Knox said, has come an unfounded
charge that the Navy Department
was making an effort at peace
time censorship. Nothing is further
from my own mind or from the pur-
pose of the Navy Department.
The Navy has nothing to hide
from the American people. But |
let's keep our military secrets to
The department, he said. will con-
tinue to release every possible item !
of information not calculated to |
its preparations to meet |
any emergency"