The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-02-21
President Regrets Leok
in MorshoII's Testimony
Seys Gsnsrels Comments Wsrs
10 Hove Been considorod Secret


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21-(R
President Roosevelt said today
he considered the disclosure Of
what was intended to be secret
testimony before . Senate COM
mittee yesterday by General
c. Marshall, Army Chief Of Staff,
~ hurtful to national defense.
The President told = press con-
ference that Il raised . question
Of ethics, morals. and patriotism
on the part Of committee men,
bers and editors. publishers and
broadcasters who printed reports
Of Marshall's testimony.
The Chief Executive said Il
was q question for the American
people TO consider. At the con-
clusion Of lengthy questioning on
the subject he said II was purely
q voluntary matter, that he was
not thinking about censorship,
but that he was merely putting
II up to the people as . nice
question to think about.
Information about General
Marshsll's testimony yesterday
was given { the Associated Press
by members Of the Senate mill
tary committee before whom he
testified.)
Marshall was reported by
some members of the committee
as having said that the Pacific
fleet ives being bolstered with
IN unspecified number Of army
and navy planes and - having
described the Pacific situation ~
serious.
Asked to clarity the accounts
on Msrshall's testimony. the
President said he read them In
the newspapers 1t breakfast this
morning
Then, with q warning to re-
porters not to say that he was
angry or that = raised eyebrow
indicated resentment, Mr.. Rooee.
Welt said he was interested IN
the problem Of ethics and he
thought that the American peo-
ple should be interested for the
same reason.
In times Of world upheaval, he
added, there were certain things
regarding the defense Of The
United States that Il was advis-
able to keep secret.
He emphasized Il was only oc-
casionally that Il became neces-
sary for defense officials, In the
interest Of national safety, 10 ap-
pear In Z confidential capacity
before Congrsssiossal cousnit-
49, -Fsvs = ~ 80 sg-'e "a Ase6-. ss
He said there was not mtsch
new IN such appearance, o the
practice had been going on since
l770, but that the problem d
keeping this testimony from the
public still lived.
The President said that there
were various stories "a whit
Marshall was supposed 10 have
said, but that they al differed
from Z memorandum he had On
his desk from the chief Of staff
as to what actually was told the
committee.
Mr.. Roosevelt refused. In n
Spouse 70 further questions, 70
Disclose the actual testimony
saying with . smile that would
be compromising felony.
Asserting he was not critlci1-
ing reporters for trying 10 81
the story because that was part
Of their Job, the Prseident did
say that he questioned the ethics
Of editors and publishers n
printing such information.
He added broadcasters % the
list. IN answer 20 oSQuofy.
The whole matter. Mr.. Hoooe-
welt said, involved The question
whether committee member
ought TO disclose 20 anybody
what Il said IN . secret session,
II they do diaeloss Il, either UNI
der the Seal Of secrecy or not,
Mr.. Roosevelt aid e Was per
fectly al right for . reporter q
take his information 70 his o.
flee. But printing the story pre-
sented Z difficult problem, ~
added.
He asieed whether IN owner,
manager, managing editor. o.
head Of Warrington Press Asso-
Lilac Club