Evening star., 1942-05-22
Stimson Enjoins
War Department
Employees 10 Silence
Civilians Returning From
Oversees Assignments
Warned Not to Tulk
~ the Associated Press.

3y the A9SOClateo freSs.
With the United States Army
units now stationed in widespread
sections Of the earth. the War De-
partment today warned its civilian
employees returning from overseas
assignments not to talk about
where they had been or what they
had seen.
American troops, land and air,
hold advanced positions In more
than a score Of spots over the globe
some already trading blows with
the enemy, some guarding ap-
proaches to our own shores, all
gathering strength for an eventual
onslaught against the Axis.
To guard against leakage Of vital
Information concerning these vast
overseas operations, Secretary of
War Stimson disclosed that he had
reminded the departments civilian
employees that their military OBJ
servations abroad should not be
discussed with any one but author
lied officials.
'StimsOn Enjoins Silence.
Specifically, the Secretary en-
Joined silence on IL subjects, among
them ports of embarkation and de-
barkation, the type of overseas &C
tivity, routes of conveys, names OF
ships, composition of conveys, troop
concentrations, battle casualties,
damage done to the enemy or dam
age inflicted by the enemy, air
routes. or points of arrival or de-
parture by air.
Arrival in Northern Ireland of the
largest troop convoy of the war, in
Guiding armored units, was an
nounced Sunday by American and
British officials. These forces-the
third convoy of Americans to reach
Northern Ireland-presumably were
added to the command of Maj. Gen.
Russell P. Hartle there.
But American troops, fighting or
ready to fight, are found in dozens
of other overseas outpoSts-includ-
ing. presumably, the Philippines
Despite japanese report that all
American-Filipino forces had sur
rendered as q condition of the ceS-
sation of attacks on Corregidor, the
War Department has received nc
official word to indicate that fight
ing has stopped on Mndanao. the
islands of the Central Visayan
group, or even Northern Luzon 1t.
self.
Peg of Strategy.
In Australia, large numbers OF
Army air and ground forces are
concentrated with the Australian
troops under Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thurs command as the peg OF
United Nations strategy in the
forces, under Maj. Ger. Alexander
M. Patch, jr., cooperating with the
Free French, have occupied New
Caledonia in the South Pacific tc
forestan any fanking attack by the
Japanese against Australia or the
vital supply line through that stra.
tegic island.
American airmen are fighting with
have disclosed the presence OF
American supply troops in Eritres
and other parts of the Middle East
Hawaii, Alaska and the Canal Zone
are now, more than ever, fortresses
for defense of the continent.
Surinam, Curacao, Aruba, the re.
publics of Panama and Guatemala
the West Indian Islands of Antigua
Santa Lucia, Trinidad and Jamaica
are the sites of Army outposts anc
so are Newfoundland and Iceland
The size of the various forces is
for obvious reasons. a closely guard.
ed secret. but their purpose is not
All fit into the pattern of a United
Nations strategy which eventually
will carry the war to tie Axis.