Evening star., 1942-08-08

The teIt OF statement issued
bu the Chicago Tribune last nlght
concerning charges by the Fed
eral Government that it printed
confidential information about
the Battle OF Midway tollo1Ds:.
Stanley Johnston. the war CORE
spondent who wrote the epic series
on the battle of the Coral Sea, fur
nished the Tribune with the story
on which the Navy and Department
of Justice are basing their grand
Jury investigation announced yes
terday by Attorney General Biddle
in Washington.
Johnston, who has been recon-
mended for a bravery citation for
his part in the Coral Sea engage
ment, made up an estimate OF the
size and strength of the Japanese
armada the Navy defeated west OF
Midway Island. 1t was this article,
published in the Tribune on June 7,
that is being used by Attorney Cen
eral Biddle in ordering a Federal
grand jury in Chicago to go after
the Tribune.
That Washington would attack
the Tribune and other newspapers
which have demanded an all-out
war effort and the removal of high
officials who have been fumbling
the ball at home came as no sur
prise. The political plot has been
brewing for months.
Announcement of the grand jury
investigation follows closely on the
heels of the failure of the admin
istration's purge and smear cam
paign in the primaries against
critics in. Congress, many OF whom
reside in the territory where this
newspaper circulates most widely.
Such an investigation, with all the
attendant leaks of information ane
half truths to friendly newspapers
can be easily dragged out until thu
November election. If the Tribune
patriotism can be impugned in tn
minds of the electors, the admins
tration's campaign to control o
Congress will be helped immeasur
ably.
The grand jury investigation
which Attorney General Biddl
called at the behest of Secretar
of the Navy Frank Knox, is only on
of a wave of inquiries aimed at tn
Tribune during recent months. O
express instructions from Washing
ton, the Federal Bureau OF 1nvestl
cation and agents from the Nave
Intelligence have been houndln
the Tribune.
The extent to which Knox ha
used his high official position 10
the benefit of his own Chlcag
. newspaper property, which is pay
ing him $4,000 a year for advice
his unfairness in naval assignment
and relase of news toward a com
peting paper-the Tribune-W1ll
discussed later.
Johnston Citation for Bravery
: Reported Held Up by Navy.
In the current case it should (
noted that Johnston was recon
mended for a bravery citation, b'
Knox's Navy has held it up. Johr
ston went below decks on the burr
= ing aircraft carrier Lexington at II
Y risk of his own life and rescued se'
r eral of his mates. He also helpt
null other American sailors out
- the water.
The Tribune war correspondel
= was recommended for bravery cit;
i. ton bv Capt. Frederick Sherma
: now rear admiral, who commando
rt ,r the Lexington; Rear Admiral Al
brev Fitch, commander of the LIE
n ington fotilla, and Admiral Chest
m w Nimitz, commander of the P
= cific Fleet.
ag Besides having his heroism cit
It's ton blocked, Johnston's efforts
behalf of Navy recruiting have be-
er halted. His credentials as war &C
Rs respondent have been withdrawn
3. the Navy. Material for his book
= the Coral Sea battle was barred
n him for a time.
: The Johnston story that preciI
st. tated the inquiry was a companl
"" or sidepiece to the big news OF t
-. American victory over the Japant
?; invasion armada. 1t was print
M along with the official battle sct
nd card set forth in the communlq
"a. of Admiral Nimitz.
,e- 1t was Johnston's conviction, a
is. this was concurred in by his ma
to aging editor, j. 10y Maloney, II
or the United States had won a t
JOS mendous victory and had preven
e, full dress invasion of Hawaii.
%, an expert on naval warfare, he
,en IN lieved the victory had changed
ard whole picture in the Pacific thea'
at Johnston and Maloney were c
tain that a story showing the M
sth nitude of the fleet our Navy
""' defeated would add to the glory
lite, our armed forces and have salut
e ew- effect on national morale.
Johnstons article suggested
9th probable size and makeup OF
enemy armada which the Uni
Did States Navy shattered and sent #
az ing homeWard. 1t was also sta
the strength of the japanese III
mn moving on Midway was known
ss. fore the battle was joined.
. Johnston had drawn up a pl
able list of the Jap warships.
named some of the vessels .
thi -.n.d %hero IN their oun r,