Evening star., 1944-01-23
Many Sources of War Data
Emphasize Censorship Need
Information Apparently Reaches Axis Which
Gleefully Announces Facts Withheld
From Publication in This Country
By Richard L. Stokes.

Il. OfOReS.
cations The cables and radiograms
OF foreign correspondents are closely
examined. All short-wave stations in
the country are under Government
control.
Jammed Air Waves.
There is no restriction on wireless
receivers, but it is against the law for
any alien to own, control, operate or
have access to a wireless sender Ofi-
cials of the Federal Communications
Commission insist that no diplomatic
post in Washington Is now violating
this statute, and that modern detection
apparatus would make discovery al
most instantaneous. A lesson was
taught in the case of an illegal trans
mitter which was traced to the Ger
man Embassy prior to American en-
trance into the war. The instrument
was on extra territorial ground, which
the authorities at that time hesitated
to violate. Instead, the wave-length
was jammed so vigorously that no
further messages were believed to have
got through.
Because the points of egress are con-
centrated, censorship of cables, wire
less telegraph and transocean telephone
is highly efficient. Censorship of out
going mail, formerly in charge of the
Army, has passed largely into civilian
hands. Airplane letters receive particu-
lar attention. Gable scrutiny remains
in control of naval officers, detailed
to OC.
Radio, domestic and foreign, is the
special field of FEC. 1t acts chiefly
through two subsidiaries, the Radio
Intelligence Division and the Foreign
Broadcast Intelligence Service. The
role Of FEC is that of policeman and
engineer. Its listening squads patrol
without rest short-wave wireless abroad
and all domestic short-wave and stand
ard bands. 1t is believed impos-
sible for any secret wireless station to
operate in the United States or its
Territories without prompt discovery. BY
way of experiment, Signal Corps truck
mounting short-Wave transmitter was
given ample time to conceal itself any,
where within an area of 80 square
miles. A message was tapped out. Only
SIS minutes later an FEC patrol car drew
up alongside the Army vehicle
Some time ago there appeared on the
air short-wave broadcaster who
called himself Fritz" and declared he
was stationed on German submarine.
Triangulation of radio bearings showed
that the messages originated in Illinois.
Further bearings from points surround
ing the State intersected at Peoria.
FEC engineers have developed appara-
tus small enough to go inside valise
or typewriter case, and sensitive enough
to react to a transmitter in a given
house or even hotel room. Fritz" was
run down and clapped in Jail.
Even FEC Operators Are Held.
So-called freedom" stations can sur
vive in occupied Europe, because public
sentiment is hostile to the ruling power
But the American people are united
and loyal. FEC patrol cars. equipped
with strange instruments, have fire.
quently aroused the suspicion of
passing citizens, who reported them
to the police. On numerous occasions
FEC operators have been arrested and
held behind bars until Washington con-
flrmed their Identification papers.
In addition to OC, FEC and Army
and Navy Intelligence other agencies
involved in counterespionage include
the Federal Bureau of Investigation the
Secret Service Division of the Treasury
Department and the Office of Economic
Welfare. Diplomatic phases of the
problem are in the care of Assistant
Secretary Breckenridge Long of the
State Department., former St.
Louisan.
All American establishments con-
cerned in wartime concealment act on
two presumptions. The first is that
enemy agents in this country are nu-
merous, subtle and daring. The second
Is that no censorship, including our own.
was ever contrived-except possibly in
Japan and Russia-Which cannot sooner
or later be cracked. Rear Admiral
Harold c. Train, chief of the Office Of
Naval Intelligence, has published warm
ings that Germany and Japan have
networks of spies in this country, and
that while some have been captured,
many are still operating.
The American public's scant news
about movements of Hitler and other
Nazi chieftains is nothing in comparison
to the flood of detailed and precise in
formation which Berlin put on the air
about the conference of Roosevelt,
Churchill and Chang Kai-shek at
Cairo and that of the first two with
Stain at Teheran.
Somebody Talked"
The Office of War Information has
distributed all over the country dra-
matte careless talk" posters. The latest
shows hand, adorned with a swastika
ring, which is fitting together, as if in a
J1gsaw puzzle, bits of random chatter
which combine into the revelation:
Convoy sails for England tonight -
Another of wide circulation pictures a
sailors of the merchant marine who is
drowning by night at sea- His face is
eoAi'oi 'ou Will anguish ana repTOdcn.
Straight at the reader points an accus-
ing forefinger. The caption is: Some
body talked!"
The new press and radio codes which
became effective December / confirm a
previous removal on taboos on weather
forecasts, which are regarded as no
longer of advantage to the enemy fol-
lowing the defeat of the submarine in
the Northern Atlantic. The principal