Evening star., 1945-06-17
Roth 5 Attorney Says
Navy Banned Client 5
Book Criticizing Grew


rest of 1t. Andrew Roth, U. S. N. r.,
for the alleged theft of secret doc
uments, the Navy Department had
rejected for publication book he
had written on the grounds that it
cast grave doubt" on the ability of
Acting Secretary of State Grew ito
run our Far Eastern diplomacy"
the officers attorney, William A.
Roberts, said in statement last
night.
1t. Roth and five other persons
were apprehended by the FBI at the
instance of the State and Navy De-
partments for alleged violation of
the Federal espionage statutes. 1t
was charged that he and two State
Department officers, Emmanuel S.
Larsen and John S. Service. had
supplied secret documents to Amer
asia Magazine in New York.
Mr.. Grew said in recent state
ment he did not know of 1t. Roth's
book. critical of him, until he heard
of it in broadcast on June 10, four
days after the officers arrest.
Quotes Navy Report.
Mr.. Roberts quoted what he said
was Navy Department memo
randum dated May 28 giving an
adverse report on 1t. Roth's book
and added:
"We have photostatic copies of
this letter, and it is obvious to any
one who is familiar with the proc
esses of public relations and CEN
sorShip in the State Department
that the paragraphs Critical of Mr.
Crew were promptly brought to
Mr.. Crews attention. No action by
the Department of Justice or the
Navy prior to that time occurred
which was unfavorable to 1t. Roth"
The Navy Department memoran-
dunn was said by Mr.. Roberts to
have been written on a letter.
head of the Office Of the Chief of
Naval Operations and signed "W. L.
Bales" According to Mr.. Roberts
the report said that 1t. Roth's book,
Dilemma in Japan" did not con-
tain material of classified ma
ture" and sit is believed that from
the standpoint of security it can be
cleared
Problem of Policy.
Mr.. Roberts said the report added:
However, there is very definite
problem of policy involved. The
main thesis is to the effect that the
United States is in grave danger of
not being properly oriented when
the final settlement is made with
Japan. The State Department, in
general, and Mr.. Grew, in particu-
lar, are pointedly criticized and, in
effect, grave doubt is cast on Mr..
Crews suitability to run our Far
Eastern diplomacy.
ut is my opinion that it is not
wholly proper for an officer on
active duty in the Navy, while so
serving, to level criticism through
the medium of a book, at another
department of the Government and
the heads of that department. On
that basis, it is recommended that
permission be withheld for publi-
cation of this book until 1t. Roth
leaves active naval service"
Mr.. Roberts said in his statement
he could not hope to compete with
the public relations division of the
State Department and that he
would issue no further releases in
his clients behalf until after 1t.
2oth's case had been submitted to
IN impartial judicial tribunal"
--- Urges Fair Play.
"It Is earnestly hoped" he added,
that Notwithstanding his years of
experience with japanese and other
political methods, the
Acting Secretary of State will be
governed by American fair play and
lot take advantage of his position
Until the Department of Justice has
the case"
Arrested in New York City on the
same day 1t. Roth and the two
.oreign service officers were taken
nto custody here were Philip J.
Jaffe and Kate Louise Mitchell, CO.
editors of Amerasia magazine. and
Mark Julius Gayn, magazine
writer.