Evening star., 1949-10-06
Flyer Restricted
To Home After
He Bures Letters
By John A. Giles

John G. Crommelin, outspoken
critic of unification, from duty
and restricted him to his home
pending preterment of charges
against him.
The action came swiftly en- the
heels of Capt. Crommelins disclo-
sure last night that he had passed
to reporters confidential" official
correspondence in which three top
admirals noted concern about
Navy morale and the Navy's posi-
ton in the unified defense setup.
The Navy announcement OF the
46-year- -old flyers suspension said:
by direction of Secretary Of
Navy Matthews. Admiral Denfeld
(the Chief of Naval Operations
has taken steps to have appro-
pirate charges placed against Capt.
Crommelin. Pending preferment
of the charges, Capt. Crommelin
has been suspended from duty"
Called to AdmiraPs Office.
While the formal department
announcement did not mention
restriction to his home, Capt.
Crommelin told reporters that
Vice Admiral John D. Price, vice
chief of naval operations, had
imposed that restriction when he
Informed him of the Nays sus-
pension order.
Capt. Crommelin said in a
statement last night that he re-
leased the letters in "the interest
of national security" He asked
that his name be kept secret at
the time, he said. because he did
not want the attention of the
people, who, he said, would be
the final judge in the controversy,
to be directed from the true
import of these documents"
The material consisted of let
ter to Mr.. Matthews from Wee
Admiral Gerald F. Began and in
dorsements by Admirals Arthur
w. Radford, Pacific Fleet COM
mander, and Admiral Denfeld.
When Capt. Crommelin arrived
at his office this morning, an aide
informed him that Admiral Price
wants to see you Immediately.
May Question Classification.
A few moments later Capt.
Crommelin emerged to announce
to assembled reporters that Il
have been suspended from duty
Gin the aviation's war plans dlvi-
sion) and confined to my home. "
Indicating that he anticipated
a court martial. Capt. Crommelln
told reporters that a close friend.
Capt. j. L. Kane, chief OF naval
aviation plans, would be his at
torney.
Under Navy procedure, the Of
flee of the Inspector General Will
make an investigation and recon-
mend action. Rear Admiral H. r.
McCann is Inspector General.
If the Inspector Generals office
finds that Capt. Crommelin has
violated Navy regulations it could
recommend trial by court-martial.
The captain indicated that his
defense might be that the cor
respondence was not properly
classified "conf1dential."
He pointed out that a dispatch
from Mr.. Matthews on September
16 to all Navy commands that
their opinions on uniflcation be
sent to him had actually been
declassified and released to the
press.
Regulation Cited.
When a reporter suggested that
Capt. Crcmmelin takes the posi-
ton that "declassification of the
Secretarys order automatically
changed the classification OF the
replies and made 1t all flgnt 10
release them to the public" Capt.
Crommelin replied:
"Well, it would not be auto
matte, but it would be common
sense"
There has been some discussion
in Navy circles as to whether
the material Capt. Crommelin
leaked" to the press was properly
classified.
Navy regulations state that
information and material the
unauthorized disclosure of which
would be prejudicial to the inter-
ests of the Nation or would cause
,c.. InON6NFE,T no~o