Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-10
WiIsontoCIarify
His News Ban,
Stop Shippers
Services Reported
Fighting Directive
By Over-CompIionee
BY JOHN A. GILES

a
clarity his information ban
Tuesday with an assertion that
it cannot be used to cover up
exposure of errors or graft and
that the military must stop
flooding his Office with trivia for
clearance.
Close associates pictured the
Secretary as not being too happy
over the storm which his direc-
tive blew up. But. they said that
he felt the attention drawn to
the problem of stopping leaks of
technical information to the
enemy was healthy and in line
with President Eisenhower's
views.
Admittedly the order was poor
ly drawn. The original draft
was written by lawyers. Mr.
Wilson and his deputy. Robert
Anderson, tailored it further to
suit their views.
Over Compliance Charged
Asked If, after Mr.. Wilson
makes his explanation at news
conference Tuesday. a new clari-
flying directive would be issued,
a high official who has conferred
with the secretary replied:
II don't think military officers
need orders in two-syllable words
to comply with the meaning.
1t is true that the section re-
ferring to a test of the con-
structive' nature of subordinates'
utterances could be subject to
misinterpretation. Mr.. Wilson,
I am sure, will address himself
to this problem.
However, the services have
gone overheard in their COM
pliance. They have attempted
to nullify the order with over
compliance"
He referred as an example,
to the Nays formal letter stat
ing that an obituary complied
with the section of the order
requiring that information Com
stitute a constructive contribu-
ton to the primary mission" Of
the department.
In another instance the Air
Force submitted calendar art
for clearance under the order.
The art was returned with the
statement that there was no OBJ
lection to its use. Added was
this notation:
However, we don't believe
these winter scenes will compete
very well with Marilyn Monroe!"
Secrets Leak to Enemy
Mr.. Eisenhower told Mr.. Will
son-in no uncertain terms
after a series of irritating Incl
dents involving defense informa-
ton that he wanted technical
military secrets withheld from
general circulation. But Press
Secretary James c. Hagerty said
Friday he opposed any censor
ship of Legitimate news"
This admonition followed a
Cabinet meeting. There r. Karl
Honaman, director of the Com
merce Departments Office of
Strategic Information, offered
an elaborate presentation with
photographs and charts on how
classified material was reaching
the enemy.
Now Mr.. Honaman may move
to the Pentagon as a deputy in
charge of public affairs and in
formation.
One incident that brought this
about, 1t Is said, is inter-service
rivalry in the field Of guided
missiles. Through tbs warfare.
mostly in the technical journals,
valuable information finds its
way to the enemy, the admins
tration believes.
Attacks by Top Officials
Attacks by one top official on
another also was deplored by
officials.
However. in both these cate
gories, observers were inclined to
believe that such incidents now
are far fewer than in some
previous periods, such as during
the row over the B-36 bomber.
Mr.. Wilson'S friends said his
directive was well intentioned."
but they admitted that it was
subject to misinterpretation.
HE has not the slightest in
tention to shut off the flow of
legitimate news" an official said.
"He will stress this Tuesday"