Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-08
Defense Secrets
ReIeaseDecried
By Eisenhower
Opposes Censorship,
But Is Silent on
Pentogon's Cog
BY GARRETT d. HORNER


although he opposes any censor
ship of Legitimate news" White
House Press Secretary James c
Hagerty said today.
Mr.. Hagerty insisted that his
statement was not meant to in
dictate either approval or dis
approval of directives issued by
Secretary of Defense Wilson last
week which have been blamed
for slowing the flow of even
routine news at the Pentagon.
He said Mr.. Eisenhower be-
lieves that some technical infor-
nation of value to the enemy has
been released for publication
He refused to cite any examples
The directive issued by Secre-
tary Wilson, Mr.. Hagerty said
sis entirely a Defense Depart
ment matter and I'm not COM
menting on that at ALL"
Decries Censorship
His remarks came in response
to questions about a New York
Herald Tribune story this morn
ing. which a reporter described
as suggesting that Mr.. Eisen-
hover had changed some of his
ideas about making Government
information public and that the
Wilson directive originated with
the White House.
Without attempting to dis
cusS the Defense Department
rules or regulations as SUCH"
Mr.. Hagerty said, II think I can
say that the President has never
believed in censorship of legit-
innate news"
However" he added. "he has
also always believed that there
is no reason in making available
to the enemy technical military
secrets which, by their issuance,
could no nothing but hurt the
interests of the United States.
Opposes "Cover Up"
ITO that extent. and only to
that extent. would he ask that
that sort of information (tech-
meal military Secrets) be with
held from general circulation.
"He does not believe that in
other instances security or Sc
curity regulations should be used
by any branch of the Govern
ment to cover UP publication of
legitimate news"
After the White House an
nouncement Secretary Wilson
announced he would hold a news
conference next Tuesday and
would be glad to discuss the
new directive concerned with
public information activities"
A reporter told Mr.. Hagerty
that the Wilson directive now
puts the Defense Department in
a position where it can CON
tribute to the constructive needs"
of the Defense Department,
which the reporter said means
only puff news"
Mr.. Hagerty reiterated that
he was not going to discuss the
Defense Department rules and
regulations and asserted that
anything I have said is not in
tended as a reprimand to any
individual or any department."
Won't List Examples
Another reporter recalled that
the Herald Tribune story said
the President had been disturbed
about such things as release of
some information about the
USS Nautilus. atomic powered
submarine; release of pictures
about the sites of Nike, anti-air-
craft installations and what he
considered too much comment
about guided missiles.
Mr.. Hagerty said he was not
going to 'pinpoint by citing ex-
amples" of technical information
which the President believes
should not have been released.
Asked if he meant that If the
Russians might have missed the
significance of some releases and
he was not going to remind
them, Mr.. Hagerty said that is
right"
Mr.. Wilson's order said, among
other things, that defense infor-
nation released by military or
civilian personnel must be sub
mitted to his Office for clearance
not less than three days in ad-
vance.
Carney Talk Aftermath
The directive also said that
personnel must assume personal
responsibility for speeches, ar
ticles and information released.
A White House official, who
declined to be identified, said
last night the White House had
mo part at all" in the directive.
The Wilson order appeared in
See INFORMATION, Page "A