DECLASSIFIED AuthorityMI LD 1 I6 lg Heberal Bureau of Hniteh tatee Eepartment of Zinetire ma hingtun E- JUN 1342 UM FOR THE A TTOEEIHY QEATERAL I am attaching hereto for your informationra copy of a memorandum dated June 16 1942 which I have transmitted today to fir William D Mitchell This contains some of the information specifically requested by Mr e itcheli in his memorandum to me of June 15 and which he desired in connection naith the study he is making ofthe newspaper story carried in the Chicago Tribune 5 concerning the Hidway Battle Respectfully Enclosu re oimoeear Ji STii we 11 1950 5 310 023 melee o5 amigos ImaA$mmD Authoritym gDEZQ I I6 - June 16 11942 R A Re Newspaper Story Carried in Chicago Tribune and Other Papers Concerning Midway Battle - June 1942 There is attached hereto a copy of Code of wartime Practices for the American Press issued by the Office of Censorship This code was in effect on June 7 1942 There is also attached an amendment having to do with the Ships Clause of the aforementioned code wh ich will be effective on June 22 1942 hr N E Howard Assistant Birector Bureau of Censorship in Charge of the Press stated the present code of wartime practices now in effect is being amended and that the new printed editi on will not be avail- able until it is issued on June 22 1942 at which time it will become immediately effective He furnished a rough draft copy of the amendments which will be made to the Ships Clause of the code and stated these amendments as furnished in the rough draft will undoubtedly be incorporated into the new code as set out Copies of the new edition of the code will be secured as soon as they are published There is attached hereto a copy of a letter signed Franklin D Roosevelt January 27 l942 addressed to the Honorable Byron Price Birector affice of Censorship which authorizes and directs Mr Price to coordinate the efforts of the domestic press and radio in voluntarily With- holding from publication military and other information which should not be released in the interest of the effective prosecution of the war There is attached hereto a cepy of an Executive Order signed by Franklin D Roosevelt on December 19 1941 which establishes the Office of Censorship and sets out the methods by which this 01 fice should Operate There are attached hereto copies of the articles which comprise the entire file of the Office of Censorship for their dealings with the Chicago Tribune relative to the article which was published on June 7 1942 These articles are identified as follows Memorandum by N a Howard sated-June 9 1942 Memorandum by Byron Price dated June 8 1942 Memorandum by N 3 Howard attention Mr Price dated June 7 1942 Telegram dated June 7 1942 addressed to Mr Arthur Sears Kenning signed Tom h0rrow Chicago Tribune DECLASSIFIED Authoritym Eemorandum by'N R Howard dated June 7 1942 Eemorandum by N E Howard and R K Richards dated Jane 7 1942 Letter dated June 7 1942 'from Arthur S Banning to Er N R Howard and a copy of the enclosure to the letter EEmorandum to Er Howard from Em Eylander dated June 9 1942 Er N E Howard explained that the articles above mentioned which appear in his file correctly set out all transactions regarding the publication of the story of June 7 1942 and stated his agency contemplates no further action in this matter He explained that although there was some doubt in his mind at the time he first read the story published as to whether or not it actually violated the letter of the code after the receipt of the letter from Er Banning which furnished the viewpoint of the Chicago Tribune he was cenvinced this was such a borderline case that no action should be taken It will be noted the memorandum to Er Howard from Er Eylander dated June 9 1942 states_Commander Berry ascertained from appropriate Naval officials in Hawaii that Stanley Johnston did not sign a full Navy commitment and accordingly he was not committed to Navy censorship of his diSpatChes in any way Er Howard explained that the usual Navy commitment which is signed by authorized war correspondents consists of three parts Part one provides that the correspondent will obey the military or naval commanding officer in all respects Part two provides that the correspondent will file all stories with the appropriate military or naval censor while he is in the field and upon his return to-the United States will submit any further stories pertaining to the activities which he observed in the field to the appropriate Army or Navy officials for clearance and Part three is a release to the Army Or Navy authorities for any personal injuries suffered by the correspondent Er Eisnard stated that to the best of his knowledge Stanley Johnston is the only war correspondent who did not sign a full commitment and remarked that due to this fact Johnston's case is unique In reply to a direct question Er Howard stated the foice of Censorship does not have any set policy regarding such a situation In all instances when articles and stories are submitted to the Office of Censorship by newspapers or other publications and there is any doubt whatsoever in Er Howard s mind as to the advisability of furnishing clearance he refers the articles and stories to the appropriate Army or Navy authorities In all cases involving duly authorized war correspondents who have signed the usual full commitment Er Howard does not attempt to furnish clearance for any story but instead refers the correspondents directly to the appropriate Army or Navy authorities DECLASSIFIED Authonty He concluded by stating he did not believe there was any possibility of another instance arising whereoy a war correspondent was allowed to visit a combat area without having signed_ a full commitment and accordingly he did not_think it would be necessary for the Office of Censorship to establish any policy for circumstances and conditions similar to those involving Stanley Johnston's status in the present inquiry Commander d W Berry was contacted at the Navy Building and he verified the fact that he had communicated with officials in Hawaii and had been informed that Johnston did not sign a full commitment When questioned directly as to whether or not there was any possibility that there might be any signed special restrictions which would apply to Johnston on file in the Navy Department here Commander Berry stated he was fairly certain there were no such restrictions but that he desired to make a complete check of his files before he furnished a definite answer This check of the files is being made at the present time Lieutenant J G Harold equa Assistant Public deletions Officer Navy Department San Siege California stated Johnston informed him he would visit his office on the morning of June 4 1942 however Lieutenant Requa did not see Johnston on that date but did receive a sealed envelope qs of copy left there by Johnston for censorship This material was given a very cursory examination by Admiral Balaton Bolmes who noted it contained only dispatdhes concerning the Coral Sea engagements Holmes did not allow the release of any of the material but instead forwarded all of it to the Navy Department in dashington through Commander Sullivan of the staff of Admiral King Appropriate inquiry is being made through Commander Berry to determine the exact handling of this material when it reached washington DECLASSHHED SHIP ETC The identity location and movements of United States naVal or mer- chant vessels of neutral vessels or vessels of nations opposing the-Axis powers in any waters unless such information is made public outside con tinental United States the port and time of arrival or prospective arrival of such vessels or the sort from which they leave the nature of cargoes of such vessels in any eaters unless made public outside United States the assembly identity or movements of transports or convoys the existence of mine fields or other harbor defenses secret orders or other secret instruc tions regarding lights buoys and other guides to navigators the number size character and location of ships in construction or advance infor mation as to the date of launchings or commissionings the physical setup or technical details of shipyards has no reference to the movement of merchant vessels on the Great Lakes or other Sheltered inland waterways unless specific instances require Special ruling SHIP SINKINGS DAMAGE BY ENEMY ATTACKS ETC Information about the sinking or damaging from war causes of war or merchant vessels in any waters unless such information is made public out- side continental United States and its origin stated aypropriate authority for the releaSe of news about the sink ing or damaging of American naval or merchant vessels in or near American Waters is the Naval Office of Public Relations Washington for results of the commanding officer of the district in which the action occurs or the Naval Office of Public Relations Washington Information about damage to military objectives including docks railu' roads air fields or public utilities or industrial plants engaged in war work through enemy land or sea attacks on continental United States or pose sessions reporting such-attacks counter-measures or plans of defense should not be disclosed except through appropriate military authorities The aopropriate authority for information about damage from enemy attacks to military objectives on land within continental United States or possessions is the commanding officer in the zone of combat or the Army Bureau of Public Relations Washington For the Hawaiian Islands the Navy DECLASSIFIED i I 'w 0 EXECUTIVE ESTABLISHIEG Tg 3F SENSORSHIP ARE IHG ITE FUNCTIOHS AND BUTIES By vir ug of the authority vested in ma by tha Censtitution and the atatutes af tha nitad Stat s an particularly by section 333 Titl$ 9f the act 0f December 18 lQAl Public Law 354 77th Gangre s Session a d aseming tha tha publia safety damands it I herahy order a5 fallawa l Thera is heraby establiahad the Cffica af Censorship at the head af whiah shall ha a Biraetor of Censorshipg Tha Birector of Sensarship ahall aause to be gensored in his absolute discretion aommunic tion$ by mail cable radio or athar means of transmission passing batwaen the United Stataa an any foreign cauntry or which may be carriad by any veasel or ether maana 0f tran3portation touching at any port plaza ar Territary cf the United States and bound to or frem any foreign country in aeeor amce with gush rulea and ragu lations as tha Fresidant Shall fram time ta time pr scribe The as tablighment 0f rulas an ragulationa in addition to the provisions - 9f this or er shall net be a cen ition to the exerciae of the powers herein grant a er tha cansarship by this arder irected The sooya of thia arder ghall inalude all faraign aauntrie axcept such a may her aftar ha expre aly exalnded by regulatian 2 There is hereby creata ensorship oliey Beard which shall consiat of the VieemPresi en of the the Sacretary cf the Traasury the Segretary of War the Genaral the Peatmaster Ganar l the Secretary 9f the Navy tha Directar 6f the DECLASSIFIED Authorityu p 6 effice 9f Government Eggarts aad tha Diractor cf the Office of Facts and Figurea Th3 Poatmastar Genaral ah ll act a3 Chairman 0f the Boar Tha Canaarshiy Foligy Baard shall advisa the Birectcr 9f Cansorahiy wi h rasyam hm palicy an the coordination an integration 5f the aenaarahip herein directad 3 The Directer 3f Censorship ahall aatabliah a Cenaarship Gperating Board which Shall conaist af repre antatiVEs of such epartmants and agencies 0f he Gevernment as the Director shall specify Each rapresentativa ahail be aesignata by tha head of the which he repressntan The Censorship Opera ting Board shall under the upervision'af the Directur perform such dutiaa with respect to aperatidns a the Director shall determine 4 The Birector 9f Cenaerahip is authorize to take all auqh maasures as may be necessary or expedient to $dmini$ter the powera hareby confarrad and in ad ition tn the utilization 6f existing perm san al of any department_or ageney available therefor ta emplay or authorize the employment 0f Such additianal perao nel a3 he may deemrrequiaite 5 $8 used in this order the term United States Shall b6 canatrned to include the Territories and of the United States inaluding the Philiypina Islamds Signad FRANKLIN D RGOSEVELT THE WHITE HOUSE Waahingtan B 6 December 19 194 1 DECLASSIFIED 31111311111111 Elf-10 Hegel FROM 7 me Iwm ohi 1-1-11 Correspondent Didn't Sign Commitment In discussing snOther matter with Commander Berry he had me to tell you that on the Stanley Johnston affair - he had called Hawaii last Saturday and was informed over the telephone that Mr Jehneton had 11in 1119111111 Navy ment not to write anything from the combat some area without prior approval by the Navy Now however Hawaii has notified the Comannder that its first report was erroneous thet Mr - - Johnston tald usthe truth when he reported that all he had signed was an injury release and he was not omitted to Navy worship of his'dispatohes in any way Commnder Berry said he regretted this and would have to get after Hawaii                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu