Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy - Ludwig von Mises ...

614 Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy
Peacetime Censorship?
Kimmel was in Washington on April 12. He went to the
Washington Post with the facts and his views about the bill. He
also called several members of Congress. 11
Th e next morning, an editorial sparked by Kimmel’s revelations,
“Wraps on History,” appeared in the Post. It stated the issue
clearly: “It is regrettable to note that we can no longer depend
upon the Senate to protect the Nation against executive deprivations
of our liberties. Th e latest illustration is S.805, which would
take away from the American people that very freedom of information
which we are seeking to promote in other countries. Th e
bill was passed on Monday without exciting a ripple, either inside
or outside the Senate. Only one hearing was held, and that in
camera.” It was reported that Army and Navy spokesmen had told
the Senate Military Aff airs Committee that the bill “was merely
intended to protect offi cial information” and the Committee had
accepted the bill “on that absurd justifi cation. . . .”
Th e Washington Post editorialized:
On Monday no dissentient could be found in a body sworn to
uphold the Constitution. Either from inertia or somnolence,
either from lack of interest or just plain complaisance, the
Senators approved the sayso of Chairman Th omas. . . . Yet this
bill would gag anybody who would publish any information
which originally took the form of a coded message. . . . And
you may be sure, if this bill is enacted, almost everything that
it is sought to keep from the prying eyes of the public will fi rst
be put in code. . . .
To our way of thinking, the need for scrutiny of requests from
the armed services has always been present, and it has never
been pointed up as it is today. With the approach of the end
of the fi ght for liberty, we are beginning to reproselytize for it.
11 Kimmel, Admiral Kimmel’s Story, p. 127.