Taboo

Last week three U.S. correspondents boarded a train in London, prepared to take off for Iceland. Halfway to Scotland, the British Military Intelligence hauled them off. Washington, it turned out, had no desire to let newshawks hover over Reykjavik.

While London reporters kidded frustrated U.S. confreres, the Iceland ban caused a furore in Washington. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, who dearly loves a secret, had actually promised that he would arrange to send U.S. correspondents to Iceland. He made his promise over the protest of Chief of Naval Operations Stark and Admiral King of the Atlantic Fleet. But one big No gummed up his plans. It issued from his Commander in Chief. Operating on Presidential instructions, the State Department refused passports to all correspondents.

A Yes from Knox, a No from the State Department, seemed to add up to a political rather than military reason for keeping the U.S. public from learning the facts. Like charity, the name of wartime necessity can be stretched to cover a multitude of sins.

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