APPENDIX"B"
DRAFT LETTER TO MAJOR GENERALP, W, CLARKSON,
COMMANDER,JOINTTASKFORCR SEVEN
1.
Since the receipt of a copy of your letter of March 24,
1953 to the Chief of Staff, United States Army, the Commission
has considered the desirability of establishing a personal mail
censorship program at the forthcoming test operations at the
Pacific Proving Grounds.
2.
After careful consideration of the many factors involve
in this problem,
the Commission concurs with your recommendation,
made to the Chief of Staff, United States Army, that "The policy
of self-censorship of personal mail te continued without recourse to official censorship, backed up by an intensified
security indoctrination and security education and examinaticn
program,"
In reaching this decision the Commission has attached
considerable importance to the effect a censorship program would
have on the morale of personnel assigned to the operation,
the
ebvious difficulties of administering a censorship program, anc
the fact that such a censorship pregram would apparently be unic.
in time of peace.
3.
The Commission relies upon the Commander of Joint Task
Force Seven to carry on a security program of such nature as to
preclude a repetition of the letter writing incidents which
occurred at Operation IVY.
In this latter regard, we believe the
close adherence by all Task Foree personnel to your proposed security regulations which our Division of Security has reviewed
will accomplish this objective.
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Appendix "B"