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Show U. S. Naval Officer Cautions Civilians Of Enemy Espionage Our readers are urged to read carefully the following open letter from Rear Admiral J. W. Greeitf-lade, Greeitf-lade, U. S. N. Commandant. Twelfth Naval District, which la addressed to the residents of the District. We quote: "To the resident of the Twelfth Naval District: "You are violating the security of the United States and endangering the lives of your fellow-Americans If you fall to observe these precautions: precau-tions: 1. DON'T discuss movements or concentrations of our Navy or merchant mer-chant ships. 2. DON'T discuss new military techniques or new weapons. 3. DONT discuss defense plant production capacities. 4. DON'T discuss movements or concentrations of Naval personnel or Marines. 5. DONT discuss Naval shore construction con-struction projects. "THIS IS A MODERN WAR. The enemy will utilize every conceivable means to obtain information on these subjects. "His spies will be listening for the stray spoken word, watching avidly for the chance clue in the printed story, listening attentively for the radio announcer who will blunderingly reveal, In one innocently inno-cently sounding phrase, enough information in-formation to sink a troop packed transport or blast a shipyard. "THIS IS A TOTAL WAR, and every civilian is in it. It Is the responsibility re-sponsibility of every civilian to KEEP FROM THE ENEMY AND HIS AGENTS that information they will be constantly seeking. "THIS IS A HARSH WAR. There Is an ESPIONAGE ACT which pro vides drastic wartime penalties for dlvulgcnce of Information of these types to the enemy. "Before you speak, consider: Could the enemy translate this Information In-formation Into a torpedo attack on one of our ships, or a bomb attack on a defense plant? If he could, DON'T DIVULGE IT. "THINK BEFORE YOU TALK". |