NEWS FOR ENEMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24696, 27 August 1941, Page 9

NEWS FOR ENEMY

CARELESS LETTERS “ Careless writing in New Zealand is even more dangerous than dangerous talking, especially when this unguarded writing takes the form of letters which go overseas,” says a statement issued by Mr J. T. Paul, Director of PubIjCjty. \ “ People writing to friends and relatives in other parts of the world, maybe to men and women who are serving with the armed forces abroad, rarely think that they may be unwittingly communicating with the enemy, yet an incident disclosed by the Australian authorities has given ample evidence of one occasion when this occurred. “Soon after several ships fell victim to a raider in the Pacific some time ago, the Australian authorities discovered on an island certain mail bags which had been dumped there by the raider. The bags contained some of the outward mail carried by one of the vessels which had been sunk An examination of the remaining contents of the bag showed that the raider had examined the whole of the mails, retained all that were of value, and discarded the rest. An analysis disclosed the precise number of letters and parcels he had kept. Value to Enemy “From much of the mail recovered, from the registered letters and packets In particular, ,it was possible to elicit the nature of the matter which the enemy had found useful or interesting. The investigation showed, too, that while one letter might not give a full story, a series of letters written at about the same time by different hands could provide a comprehensive picture of a country's preparations, its sentiments, and its war-time activities generally, including, of course, information of the movements of troop-carrying ships.

“Fast transmission by ,air mails and by. radio adds to the dangers of the leakages through the mails. Writers of letters do not realise that expert minds can extract from a series of seemingly unimportant scraps of information vital details which no one would dream of placing in the way of the enemy. If they did realise this danger well known to members of intelligence staffs, they would not discuss certain subjects to which they devote themselves in letters which may, through unexpected mishaps, come into the enemy’s possession. “The discarded mail bags showed how the efforts to disguise references to vital subjects were childishly ineffectual when other letters were at hand to fill out the picture, even when these other letters' were written by people who also thought they were hiding the truth from prying eyes. “Censorship is full of difficulties and headaches, because so many thoughtless people endeavour to include in their letters statements which can only sneak past the censor’s eye if they are disguised. Subjects to Avoid "It is amazing how many writers of letters seek to pass on rumours, especially those which are distressing or sensational. Rumours of ships sunk, of disasters of various kinds are included in letters, and 'often too. depressing statements which , if received by soldiers overseas cannot do other than cause them concern. Ship movements, references to warships or to defence activities are included, and statements from which an astute enem> could build up a useful route map, with a consequent danger to those who later have to go overseas. “Civilian writers do not appreciate the dangers of these unguarded writings No civilian, of course can tell when the facts and hints of facts he put* in his letter may be of paramount importance because he is not aware of the naval, military and political circumstances of the particular period in which his letter moves overseas. “The advice given by censors to writers of letters is to avoid any reference to any matters connected with the naval, military and air forces; to write always with the idea that an enemy eye—an extremely keen enemy eye—may read what is written and may find in this letter the one link needed to complete the chain built by a number of other letters and to make suspicion a certainty or to correct a misconception. On the other hand a letter may be useful as propaganda.”