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™~ i } ; emf a ree ee td te te en . s SS 8 rire meee i RE ET me oF 8 Re ay “4 2 ny sy, he was told by them that the cables which Kent had coded and decodod at the instructions of Ambassador Kennedy, wero sent between Presidont Roosevolt and Winston Churchill, whon the latter was still First Lord of tho Admiralty, ‘Those two offfeials of the British Embassy added: “Wa did not want to try this case, but since his own Government and Ambassador insisted, thore was nothing else to do." They alse anid: "His mother has been to ece us and we hope she is satisfied, because publicity in this matter would be moat embarrassing to both governments." On November 11, 1942, about one year after the trial and sontencing ]]. of Kent, o ravelatiop of the ‘nature of his offense was made on the Yloor of the Bri Houses of Commons tn a question put to the Government by Richard R fokes, M.P., Independent Laborite: "Can- not the Homo Secretary” say whether any of these cablegrams or messages vere sent by tha Prime Minister (Winston Churchill} behind the back of the then Prine Minister {Neville Chamboriain)?" The answer cf Home Secre- tary Morrison on tha floor of Parliament was: "No informetion can prop- erly be given out about confidential documents which were extracted from the American Embassy." : This extraordinary disclosure on the floor of the British House }2 of Cormmcns was almost -~ but not quite -- successfully suppressed — in tho American pross, Many editors regarded it as too shocking to use, One large nowspiper reforred it to legil counsel and was told tyat it might be liboleus. Hewever, in ono early morning edition of the nning wrote; eae \ ernie en D. C., TIMES-HERALD, cf November 12, 1941, Arthur Sears ; a "The understanding hore is that not only eablegrams from . MY. Churchill to Mr. Rocsovelt behind Chamberlsin"s back, but - from Mr, Roosevelt to Mr. Churchill are involved. The White House in response to an inquiry yesterday professed to have no information cn the subject, : "The correspondence was supposed to have related to British and Anerican pelicy regarding tho European var. Among the quos- - tions tcuched upon are said to have been a more vigorous prose- eution cf the war than had been achieved by Mr. Chamberlain, and ths prsaibllities of the United States taking an active part in support of Great Britain, “According to ene versicn, the device of Lend Lease legis-. lation for circumventing the United States Neutrality Lav and the Johnson Act forbidding extension cf credit tc Britain as a war debt defaulter vas discussed in this socret correspondence between the Amorican President and the British Navy head. "Disclosure of the text of the cablegrams would establish - whether Mr. Churchill invited, or Mr. Rocsevelt mide, any ecm- “mitments of the United States Government te a pelley of aiding Britain that was not contemplated by existing United States law, | "From the cutbreak of the war the President had been undor fire for permitting, if net enccuraging, William C. Bullitt, American Ambassadcr to France, ond other Anerican diplomats to encoursge France and Pcland to get into the war with promises of American support. . “The correspondence between Mr, Churchill and the President ; passed through the American Embassy in Londen, Tyler Kent, —— cierk in the Embassy, made copies of the Churchill and Roosevelt cablegrans and shewed them to Captain Archibald Ramsay, a member of the House of Commons. . . "The leak cf the correspondence socn became knewn and the responsibility therafore was traced te young Kent. The vengeance cf the British and American Gcvernments for this breach cf trust was swift and certain. * . ae * te Be tee ee hilds of the Legal Depurtment and Press Relations Department of Se ert ee eg Fe cite meena ene ns Fe es dete eet an ee