◆ SpookStack

The nef * . ML s — _ "Joseph P, Kennedy, then American Ambassador to Great .: - Britain, discharged Kent, and the British Government immediately arrosted him on charges of espionage. After Kent had been held io jail for somo timc he was given ao trial. . The espionage charges fell flat, but he finally was convicted of larceny of government dscuments and sentenced to seven years in prison, whero he now is. “Captain Ramay, vho had been shown or given copies of the correspondance , was placed under detention under the Defense of the Realm Act. In mid-summer of 1941, after receipt of the informtion from the’ . J y British Embassy in Washington through Mr. Wingo, Mra. Keot sought ~ & passport from the United States State Department to go to Eng- land, This was denied her. Mra. Kent thon walled upon a nevepaper- man vith Baltimore connections, Ar. Ian Ross WacFarlanes, (since heard in tho early menths of 1944 as a nevs analyst on Station WITH, Baltimore, Nafylond) to go to England for her. Mra, Kent financed his trip on con- | dition that MacFarlane would interview the Eoglish Soliciter who defend- ' @d Kont, and vould do his beet to interview Kent himself in prison on ‘ the Isle of Wight. MacFarlane reachod England py the Atlantic Clipper in March, 1942, Upon his return from England, MacFarlane reported to Mre, Kent tint he had been able to accomplish all of these assignments. He sav Kent on the Isle of Wight. Kent told him that the assignment of handling the surreptitious cables proyed upon his mind and conscience. The onth, taken by a1] Foroign Service Clorie, is: “I do solemily svear or affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against 411 enomies, Foroign and domestic, etc.* Kent considered that the assignment forced him te violate his oath #ince he was tha accredited public servant of a State Department charged by Congress, at this time, vith prosurving the neutrality of the United Statos. He asked for o transfer from the Embassy in London, Bis request vos rofused. Ho thon mdo photostatic copios of the cables passing through his hands and hid m in his room. Kent gev desperate @ver the direction the correspondence was taking, since obviously Prosident wos committing tho United States to war vithout authorization of Congress or aven the knowledge of the actual government of Britain at that time... - Yot at this Mart Serve President Roceuvelt was pledging the woters of the United States that their sons would not bo sent into fore war. Tyler Kent then took the step of divulging the cables to Churchill's most active political opponent in Parliament, the loader of the Right Club, Captain Archibald Ramsay. Tho conspiracy waa secretly Giacussed among Rightistes and anti-Churchill circles in Britain. On May 10, 1940, owing to the |_| illnoss of Neville Chamberlain, the ambitions of Winston Churchill vere suddonly realized. Churchill received the government from Chamberlain . and inmodiately thereafter the British Rasssy and the American Kent vere soizod and jailod ; an rie ‘ MacFarlano reported tint Kent told hin that the excha of J.q, began in October, 1939. Churchill was then First Lora of the pae® . “f miralty. According to Kent, tho first message vas fron Churchill Kent gave ita content to MacFarlane as th. foiicving: {Goneral sense rathor than exact quote.) “J am half American and tho natural person £ work with you. We evidently see eye fo eye. If X could heeas Prime bo Minister of Britain wo could centro world." A his fire ~ .- a fow weols elapsed, then President Rossovelt cabled beck gee trat atte. . tells of Mr. Churchill's plan. Thereafter, messages passed e * * . t rapid in-.. == tervals betvoon Churchill and the Prosident, somet oe . throughout the winter of 1939 and 1946, the period ef the erat,” bi Gay, Many were long lotters, which Kent was required to tode and de ry war", Farlano reported that Kent told him tho substance of these code. Mac. oorncd such subjects aa tho mtter of the transfer of 50 @ measages con- mo thods te be wags te induce ernereae to Pass the Lend Lease as lal Sve stratogy to usc o bg about ¢. re : » & : and Johnson Acts, poal of the American Neutrality ‘ _ AT unexpected corroboration of some of the -.+.- X vas reported ty Mr. Wingo after ~o~ uustance of t eab 15 vad reported by Mr. “1 ENES REGISTER Aen oecettth MP. Sohn: Olas. ()