G O V E R N M E N T

Moss Blasts Pentagon Secrecy Information office reorganization tightens Pentagon news policy, fans excess secrecy fight

JL HE PENTAGON'S new, centralized in­formation policy amounts to censor­ship, says Rep. John E. Moss (D.­Calif. ) . Under the just announced change, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Murray Snyder be­comes something of an information czar. Snyder told a Congressional committee that press announcements from the Defense Department will be cleared by him for "security," "policy," and "timeliness."

The new Defense Department in­formation system challenges Congres­sional right to know, Moss declares, puts up new barriers between the people .and scientific information. Moss struck out «t Pentagon efforts to "man­age the news."

To back up his stand, Moss' Special House Subcommittee on Government Information has just released α report on availability of information from the Defense Department. The 267-page report painstakingly documents state­ments, letters, and excerpts from com­mittee hearings On Pentagon informa­tion policies, concludes that restrictions and confusion are the rule.

Among major Pentagon faults cited in the committee report:

•Attitude: The report points to this as perhaps the top factor affect­ing Defense Department information policy. Permeating * the Pentagon is a "you can't trust the people with the facts" attitude, says the committee.

• Overclassification: The tendency, finds the committee, is to "pW it safe," classify nearly everything. Reason-failure to classify something which should be secret is punishable, but no one has ever been punished for over-classifying.

• Declassification: The committee notes a lack of effective procedure to declassify the mountains of classified material now gathering dust in Penta­gon vaults. Some material predates the Civil War.

ί Solving the Problem. True, some forward steps have been taken to ease the problem, says the committee. Cited are the Office of Declassification Policy, the Coolidge Committee to study clas­sification problems, and sporadic re­moval of restrictions in specific cases.

But the problem calls for much stronger medicine, according to the committee. Topping the list of recom­mendations is a call for a. reversal of attitude, with Pentagon officials being required to justify withholding informa­tion. Other steps toward more freedom of information include mandatory re­view of classified material witb an eye to future declassification, declassifica­tion of much of the hoard of classified matter on hand, and disciplinary action in cases of overclassification.

• Meanwhile, Back at the Penta­gon· Even as the Moss Committee re­port was being released, the Pentagon announced a change in its information set-up. The various information chiefs for the services have evolved into a Joint Information Council, with Snyder as chairman. The council will act as an advisory group to Snyder. Also set up is an Office of Plans and Programs whose function is to integrate all public information activities.

Under the revised organization, Snyder will reign supreme. All articles and speeches by military personnel must first get his stamp of approval, as must all cooperation by military de­partments with news media.

And along with the move toward centralization of Pentagon information services comes tighter scnxtiny of ma­terial before public release. Snyder will check material for "conflict."

2 8 C & E N J U N E 3 0, 1958

ONE OF A SERIES Printed by offset lithography on 70-lb. paper containing Wyan­dotte PU RECALL in the coating.

What is a sensible definition of Wyandotte's technical service?

Well, you won't find it in a dictionary. And you'll be far short of the truth if you

decide it's just the name of a department. Really, it comes down to this: Al Wyan­

dotte, technical service means a, deep-rooted and sincere desire to be helpful- Any time . . . any place . . . in any way we can. It 's a philosophy of doing business that 's shared by cwry man in our organization.

For instance, we are always ready to sup­ply you with information on our products— on their chemical and physical properties along with other pertinent characteristics. We'll suggest ways to handle and store them; and we'll dig deep for data on their speci­fications and use limitations.

Naturally, our science-specialists* are at your disposal, too — ready to consult with your researchers on any problem that may

suggest the use of one or more of our prod­ucts. (In several cases, this type of consul­tation has led us to develop an entirely new product designed to solve the customer's problem!)

Helpful? . . . well, most of our clients have found it so. And that 's why we, at Wyan­dotte, give technical service such a broad definition.

If you would like to take advantage of this service, just svrul us all the background information you can on your product or processing problem. We'll be happy to work with you.

F o r a pictorial presentation of Wyandotte at work, turn the page.

*<'hemists, chemical engineers, physicists, etc., whose industrial or research experience qualifies them as specialists in their particular field.

SODA ASH · CAUSTIC SODA · BICARBONATE OF SODA · CALCIUM CARBONATE * GLYCOLS · SYNTHETIC DETERGENTS (anionic and nonionic) · CARBOSE® (Sodium CIVIC) « DICHLORIDE · POLYPROPYLENE GLYCOL · DICHLORODIMETHYLHYOANTOIN ·

CALCIUM CHLORIDE · CHLORINE · MURIATIC ACID · HYDROGEN · DRY ICE ETHYLENE OXIDE· ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE· PROPYLENE OXIDE · PROPYLENE CHLORINATED SOLVENTS · OTHER ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CHEMICALS

Assisting at the birth of a new product , . · an example of Wyandotte technical service at work

I "We are developing a new product," a A typical inquiry begins, "and are looking for a surface-active agent with dispersing properties superior to those presently on the market." Enclosed was full information.

Ο With the need for a new raw material "̂ established, background data are with­

drawn from Wyandotte's files as a basis for studying problems inherent in producing it.

0 Teamwork: There's a meeting between ** members of research, production, and sales departments to determine feasibility of entering into new-product production.

Δ After our research tests confirm Wyandotte's • laboratory candidate as the proper raw material,

technical-service man requests prospect's further evaluation and confirmation. He further discusses volume requirements, potential growth.

Wyandotte technical service may show up in the birth of a product, improvement of existing materials, development of new ap­plications or procedures. I t ' s a continuing activity. For, everyone a t Wyandotte not concerned with routine administration or production is devoted to helping customers use our chemicals most effectively. If you have a problem within our technological background, check with us . . . our approach is designed to provide answers. Wyandotte Chemicals Corporation, Michigan Alkali Di­vision, Wyandotte, Michigan. Offices in prin­cipal cities.

wwuandolte 'CHEMICALS

Pacing progress with creative chemistry

C New product shows important, growing market. Before full-scale commercial manufacture of the raw material is started, details of production are worked out

in Wyandotte's pilot plant. This step, taken with all new products, assures manu­facture is possible on a volume basis at a practical cost.

C Technical-service man draws up ^ final physical and chemical speci­fications prior to shipment. Samples of pilot-plant production are taken to the prospect for final evaluation.

7 Raw material is approved, and arrangements are made with the

customer for initial shipment by technical-service man and represent­ative who will service the account.

537

GOVERNMENT

ODM Gets New Goals Starting today, Office of Defense

Mobilization switches the strategic stockpile goal from a five-year to a three-year emergency basis.

In setting the new policy, Gordon Gray, ODM director, says he expects the change will have little effect on future buying. His agency has been gradually working toward the new goal since last July.

ODM's revised view of the strategic stockpile calls for "accumulations ade­quate to meet deficits that might arise in a three-year emergency, whether in general or limited war." Stockpile quotas are now set in terms of "basic" and "maximum" objectives. Basic needs will be met as quickly as possible without stopping supplies to U. S. industry.

At least 63 of the 75 materials in the defense stockpile, ODM estimates, are already up to the basic levels. And most "maximums" under the new rules will be lower than former long-term goals.

Among other aims of the new stock­pile program:

• Follow the use of materials having special properties to see that shortages do not develop because of fast-chang­ing technology.

• Upgrade materials now in the stockpile that do not meet specifica­tions.

• Process some materials to readily usable forms to meet the first impact of mobilization.

Potomac Postscript

• Missiles makers snag nine of 10 certificates of necessity for rapid tax amortization of new facilities. These are the first certificates issued since August 1957, when the law was changed to limit fast write-offs to specialized defense items. All 10 certificates are for research and development facilities. Chemical interest centers in two certificates to Aerojet-General, $160,000 for solid propellants and rocket engine R&D, and $713,000 for propellant systems research. Both certificates allow rapid amortization of 607c of the cost.

COMONOMERS UNSATURATED ESTERS OF HIGH PURITY

Available in commercial quantities for use as:

• Internal plasticizers for polyvinyl acetate

• Comonomers in polymerization reactions

• Synthetic detergent intermediates

• Synthetic lubricants and oil additives

Special comonomers for individual requirements

DIOiiiDi^^^^^^ff^e-;

DO M Di-2ethyl hexyl Maîeate

L.

WRITE FOR SAMPLES! We'll send you a brochure on all RC products that can speed your operations, Improve your products.

RUBBER CORPORATION OF AMERICA READY . . . RELIABLE . . . RC. SERVING AMERICAN INDUSTRY SINCE 1930-New South Road, Hicksville 4, Ν. Υ. · SALES OFFICES: New York - Akron · Chicago · Boston

J U N Ε 3 0, I 9 5 8 C & E N 3 1