JAG:CA:lb
 
leaves no room for reasonable doubt in the mind of any intelligent person that Mr. Johnston
"lawfully or unlawfully" came into possession of the said dispatch and willfully communicated the
same to his publishers who, in turn, disclosed it to the world.
 
                   One provision of law which has been clearly violated in this matter is clause (d) of
section 31, Title 50, U.S. Code, which reads as follows:
 
          "whoever, lawfully or unlawfully having possession of, 
          access to, control over, or being intrusted with any
          document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, 
          photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan,
          map, model, instrument, appliance, or note relating 
          to the national defense, willfully communicates or 
          transmits or attempts to communicate or transmit 
          the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or 
          willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it 
          on demand to the officer or employee of the United 
          States entitled to receive it * * * shll be punished 
          by imprisonment for not more than ten years and may, 
          in the discretion of the court, be fined not more 
          than $10,OOO."
 
                   May I ask that upon receipt of this letter, you have your representative communicate
v,ith Vice Admiral Russell Willson, Ohief of Staff of the United States Fleet, Room 3056, Navy
Building, Telephone extension 4901, who will promptly furnish all additional information which
your department may need for presentation of this matter to the grand jury.
                                                
 
                              Very truly yours,
 
                              Frank Knox
 
Enclosure (1)
 
 
The Honorable
     The Attorney General.