WASHINGTON: United Secretary of State, Mr. Edward R. Stettinius is expected to take immediate, firm disciplinary action as a result of columnist Drew Pearson’s reproduction of the text of an alleged confidential document given to the State Department by Lord Halifax. The action will probably be aimed at tightening up the whole security system of the Department which Pearson has publicly ridiculed. Intense indignation is expressed in official circles at the “Leakage”. The document is universally accepted as authentic.

Reuter adds: Pearson’s allegation published in the “New York Mirror” was that Lord Halifax presented a confidential document to the State Department dealing with the divergence of opinion between Britain and the United States over the feeding of Italy. Today’s [Jan 4] leakage follows closely on the heels of “New York Times” publication of a State Department study of papers on plans for south-eastern Europe which Mr. Stettinius described as “private”.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Los Angeles,] The Jury considering the verdict in the Charles Chaplin paternity case was dismissed today [Jan 4] when it reported that it had reached a hopeless deadlock. Henry Willis, Superior Judge, declared a mistrial.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2020