SECURITY 251 



materiel, the unauthorized disclosure of which, while not endangering the 

 national security, would be prejudicial to the interests or prestige of the 

 nation, any governmental activity, an individual, or would cause adminis- 

 trative embarrassment, or difficulty, or be of advantage to a foreign nation. 

 (3) Restricted: Documents, information, or materiel (other than secret or 

 confidential) which should not be pubUshed or communicated to anyone 

 except for official purposes. 



A fourth category, "Top Secret," was added in 1944 primarily to protect 

 operational information as the United States moved toward large-scale 

 offensive operations. This classification was to cover certain secret documents, 

 information, and materiel, the security aspect of which was paramount, and 

 whose unauthorized disclosure would cause exceptionally grave damage to 

 the nation. "Top Secret" followed by a short time a Navy classification of 

 "Secret Security," which was designed to achieve a greater measure of 

 security than a minimum observance of the requirements of the "Secret" 

 classification would produce. 



The purpose of classifying information was to indicate the measure of the 

 precautions to be taken to prevent its unauthorized disclosure. "Restricted" 

 matter was plainly marked as such, largely to prevent its unauthorized dis- 

 semination to the public. Aside from being kept in locked files at night, it 

 was afforded little more protection than that normally afforded Govern- 

 ment papers. From the standpoint of the scientist it caused practically no 

 delay in his operations. However, very little of the work on weapons by 

 OSRD received a classification as low as restricted. 



"Confidential" and "secret" matter required greater precautions in their 

 handling, transmission and filing, the latter classification being more rigid 

 in its requirements than the former. The precautions to prevent disclosures 

 to unauthorized persons were necessary and were followed; but the inevi- 

 table result was to delay research and development. As an illustration may 

 be mentioned the requirement of transmission by officer courier or regis- 

 tered mail. As OSRD had no officer courier, registered mail was the normal 

 method of transmission of papers. OSRD operations were relatively wide- 

 spread and different aspects of the same project were frequently under way 

 at different places. Registered mail is slow, and the requirement of its use, 

 many times multiplied, had a delaying effect. 



The introduction of "Top Secret" and its successor, "Secret Security," 

 meant more serious delay, for officer courier or its equivalent was a require- 

 ment. As applied to OSRD this would have meant the use of scientists as 

 couriers, and the manpower situation was such that they were not available 

 for the purpose. There was little reason for research and development to be 

 as highly classified as top secret. OSRD took the position that the top secret 

 classification required such an inefficient use of manpower that it would 

 not normally be justified in accepting top secret projects. The Services were 



