In his January 17, 1961 farewell address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned Americans to be wary of the "military-industrial complex." He called for "an alert and knowledgeable citizenry" which would assure the proper meshing of the military and industrial defense machinery with peaceful methods and goals. Eisenhower's comments reflected his concern both with the dangers of internal ignorance and with those posed by external enemies. While his military experience showed him the need for secrecy, Eisenhower disliked censorship that was intended simply to avoid embarrassment. Although Eisenhower believed that national security, administrative efficiency, and technical complexity justified censorship and his administration established the classifications of "confidential,""secret," and "top secret" which are still in use, the retired general's reputation for openness may have helped delay the push that eventually led to the Freedom of information Act. In his farewell message, Eisenhower failed to explain how an informed citizenry could be fostered and maintained, but his other writings indicate mistrust of both the press and politicians as sources of information. The President's warning regarding the military-industrial threat came so late that it militated against the "alert and knowledgeable citizenry" that he deemed so important. (Twenty-three references are attached.) (SG)