Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-27
Dies Is Warned
ByPresidenton
Spy Publicity
Premature Stories
May Ruin Drive on
Fifth Column, He Says
By JOHN C. HENRY.

President Roosevelt warned Chair
man Dies of the House Committee
on Un-American Activities today
that carefully laid Government plans
for fighting fifth column dangers in
this country may be severely ham
dicapped or completely destroyed by
premature disclosure of facts or Of
suggestions to the public, or by
hasty seizure of evidence which
might with little more patience be
obtained in a manner to be admis-
sible in court, or by the giving OF
immunities to witnesses before con-
gressional committees.
Mr.. Roosevelt's somewhat bluntly
worded message of caution was tele-
graphed to the House member today
at the latter's home in Orange, Tex,
and contained the suggestion that
the Texan and his committee plan
to participate in consultations with
the executive departments vested
with the task of combating sub
versive activities.
At the same time the White House
announced that Mr.. Dies has ac-
cepted an invitation from the Presi-
dent to confer with the Chief Execu-
tive here Friday, preliminary to such
other meetings with department
officials as may be arranged.
Follows F. b. /. Feud.
This latest turn of Government
efforts at keeping the Nations de-
tense machinery and industries free
of espionage and sabotage dangers
follows a continuing feud between
the chairman of the House commit
tee and the Justice Department over
methods followed
Bitterly critical of the alleged
slowness of the department in NOV
ing against suspected fifth column
nists. Mr.. Dies on Monday appealed
to President Roosevelt for steps
toward greater coordination of the
various Government investigating
bodies. The Justice Department last
Saturday replied to the Dies criti-
cism along substantially the same
line of reasoning as that expressed
by Mr.. Roosevelt today.
As he did in his press conference
yesterday, the President noted in his
telegram to Mr.. Dies that a House
committee has full power to investi-
gate, report and recommend. He
emphasized. however, that executive
responsibility for Government action
is vested solely in the hands Of the
President and the executive branch
Of the Government.
Telegram to Dies.
His telegram to Mr.. Dies follows
in full:
II have received your telegram
from Orange, Tex.
You are correct in saying that
there should be the closest harmony
between your committee Of the
House and all administrative de-
partments in the investigation of
fifth column activities IN this coun-
try.
There can be no constitutional
objection to the investigation Of such
activities and report thereon and
recommendation thereon by a COM
mittee of the House Of Representa-
tives.
"It is, however, clear that the Con-
stitution of the United States lodges
the executive responsibility In the
hands of the President, and that,
therefore, continuing administrative
duties in relation to illegal activities
lie in the executive branch of the
Government and not in the legisla-
tive branch.
"As soon as this distinction is
clearly recognized. there is no reason
why there should not be complete
harmony between your committee
and the executive branch of the
government.
II know that you will also see
the point when I suggest that In
the regular conduct of administra-
tive work Of this nature, carefully
laid plans for the obtaining of
further information, which may lead
to the breaking up of subversive
activities, may be severely handi-
capped or completely destroyed by
premature disclosure of facts or
by suggestions to the public, or
by hasty seizure of evidence which
(see UN-AMERICAN, Page AID