Evening star., 1946-09-20
Letters to The Star
Mr.. Mitchell Clarifies Opposition
To Overall Loyalty Quiz

MIR. Mitchell ClarIhes Opposition
To Overall Loyalty Quiz
To the Editor Of The Star:
An editorial in your issue Of septem-
Der Is indicates that The Star has re-
ceived a wrong understanding of my
ideas regarding disloyalty investigations
of persons in the Government service
never made any statements at st.
Paul or anywhere else which would
justify conclusion that I objected to
the removal Of persons now in the serv-
ice who are disloyal Such persons
should be removed What I do object
to is wholesale investigation of all
Government employees in order to de-
termine their loyalty, such As has been
talked about.
Within the limits of its resources, the
Civil Service Commission investigates
the loyalty of persons seeking employ
ment in the Government service. I
believe the commission has performed
that duty as thoroughly and fairly as
possible
With the exception of persons ap-
pointed subject to investigation, the
commission has no authority to initiate
investigations of persons at present in
the Government service. 1t has, and
will in future, so far as it's resources per-
NIT, make an investigation when asked
to do so by the agency employing the
person under consideration and report
the result to that agency for such action
rs 1t deems wise. / believe it would Be
unWise to order the commission to
make wholesale investigations of all
Governments employees. because. there does
not seem to me any occasion for investi-
cations of that sort.
There has been an effort to create
the impression that the Government is
saturated with disloyal persons. There
may be few, but there are so few that
believe the various agencies can handle
the situation adequately without investi-
eating all employees.
HARRY B. MITCHELL.
President, Civil Service Commission.
Editors Note:
The Star is glad to publish Mr.
Mitchell's letter in amplification of his
address to the meeting of the American
Federation of Government Employees
at st. Paul. 1t should be pointed out,
however, that The Stars editorial did
not advocate wholesale Investigation
OF all Government employees in order
to determine their loyalty" nor Is it
aware of any such advocacy from any
source. The substance of the editorial
to which Mr.. Mitchels S letter is directed
is well stated in the following excerpts
from an address to the St. Paul meeting
by Civil Service Commissioner Elem.
ming
I'VE must make sure that no one
works for this Government of ours If
there Is reasonable doubt as to his
loyalty to the Government of the United
States.
This means that there is no place in
Government for Communists or follow
ers of the Communist party line.
Persons who themselves follow the
dictates of foreign political group or
who actively and knowingly associate
with organizations that follow the die
tates OF foreign political group cannot
be entrusted with public office.
This means that there Is no place
In Government for members of a Ku
Klux Klan or for members of any other
organization that espouses the Nazi or
Fascist way OF life.
Let's do everything We can to keen
such persons out of Government in the
frst place. And If they do get in. let's
make sure that they are invited, in no
uncertain terms, to leave"
Readers Discuss Wallace Epi,ode
To the Editor Of The Star:
While We are busy getting tough with
Russia, let's also get tough at home. I
am ashamed to think that weakline
Americans like Secretary of Commerce
Wallace represent you and me in the
United States Government. Politics
has been a foul, rotten game played
at the expense of the public, allowing
such irresponsibles to hold key positions
IN our Government. For the good of