The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-08-14
Protecting Government
Washington Post)

(WaShlngtOn PoSt)
 At time when the most extravagant charges of disloyalty among Government employees are being lrecklessly banded about Capitol Hill, Subcom- mittee of the House Civil Service Committee has hap oily come forward with objective, balanced and constructive report Federal employment practices This report is whtewash It dscloses canddly that the inyestigatve procedures of the Government are not by any adequate to assure the exclusion subversve elements and it puts the blame for this deficiency where it belongs-largely upon the nig- gardness of Congress itself At the time, it roundly condemns the kind of careless calling and witch hunting which has undermined the morale of Federal employees and the confidence of the coun try in the essential soundness of the Government. The report loses nothing whatever in stature from the refusal of member of the subcommittee Rep. Edward H. Rees of Kansas, to subscribe his name to it. he has already established himself of the witch hunters.
 It is estimated that during the present fiscal year 790000 placements will be made in the Federal service but that the Civil Service Commissions appropriation will permit it to conduct than 14oO character and suitability Investigations Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation lacks the funds to render fngerprnt and name-check service to the commission These handcaps which Congress itself remedy through it's appropriation power. But among Federal agencies the subcommittee report notes, there wide discrepancies in employment policies particularly in the evaluaton of material refecng the loyalty of employee or applicant. And since the final responsibility for retaining releasing employee
  employing agency, this is condition remedable only in the executive branch of the Government
 Accordingly, the House subcommittee has sensibly recommended the creation of commission to be com- posed of officials from the Justice, War Navy, State and Treasury Departments and from the Civil Service Commission to make thorough study of existing leg islation standards and procedures and recommend "a complete and unified program that will give ade- quate protection to Government against indi- vduas whose primary loyalty is to governments other than own" It is vastly preferable, think that this study should be conducted by executive con- mission rather than by Congressional committee. We hope that the President will adopt the suggestion and establish such commission without delay, naming to it top-flght administrators of genuinely high caiber
 The chairman of the House subcommittee, Repre- sentative J. M Combs of Texasa refreshing contrast to his predecessor, Martin Dies-and Representative George H. Fallon of Maryland who joined him in the report deserve commendaton for their restraint and their regard for the rights and regulations of Government workers. They observe that the task of the commission they propose will not be easy. It may devise methods that will give the Government complete protection and yet protect the employee with reference to cherished and traditional freedom conscience and belief. vital part of the protection the Government needs is opportunity to recruit of independence and originality. There is room and indeed need in the Federal service for nonconformty and heterodoxy, so long it does not to dis loyalty. And nothing could be more disastrous to that service to the general freedom than to confuse as so many members of Congress prone to do, unconventonality of thought with subversion.