The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-28
Loyalty Board
Names Three
Point Program
Rx JAMES F.. DONOVAN

By JAMES F. DONOVAN
WASHINGTON, Dec. N.-u'S
The Loyalty Review board TO-
night laid down detailed rules
for government agencies to fol-
low in kicking out communists
fascits, and fellow-travellers.
Boa rid chairman S. h Rich
ardson told press conference
that the rules are designed to
foster an effective federal 10y
atty check and at the same time
to protect civil rights OF the
governments 100000 civilian
employees.
81 don't know if we have
solved the problem, he said.
Il don't know if the problem
can be solved. But these rules
have been carefully worked out.
They represent our best efforts.
Richardson said ne and the
other 81 board MEMBERSHIP
court of last resort in the loyalty
drive-have had "rather a hot
potato handed to US He said
he had ''hatred of witch
hunts" but he defended the gov
ernment's right to move against
disloyal employees.
''No person has an inherent or
constitutional light to public en-
ployment," the board said.
"Public employment is a orivi-
lege, not right"
Richardson laid down this
yard-stick of disloyalty:
"We consider any person dis
loyal only if he is engaged in
activities looking forward to a
change in our form of govern
ment through unconstitutional
means-either by force Or vio-
lence, or by allegiance to some
foreign power.
He said that mere advocacy
of a constitutional change-no
matter how ar-reaching-in the
U. S. political or economic sy-
stem would not be considered a |
disloyal activity.
President Truman launched
the loyalty drive last March. The
board was appointed last month
to formulate rules an dto act as
a final appeals court for accused
employees.
Richardson's board sent a 60
page statement-directive to all
government agencies. Highlights
of the new rules:
l.. Each accused employe shall
have the right to a "Bill Of Par
ticulars'' outlining charges
against him by confidential
sources of the FBI.
2. He shall have the right to
hearing before the loyalty board
of his own employing agency,
and to be represented at this
hearing by an attorney of his
own choice.
3. He shall have the right to
present evidence in his own be-
half before the agency's loyalty
board and to appeal its decisions
first to the head of his agency,
and then to Richardson's 10y
atty Review board.
Richardson said, however
that the employe shall not have i
the right to see the FBI's conf
Dental report, or to cross-exar1- i
inc his accusers.
At a iam-packed press Confer
ence, Richardson was ques-
toned closely about the FBrs
role in the loyalty campaign.
He siad that the FBI's report in
each case would be only state
ment of facts and would con-
tain no recommendations or con-
clusions On the FBI's part as to
the EMPLOYEES loyalty
"The FBI is the only investi-
eating organization we can turn
to-" he said, adding, "and I
have the fullest confidence in
the good faith, experience, in
tegrity and honesty of the FB1"
He said the FBI informed him
that only under the most unusual
conditions would it be able to
disclose its confidential sources
of information-even to Richard
son. To do so, he said, would
destroy such sources forever.
Richardson added, however,
that the FBI would evaluate the
reliability of it's informants.
Richardson conceded that, un-
der Mr.. Truman's directive, the
loyalty boards functions are
purely advisory, and that it
technically can not enforce its
decisions in an individul case
upon the employing agency.