Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-15
Sharp Congressional
Scrutiny Of Security
Classification Pledged
BY Joseph Young

Sharp congressional scrutiny of
the Governments controversial "se-
curity classification" plans was
promised today by members Of the
House Executive Expenditures Com
mittee.
Chairman Hoffman and Repre-
sentative Bender, Republican, of
Ohio said the group will continue
its hearings on plans of the Govern
ment's Security Board to permit
Federal agencies to keep confidential
so-called classified information.
Mr.. Bender, ranking member of
the committee, said the whole mat
ter will be presented to Congress,
If necessary, to prevent IAN iron
curtain from being put around the
activities of Federal agencies"
Witnesses Closely Quizzed.
At yesterdays opening hearing,
the subcommittee closely questioned
members of the Security Advisory
Board OF the State-Army-Navy Air
Force Co-ordinating Committee,
which is drafting the security CLASH
flcation regulations.
Both Mr. Hoffman and Mr.. Ben
der charged the effect Of the regu-
lations would be to withhold from
the public any information Gov
eminent agency chiefs wanted to
keep under cover, and would make
little dictators' out of Government
officials.
At one point, Mr.. Hoffman
charged the board with trying to
apply military regulations to civilian
agencies"
Two committee witnesses, Jim G.
Lucas. Scripps Howard reporter,
and Bruce Cation, director Of in
formation for the Luckman Food
Committee and former news
paperman, testified that the regula-
tions would impose a rigid censor
ship over all Federal agencies,
whether they dealt with things Of a
military nature or not.
In response to question. Mr..
Cation said the proposed security
regulations would make it difficult
or impossible for public relations
officer in Government to do an hon.
est job of disseminating news"
Censor Intent Denied.
Hamilton Robinson, director Of the
State Departments ONCE Of Con-
trolls and chairman of the Security
Board, denied that the intent Of the
regulation is to censor information
and conceal inefficiency, laundering
or even dishonesty in Government
agencies.
Mr.. Robinson conceded that part
of the original draft may have been
unwisely worded, and he acknowl-
edged that, after adverse public
reaction" a provision was dropped
which would have permitted agen-
cies to have kept confidential that
which, although not endangering
the national security would cause
serious administrative embarrass-
ment or difficulty"
The administrative difficulty"
provision was dropped, but pro-
vision still Is contained in the regu-
lations which would allow Govern
ment departments to keep from the
public any papers that fell into the
general category of being protected
for the national welfare"
Mr.. Hoffman said that, had the
proposed regulations been into effect
back in the 1920s, the Teapot Dome
scandal could have been hushed up
by Government officials.
Still In Draft Stage.
Mr.. Robinson emphasized the
regulations are still in 1.-The draft
stage" and that ultimately they will
have to be ruled on by the Justice
Department, Budget Bureau and
finally the White House.
Mr.. Robinson, together with the
two other members of the Security
Board, Col. Charles Blakeney of
Army Intelligence, and 1t. Comdr.
Leroy L. Lichliter of Naval Opera
tions. said the classification system
is intended primarily to apply to the
Nations military security. 1t would
not authorize Federal agency heads
to conceal information that ought
to be made public, he said.
The committee also read into the
record communication from B. M.
McKelWay, editor of The Star and
second vice president of the Amer
lean Society of Newspaper Editors,
which expressed the ASHES dis
approval of some of the provisions
of the proposed plan.