Evening star., 1947-05-10
|s14, 100000 Reques'
For Loyalty Inquiry
Questioned by Rees
By Joseph Young

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Congress for $4,000, 900 to rid the
Government Of Communists and
fellow travellers was challenged to-
day by Chairman Rees Of the House
Civil Service Committee, who as
serted the Job could be done "for
halt that amount"
Mr.. Hees has introduced his own
loyalty investigation bill and the
House Civil Service Committee will
soon hold hearings on the measure
The Kansan contended today his
loyalty bill to give the FBI COM
plete supervision of the investiga-
tions was far more effective than
President Truman's executive order
on loyalty and would cost about
half the money that the President
wants"
Taber Group 10 Weigh Plea.
Mr.. Truman's request will be con-
sidered by the House Appropriations
Deficiency subcommittee, headed by
Chairman Taber. The President
yesterday asked for $1s,16o, 900 fol
the Civil Service Commissions part
in the loyalty program and s8,T4o,-
coo for the FBI.
Mr.. Rees is expected to confer
with Mr.. Taber and other Republi-
can leaders in an attempt to get
Congress approval of his loyalty
investigation program.
Aside from Mr.. Rees criticism
the Presidents request received q
hearty welcome in Congress.
O'Konski Voices Approval.
Representative OKonski, Repub-
lican, Of Wisconsin, who is presi-
dent of the Anti Communist As
sociation of America, told a reporter:
IF he had taken this step before
the request for the Greek Turkish
loan, there would have been rela-
lively little opposition in the House
toward that program"
Representative Rankin, Democrat,
of Mississippi, a member of the
House. Committee on Un-American
activities, said the President 'is to
be congratulated in thus taking the
lead to drive Communists from the
executive branch Of the Govern
ment."
Representative Bloom, Democrat
OF New York, ranking Democrat on
the House Foreign Affairs Commit
tee, said there was no question the
money would be forthcoming. Afte,
passing the ece-Turkey aid bill
to help those nations combat Com
munism, Mr.. Bloom said, 1--WE
wouldn't be consistent If we didn't
give it to him. l."
Fingerprints Would Be Checked.
The loyalty check would be started
by comparing the names and finger.
prints of employees with those ir
FBI files.
IF derogatory information relat.
ing to loyalty is discovered, Mr.
Truman explained in his appropri.
alton request, "the FBI will make {
full field investigation and reporr
all derogatory information to the
employing agency"
The employee will have the righ
of appeal to a review board which
will be set up in the civil service
commission.
The order applies to the. executive
branch Of the Government, not tt
the legislative branch or the courts
Programs Are Similsr.@
In many respects, the President 1
and Mr.. Rees' programs are identi-
cal, but Mr.. Rees would have the
FBI conduct all the Investigations
Mr.. Rees contends the FBI phase
of the Presidents program is prac-
tically the same as the present sys-
tenn. His bill provides that the FBl
conduct investigations of suspected
employees, whether its files show
derogatory information about the
employees or not.
"The trouble with the Presidents
proposal in this respect Is that the
FBI doesn't have the names of all
the Communists and fellow travellers
in the country" Mr.. Rees said. "As
I understand it. the FBI would give
an employe a clean bill of health II
they didn't find any name card or
him. My bill would authorize the
FBI to investigate any suspected
employe, regardless If it had any
preliminary derogatory information
on him."
Observers feel the final program
to be authorized by Congress viii
contain the broad framework of the
Presidents executive order, with 6
number of suggested improvement.
by Mr.. Rees and other members O.
Congress. The most important
question is how much of the re.
quested $24,900,000 will the Con.
gress grant.