Evening star., 1948-08-03
Ex-Communist Says Hiss Witt
Pressman Led Underground;
Termination Quizzed About Atom
Navy Application
Told of Secret in
'44, Probers Learn
By Don S. Warren

A shocked Senate Investigat-
ing Committee heard today that
an application for a Navy Com
mission in April, 1914, by Will
liam w. Remington claimed that
he was familiar with some as
poets of the Manhattan Project,
development of the atom bomb.
Chairman Ferguson shouted that
this was such a secret matter at
that time that the Senate War In
vestigating Committee Cthen the
Truman committee) couldn't get
any information on the Manhattan
Project.
The committee had begun its lively
session with an accusation by Sen
ator Ferguson that the administra-
ton had put its investigation of an
alleged wartime Communist spy ring
within the Government under a
handicap"
A White House ruling bars access
to the employment records of Mr
Remington, suspended Commerce
Department official accused in testi-
mony before the committee last
week Of giving information to the
alleged spy ring, Senator Ferguson
said.
Sawyer Unable to Reply.
Secretary of Commerce Sawyer
has been unable to give an answer
to the committees request for the
records" Senator Ferguson added
because OF a presidential ruling
that records on Government en-
ployes' loyalty cannot be released te
congressional committees.
"The record is clear that the com.
mittee has tried to get the EN-.
ployment records Of Mr.. Reming'
ton," Senator Ferguson said.
1T looked last Friday as II the
Secretary Of Commerce would be
able to turn them over to us. He
has been called this morning ano
he is unable to give an answer a.
to whether he can or cannot turr
them over to us.
I'VE will proceed under this han.
dicap."
Senator Ferguson emphasized
that the committee was not asking
for what they call loyalty checks
on Mr.. Remington, but for the
names Of people who approved his
employment and transfers.
Quizzed About Commission.
The development that revealed
that Mr.. Remington had referred
to the atomic bomb project in 1914
when it was the Nations best-kept
secret came after long period o1
testimony revolving around his ap'
plication for the Navy commission
Unexpectedly calm and collected
under the circumstances, the young
economist started out by attempting
/ to answer the listed points of his
claim to knowledge of wartime pro.
duction programs, In their order.
He sought to correct the commit
tees impression to show that he hao
had access to information on the
production of war plants only for a
period Of two weeks.
Chairman Ferguson insisted that
his statement to the Navy showed
that he had knowledge of the listed
projects over a two-year period.
In Dollar Data, He Says.
The witness then insisted that
the production goals were in dollar
data rather than otherwise.
The committee then reminded hin
that the statement showed thai
after mentioning the Manhattan
Project he had claimed informa'
ton concerning certain types O.
equipment" that were being handled
Senator Ferguson then pointed!
asked the witness as to the dat
of the application for the Nav,
commission and it was agreed this
was in April of 1914.
I'm April of 1914" Chairman
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