Evening star., 1948-12-26
Probability Of Spies
Now in Government
To Be Cited in Report
Statement One of Three
To Be Issued by House
Committee This Week
By Miriom Ottenberq

The PROBABILITY or communist
spies in the Government at the
present time will be stressed in
the forthcoming espionage re-
port of the House Committee on
Un-American Activities, it was
learned last night.
The espionage report, focusing
on the theft of highly confidential
documents from the State De-
partment in prewar days, will be
one of three due this week from
the committee or its members.
Dovetailing with this report will
be one on Communists in Gov
eminent and another on proposed
committee procedures-a nine-point
program to answer some of the criti-
cisms leveled at the committee.
The espionage report, Acting
Chairman Mundt said last night,
will propose legislation aimed at
baking current efforts Of Com
munists to steal secret documents
for Moscow.
Stern Punishments Sought.
The proposed legislation will COM
bine recommendations to take ade-
quate security steps with stern
punishments for Government Off
cials who knowingly hire Commun-
lists and for Communists who seek
Government jobs.
1--WE do not believe espionage
stopped when Whitaker Chambers
left the Communist Party" Mr.
Mundt declared.
This was a reference to the ex-
Communist who has admitted he
served as a Communist courier and
who gave the committee new and
important information recently. Mr..
Chambers has said he renounced
communism in 1888.
Mr.. Mundt said the forthcoming
espionage report will point out that
there are more reasons for Commu-
nists to penetrate the Government
now than during the war when they
could have obtained much OF their
information legitimately.
Miss Bentley Cited.
He recalled that an admitted eX-
Communist, Miss Elizabeth Bentley
has told the committee she was a
Communist courier during the war,
dealing with several espionage rings
among Government employees,
IF they thought it important to
create this espionage organization
during the war when they were our
allies" Mr.. Mundt said, there is no
question that the Communists are
striving harder now.
There is no question that there
are Communists in the United
States, no question that some Com
munists are still employed in the
Government.
WHO can say whether there is
another Elizabeth Bentley or Whit
taker Chambers or some other cour-
ier passing along information at
this time?"
Will Point to Opportunities.
Mr.. Mundt said the espionage re-
port would cite the opportunities at
the present time for an . espionage
network to function in the Gov
ernment.
The suggested code Of procedure,
which Mr.. Mundt and Representa-
tive Nixon, Republican, of Califor-
mia. will put out jointly, Is expected
to be ready by midweek.
1t will recommend form of
cross-examination by permitting
witnesses to submit written ques-
tions to be asked their accusers.
1t will also propose that names of
the accused be given first in execu-
tive session. In the event that the
names come out publicly, it will
that an immediate op-
portunity be given to the accused to
defend themselves at public hear
ing.
News COverage to Be Studied.
The Mundt-Nixon recommended
tions also will raise q question about
the news coverage permitted at open
hearings and will recommend that
the committee in the 81st Congress
study the question of how much
space at public hearing should be
given to reporters, radio, photogra-
pliers, newsreels and television.
Many of : the committees pro-
cedures have come in for criticism
but one that brought concerted at
tacks from, a variety of sources
some committee members
lSee SPY INQUIRY, Page 4 A-4D