Evening star., 1948-09-28

Committee on Un-Americun
Activities on its investigation OF
espionage centerino on the atomic
bomb:
GENERAL STATEMENT
When the Canadian Government
Issued its report exposing the es
pionage conspiracy of the Sovie
Government that was endeavorin
IN Canada to secure vital data OIL
the development Of the atomic bomt
the people Of the United State
were deeply shocked not only by tn
sinister operations of members o
the Diplomatic Corps of the Sovie
Government stationed in Canada
but likewise the disloyal operation
Of some of Canadas prominen
citizens who we're working In col
lusion with Soviet Agents to plac
In the hands of the Soviet Dictator
ship a weapon which would destro.
us all.
The people of the United State!
applauded the vigorous and expedi
tious manner in which the person.
involved were brought to trial ane
this ring broken up.
Because of the fact that the majol
effort OF developing the atomic bomf
was being carried on in the United
States and that this entire atomic
espionage ring was linked to thi!
country, 1t was presumed by every
thoughtful American that there
would soon be similar prosecutions
in the United States, but those
prosecutions never came. The Com
mittee has been endeavoring to fino
out why.
Gen Groves Statements.
On September 10, 1948, General
Leslie r. Groves, former head of
the Manhattan Engineering District
which developed the atom bomb,
testified under oath before a Sub
committee of the Committee on
Un-American Activities. In the
course of his testimony he stated;
Il have no hesitancy in saying
that there was continued and per-
sistent and well organized espion-
age against the United States, and
particularly against the atom bomb
project, by a foreign power with
which we were not at war. and its
misguided and traitorous domestic
sympathizers, or perhaps stooges
would be better word s." beyond
that I will go no further. l am
prohibited from answering your
question for reasons which I can
now give.
'"' a presidential directive
was issued on S August, 1948. 1t
was amplified by an order from the
Secretary of the Army, dated II
August 1948 ..
From the wording of the presi-
Dental directive and the amplify-
ing order, it appears that it would
be most difficult for me to discuss
with you or your Committee or any
individual member or representa-
tive of the Committee any informa-
tion relating to the loyalty or in
tegrity of any Government employe
or former Government employe. -"
II would also appear to be barred
from including in any material sub
mitted to you any investigative data
Of any type. I, therefore, cannot
disclose any information pertaining
to the loyalty or integrity Of any
person now or formerly In the Fed
eral service -.
"Mr. Stripping. General Groves,
did you ever report the efforts of
the Russian government, Russian
agents, to obtain information ere
garding atomic development to the
President of the United States?
General Groves. Yes. =
"Mr. STRIPPING. When was that? +?
,5,sss5. y X 48k~
General Groves. 1T would have
to be IN 1914. . 1t was con-
tanned in report to the President,
which President Roosevelt read in
my presence, and the matter was
discussed with him. This was just
before he left for Yalta. ."
1T was brought to the attention
of President Truman in the first
report that was made to President
Truman after he took office, which
was as soon after his taking Office
as the Secretary of War could make
an appointment, and on that oc-
casion, the written memorandum
was read by Mr.. Truman"
Facts Unearthed.
Despite the efforts of the EX-
ecutive to withhold from the Ameri-
can people and from duly consti-
tuted committees of the legislative
branch, information as to the
existence of the Communist es-
pionage apparatus in the United
States and to its operations during
World War II, the committee has
been able to unearth important
facts with respect to the activities
of that apparatus in connection
with the development of the atom
bomb
1t is the purpose of this report to
disclose those facts. 1t must be
emphasized, however. that the COM
mittee has been able so far only to
scratch the surface in its investiga-
ton. Not only are there items of
evidence, already adduced, with re-
spect to other acts of apparent
treachery, that require further in
vestigation, but there are doubtless
further incidents of which the COM
mittee is as yet unaware.
The committees report is limited
to the activities Of the Communist
espionage apparatus, because espi-
onage by other countries was either
nonexistent or only very slight. This
is conclusively shown by the testi-
mony of Gen. Groves, despite state
ments to the contrary emanating
from ess-informed sources in the
executive branch of the Govern
ment.
Gen. Groves testified as follows:
'Mr. STRIPPING Are you aware of
any efforts on the part of agents of
any foreign power to obtain any OF
the secrets of the atomic bomb or
any of the secrets relating to re-
search or defelopment-
"Gen. Groves. Yes.
"Mr. Stripping. which was made
which eliminated in the atomic
bomb?