Evening star., 1948-08-29

IL mas been the established policy
OF the House Committee on I'm
american Activities since it's incep-
tion that in a great, virile, free re-
public like the United States, one of
The most effective weapons against
un-American activities is their con-
tlnuouS exposure to the spotlight
OF publicity. 1t has also been our
consistent position that the people
OIL the United States-to whom this
Government rightfully belongs-are
entitled to clear picture of the ex-
tent OF disloyal and inimical in
fuences working secretly to destroy
our free institutions whether they
operate from within or without the
Government.
The current Investigations and
hearings dealing with past and
present Communist espionage activ-
tiles IN Government are therefore
strictly in conformity with what the
members of the House Committee
on Un-American Activities conceive
to be their duty and responsibility
to undertake.
1t is essential to the success Of our
efflcient Federal Bureau of Invesll-
cation that it must not disclose all
ot its sources of information and
methods of operation. 1t is also a
fsct-although one which is some
times overlooked by the ill-in-
formed-that the FBI is a fact-i find
ing and investigating agency and
not an exposure agency. It's duties
are to find and record the facts so
they will be available to police Of
f1cers, law-enforcement officials, and
the prosecuting agencies of Gov
ernment. 1t is not vehicle for re-
porting to the public on the extent
of nefarious activities. 1t is under
the direction of the Attorney Gen.
eral of the United States, and its
contacts with the public and with
Congress are determined by policies
established by him.
How Committee Functions.
In the United States we some
times utilize the method of gather
Ing and presenting evidence which
Is represented by the grand jury.
Grand-jury proceedings are con-
Quoted in the greatest of secrecy.
Jurors in these proceedings sit as
judges OF the evidence submitted,
out their decisions as to guilt or to
1nrocenSe are made only after the
officials conducting the proceedings
far Ji,,t ..,:,
points and on specific questions. In
the case of Federal grand Jury. it
therefore rests with the Attorney
General as to what Verdicts are
sought. as TO what evidence is sub
mitted, and as to what disposition
Is to be MADE of the material pre-
sented. Until grand jury has
issued either an indictment OF no.
true bill, there is no means OF eStab-
fishing either the guilt or the in-
nocence of the people before it on
the basis of what goes Oh behind its
tightly closed doors. At best, the
grand jury is not vehicle for re-
porting to the public on the extent
of Un-American activities i'll free
republic.
AS contrasted with the FBT and
the grand jury, the House Com
mittee on Un-American Activities
has a separate and very special
responsibility. 1t functions to per-
NIT the greatest court in the world
the court of American public opin-
ion-to have an undirected, un-
censored and unprecedented oppor-
tunity to render a continuing Ver-
dict on all of its public officials and
to evaluate the merit of many III
private life who either openly asSo-
ciate and assist diSlayOl groups or
covertly operate as members or fel-
low travellers of such organizations.
It is as necessary to the success Of
this committee that it reveal its
findings to the public as it is to the
success of the FBI that it conceal
its operations from the public view
The functioning of the Commu-
mist espionage. rings in Government
provides dramatically vivid Illus !
tration of the functions of the
three foregoing public institutions
in their rendering of the service
they are created to perform.
Seeks to Alert Public.
The FBI functions to find and
asSimilate all of the facts available /,
to that organization and to make
them available to the prosecuting
agencies of the Federal Govern /
ment The Federal grand jury
functions to consider the evidence
selected from these facts by the
Attorney General and TO pass judg-
ment upon whatever verdictS it is
asked to make by the Attorney
General. The House Committee
on Un-American Activities func-
tions to alert the public concerning
the existence and operation of
these espionage practices, and to
point up and propose the necessary
new legislation to provide our
country with greater safeguards
and to cradle it to protect itself
against the constantly changing
tactics and practices of Worldwide
and world d-dominated communism
and its American ramparts.
We are an arm of the lawmaking,
branch of our Government. 1t is
our Job TO explore, to study and to
investigate, and to determine if
new laws are needed OF present
laws need Strengthening. In pur-
suing this all-important function,
full inquiry is essential which is
the historic and special prerogative
of the legislative branch of our
Government. The duties and func-
tions of the Committee on Un-
American Activities are somewhat
unique among the committees of
Congress. which are principally
concerned with matters of COM
merce. taxes and the operation of
the Federal Government, but there
is delegated to us the function OF
investigating Subversive influences
which seek to destroy the Govern
ment and institutions of the United
States.
Task Called Difficult.
In dealing with groups and in
dividuals that engage in this sub
versive conspiracy, the committee
has the difficult task of pursuing its