Evening star., 1948-07-16
Boards Statement on Condor

Il
other related atomic energy activ-
tiles in which he would participate
DR.. Condor has need for access to
certain types of restricted data. This
meant that under the Atomic Ener-
gy Act DR.. Condon's security clear
ance required "reinvestigation"::
that is, it was necessary for the
FBI to investigate and report to
the commission on his character,
associations and loyalty, and for
the commission then to determine
whether permitting him to have ac-
cess to restricted data will endanger
the common defense and security.
Duties Don't Require Access.
In defining the question before
the commission, 1t is recognized that,
as is the case with thousands of
other persons whose security clear
ances must be passed on by the COM
mission, Or. Condon's clearance does
not involve access to information
on weapons or production or stock
pile data, for the reason that his
duties do not require that such
access be given.
The five members of the Atomic
Energy Commission have person.
ally examined with care the entire
record. Although its Personnel Sc
curity Review Board expressed the
opinion on June z, 1913, that action
by the comHmission on the case
might appropriately be deferred,
pending reasonably prompt action
by the House Committee on Un-
American Activities with respect to
that committees own investigation
and hearing as to DR.. Condor, the
commission considers that in view
of its statutory obligations this is
case which the members of the
commission should themselves de-
eide, and that it is our duty to
proceed at this time to such a de-
cision.
The record before the commits
sion includes reports compiled in
two FBI Investigations In a most
detailed and exhaustive manner,
these present very full picture
of DR.. Condon's character. associ-
ations and loyalty, since the FBI
interviewed over 300 persons to OBJ
tain information and its investiga-
tons were conducted by a large
number of agents on a country
wide basis.
In addition. the FBI supplied the
commission the pertinent informa-
ton relating to DR.. Condor which
it had obtained from the files of
other Government agencies. The
thorough and painstaking investi-
cations by the FBI, and other rele-
want information available to the
commission, provide the basis on
which 1t is the commissions respon-
sibility to determine the question
of Dr.. CondDn's security clearance.
In considering the record, the
commission has found that, In the
opinion of some persons, DR.. Con-
don's tact, Judgment and discretion
appear to be subject to some degree
of criticism. On the other hand
there are statements by persons who
nave been closely associated with
DR.. Condor during his long work
in classified information, which in
dicate proper care on his part in
assuring that unauthorized persons
should not obtain access to classi-
fed information.
Has Wide Associations.
IL 70; f. ~
formation of a relevant character
concerning certain persons with
whom DR.. Condor and Mrs. Con-
don have from time to time had
contacts. The file also shows that
Dr. Condor is a man OF wide asso-
Citations, and that his associates in
clude many highly reputable men,
bers of the scientific community
who have great confidence in him.
In deciding such matters, the
commission has statutory respon-
sibility to place in perspective the
evidence both favorable and unfa-
vorable, and to decide whether the
common defense and security of the
United States would be adversely
affected if the individual concerned
continued to have that access to
restricted data which is required by
the nature of his duties.
On the basis of the voluminous
record before 1t, the members of the
commission are fully satisfied that,
in the terms of the statute, DR..
Condon's continued clearance for
rhe purposes stated above will not
adversely affect the common de-
Tense and security" of the United
States. The commission considers
that his continued clearance is in
the best interests of the atomic
energy program.