Evening star., 1948-12-19
yyencyto Coordinate
Anti-Subversive Units
Urged by ForrestaI
BY the AsSoeiotsd Press

BY the Asxoeiotsd Press
Defense Secretary Forrestal
wants a central organization to
coordinate the presently scat
tered efforts to prevent fifth col
umn activities, sabotage and
other dangers to internal Sc
curity" of the Nation.
He says 1t should be under civilian
control and not in any defense de-
partment.
Mr.. Forrestal set forth his ideas
in letter to a Philadelphia woman
who had written President Truman
that she was alarmed over rumors
that Mr.. Forrestal sought to abolish
the FBI and create "a secret police. u
While it was Secretary Forresetals s
first public statement on the subject,
the line of thought was the same
that had been previously reported
from the top level Of the Defense
Department.
The letter to Mrs. Mary B. Hart
man of Philadelphia was made pub
lie last night. 1t was dated Decem-
Der l6.
Study Underway.
A study of the whole subject OF
internal security by committees of
the various departments and the
National Security Council has been
underway since last March, Mr.
Forrestal explained.
In writing to Mrs. Hartman, Mr.
Forrestal said:
You commented that you found
the suggestions sinister and that
the idea of secret police was re-
voting to any real American.
agree with you completely, and as
sure you that the reports are utterly
false. -"
The reports have arisen in con-
nection with two studies: Civil De-
fense for National Security a re-
port outlining methods by which
our citizens and their local govern
ments might organize their self
help efforts in the event of enemy
attack upon the United States; and
a study Of internal security ini-
tiated at my request by the National
Security Council several months
ago ."
Calls Charge Nonsense.
"In regard to the report, Civil
Defense for National Security you
probably have heard that it pro-
poses a military dictatorship, COM
plete with concentration camps.
That Is nonsense so untruthful that
I am almost persuaded it is mali
cious.
For instance, since there is moth
Ing else in the report which might
possibly give rise to the 'concentra-
ton camp falsehood, it is patiently
based on recommendation that
alternate places of detention be
planned.
Now that may sound sinister, but
II you read the report you will find
that this recommendation Is ad-
dressed to local police establish
ments. and refers to nothing more
terrifying than the local jail.
The study by the National Sc
:urity Council, Mr.. Forrestal went
On. is concerned with problems of
various Federal agencies con-
cerned with sabotage. subversive
activities. espionage and counter
espionage, counterfeiting and the
ike.
20 Agencies in Such Work.
"The difficulty lies in the fact
hat there is no coordination of
heir efforts. and that with more
han 20 Federal agencies engaged
n this kind of work, there still are
aspects of it which are neglected
and untouched" Mr.. Forrestal
wrote. -...-.-
He mentioned the great ac-
:omplishments of such agencies as
he Federal Bureau of Informa-
ion, the Secret Service, the Bu-
eau of immigration and Natural
zation and the Bureau of Internal
Revenue and went on:
What is not so generally real
Zed is the number of other agen-
lies engaged in related activities
lmong them the Office of Naval
Intelligence, the Intelligence Di-
7ision of the Army, the Central
Intelligence Agency, certain Offices
If the Department of State, and
70 on"
Mr.. Forrestal said Attorney Gen.
ral Clark suggested last February
hat in view of the development OF
he fifth column and subversive
echniques 1T might be desirable
coordinate the work of these
many agencies in the field of inter-
ial security"
No Final Agreement Made.
Mr.. Forrestal said there has been
difference of opinion as to how
coordination should be effected and
10 final agreement has been
cached.
MY own feeling" he wrote, fs
hat it should be achieved by some
entral Government Mechanism
nder civilian control, receiving the
tdvice and full cooperation of the
he heads OF agencies now in opera
ion.
There has never, at any time
.een any suggestion by me that the
FBI or any of the agencies engaged
n this type of work be, abolished;
,nly that their work should be
;o-ordinated. Moreover, I have
lever suggested that my Office OF
my other Office of the National
Military Establishment should be
he co-ordinating agency or control
t. On the contrary. I feel strongly
hat the co-ordinating authority
while including representatives o1
he various departments should not
,e located within any one Of these
departments"