Evening star., 1950-02-25
Citizen Commission
To Probe Status Of
Civil Liberties Urged

President Truman today had
the recommendation from repre-
sentatives of more than so ma
tional organizations that he ap-
point a citizens commission to
civil liberties"
The suggestion was made yes
terday at the closing session of
the third annual Conference on
Civil Liberties sponsored by the
National Civil Liberties Clearing
House.
Delegates also voted opposition
to any move to put the Federal
loyalty program on a permanent
and statutory basis" or to remove
any Federal agencies from the
regular Civil Service system of
job placement. The sessions were
held in the Hotel 2400.
The recommendation that a
Presidents Commission on Civil
Liberties be set up followed talks
by Francis Biddle. former Attor-
ney General; Joseph L. Rauh, jr.,
Washington attorney who is also
chairman of the National Execu-
tive Committee, Americans for
Democratic Action; and Ralph
E. Himstead, general secretary Of
the American Association of Uni
versity professors.
Rauh Hits FBI.
Both Mr.. Biddle and Mr.. Him
stead lashed out strongly against
the doctrine of guilt by associa-
ton and Mr.. Rauh cited nine
danger points in Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation activities.
They included charges that the
FBI is tapping telephone wires,
insinuating itself into political
movements. building up dossiers
on private citizens, and doing
other things that are not the
proper function of police agency
in a democracy
On the same theme, the former
Attorney General added that
where the FBI is misused is
where it gets into the field of
thought control" rather than
sticking to the field of criminal
law.
Attacking the broad aspect of
the Federal loyalty program, Mr..
Biddle said sensitive" positions
were all that need to be closely
watched for subversive activity
He cited a case of a man who was
refused a job as a postman be-
cause his wife Is years ago had
contributed to an organization
listed as subversive.
Top Secret Standard.
Except where persons actually
are dealing with top-secret ma
terials, there should be no loyalty
program" he said.
Mr.. Himstead, discussing Free
dom OF Thought in Our Institu-
tions Of Higher Learning" as
serted there were many instances
of overlapping, planting of micro
phones in professors Offices, and
unlawful search and seizure" in
American universities.
mo institution" he declared,
that does not permit the maxi
mum amount of academic free
dom can call itself an institution
of higher learning or a univer-
Sity"
Asked whether Communists
should be- discharged from uni
versity positions. Mr.. Himstead
answered in effect. no" His as
sociation's Committee on Aca-
demic Freedom and Tenure, he
said. was professional group
which had decided to treat cases
of teachers who are known
members : of the Communist
Party in the same way as teach
ers who are known Socialists,
known pacificiSts-or known Re-
publicans.
The only consideration, he
said, would be whether such in
structors used their positions for
propaganda.
Chairman of yesterdays after
noon session was Alan Barth. edi-
torial writer for the Washington
Post. E. Raymond Wilson is
chairman of the National Civil
Liberties Clearing House.