Evening star., 1951-07-21
Britain Bans
Moscow Trip
By Atom Expert
Cancels Passports
Of Scientist and
Diplomatic Aide
By the Associated Press

oay dbA OPO1J SdA1NC1C0 VAC Pekoo-
ports of a British atomic scientist
who had planned flight to Mos
COW and a Foreign Office official.
The clampdown came in a new
rescreening by British security
officials following the mysterious
disappearance of two British dip
lomats two months Ego. Donald
MacLean, head of the American
department of the Foreign Office,
and Guy Burgess. former second
secretary of the British Embassy
in Washington, disappeared after
boarding a boat for France May
Is. They are feared to heve fed
behind the Iron Curtain with val
liable secrets. -
Neither of the two whose pass
ports were Cancelled today were
Immediately identified. A For
eign Office spokesman said the
scientist was "a lecturer at a uni
versity."' He added that the sci
enlist proposed visiting Moscow
as part of a good will" group.
Scientist Believed Known.
Other sources identified the SCI
enlist as DR.. E. H. S. Burhop of
University College, London, who
has advocated an approach to
Russia in an attempt to reach a
limited agreement on atomic con-
troll before the West steps up it's
race for the hydrogen bomb. He
is secretary of the British Asso-
ciation of Scientific Workers and
worked on the atomic energy
project in the United States dur
ing World War II.
DR.. Burhop, one of 20 passen-
gers on scheduled good will"
fight to Moscow sponsored by the
British-Sov Friendship Society
and the British Society for Cul-
tural Relations, Cancelled his
ticket shortly before the airliner
left.
A reporter who phoned DR..
Burhop at his home was cut off
with the statement: Before you
say anything. I have no COM
ment." Later DR.. Burhop told
newsmen he never had access to
documents of secret or restricted
nature and has had no connec-
ton with atomic energy projects
for six years.
DR.. Burhop, 40-year-old Aus
tralian, signed the Communist
sponsored peace petition" last
October. At British Soviet
society session two years ago he
ducked the question Are you a
Communist" with the declara-
tion:
"A mans politics-like his re-
ligion-are a private matter"
DR.. Burhop refused to say
whether he was the scientist re-
ferred to by the Foreign Office
spokesman.
Il was to have gone to Moscow
today but have not done So" he
said. Il do not see why I should
confirm that I am the scientist
referred to as having his passport
Iimpounded."
An informant said the Foreign
Office official whose passport was
Cancelled has been suspended from
duty. He refused to say what
rank the official held.
The spokesman said the scien-
tist was notified Thursday that
his passport had been Cancelled
The passport has not been re-
turned as yet9 to the Foreign
Office and immigration authori-
ties have been ordered to impound
1t If the scientist attempts to use
it.
Action Explained.
This action was taken because
it was not considered In the ma
tional interest that this gentleman
should make his proposed journey
to Moscow at this time" the
spokesman told his regular daily
news conference.
He told neWSmen that the SCI
enlist was in possession of valu-
able scientific knowledge but re-
fused to say exactly what the
knowledge was.
The Foreign Office officials
was withdrawn 'as the
result Of certain inquiries"
He gave it up when requested
and it is now in the possession of
the Foreign Office" the spokes-
man added. "As a precautionary
measure the Home Office was
asked in this case also to instruct
the immigration authorities to
inform the Foreign Office should
the official concerned attempt to
leave the country" the spokes-
man said.