Evening star., 1951-04-29
Case Asks Shift
OF State Dept.
AideShot inC|ub
Senator Demands
Peterson Be Given
'Non-Security' Job
By Don S. Warren

NSh
By Don S. Warren
The transfer to a mon security"
job of a State Department en-
ploye wounded March 81 in an
after-hours bottle club here was
demanded last night by Senator
Case. Republican, Of South Da-
kota.
The ernploye is Earl Kermit
Peterson, 43. special assistant to
the chief of the Compliance
Branch of the Munitions Division
of the State Department, who did
screening work on export and i'm
port licenses for implements Of
war;"
Senator Case, a critic of the
State Department, told reporters
he considered Mr.. Peterson's job
at least somewhat sensitive" to
security and added:
"Any one in such a position who
is present at am. in an after
hours club where a situation OF
excessive drinking and gambling
is reported is in a compromising
situation"
Makes no Personal Charges.
While he emphasized he was
making no charges against Mr..
Peterson, the Senator said any one
in Mr.. Petersons position found
in such a situation lays himself
open to the suspicion he might
do zoo much talking"
Mr.. Peterson and a Navy yeo-
man. Miss Margaret Morris, were
bystander victims of the shooting
March 81 at the Downtown Club
COG E street NV, when one man
was killed after an argument.
Mr.. Peterson was wounded in
the thigh by a stray shot and Miss
Morris was struck in the ankle.
Senator Case early in April took
the Senate floor to demand a
Senate investigation of bottle clubs
and all related law enforcement
problems, and called on the State
and Navy Departments for re-
ports on the two incidental vic
tins.
Replies Made Public.
Yesterday he made public re-
plies from both departments.
He voiced qualification" over
the report from Navy Secretary
Matthews. which said that Miss
Morris had been permanently de-
tached from her brief assignment
| in the Office of the Secretary of
the Navy. She had been there
only 16 days and her secretarial
work had been extremely rou-
tine" Secretary Matthews said.
But Senator Case took issue
with the report for the State De-
partment by Deputy Undersecre-
tary Carlisle Humelsine. calling
! it unsatisfactory"
| The Humelsine report said Mr..
Peterson'S duties principally con-
Icerned "the screening of applica-
tions for export and import IL
censes from the viewpoint OF
compliance with laws and regula-
tions relating to munitions con-
troll and to determine whether
the end use Of any such shipments
may be consistent with United
States policies generally"
Other Duties Outlined
| Mr.. Humelsine also said Mr..
Peterson'S duties included work on
the registration of manufacturers,
importers mad exporters of NUM-
tions; the clearance Of flights by
non-scheduled American aircraft
over foreign territory; the analysis
and evaluation in connection with
the foregoing Of information co.,
cerning the international traffic in
arms; the drafting Of laws, regula-
tions and orders affecting muni-
tions control: and the co-ordina-
ton of compliance functions with
other offices Of the department
and as necessary with other United
States agencies.
Mr.. Humelsine advised. Senator
Case that while this work require:
technical skill and vigilance ii
is not sensitive work in the sense
that important policies are ini-
tiated or modified therein"
Mr.. Humelsine concluded: "Em.
ployes of this branch have acces:
to such classified material as i.
required to perform the screening
and other compliance duties o'
Ithe Munitions Division. Unau.
thorized disclosure Of certain o.
: this material, although having M
effect on United States politico'
strategic objectives would not be
in our best interests.
Careful investigation by the de.
partment of the incident involv.
ling Mr.. Peterson has failed to re.
Iveal any basis for believing thai
security has been compromised.
Il n H.. eI IV n,,ls.