Evening star., 1951-10-26
Gen. Snow Declares
Mccarthy Charge Of
u. 5. Reds 'baseIess

chairman Of the State Depart
ment's Loyalty Security Board
last night assailed Senator Nc
Carthy, Republican. Of Wisconsin
for making what he described as
"baseless accusations" against
Government employees.
Gen. Snow declared that, de-
spite all Of Senator McCarthy's
"clamor about Communists in the
State Department." the Senator
has not contributed "a single item
of new evidence Of disloyalty."
Speaking at a meeting of the
Nu Beta Epsilon legal fraternity
of George Washington University
in Lee House here, Gen. Snow de-
fined McCarthyism as:
"The making Of baseless ac-
cusations regarding the loyalty
and integrity of public officers
and employees, by a person who IS
himself in high public Office, and
who uses his Office at one and the
same time as a platform from
which to shout his accusations
and as a screen to protect himself
from action for defamation"
Calls Purpose political"
"The purpose of it ALL" he
added. "is. Of course. not the pub
lie interest, but political advance
ment in a period of public tension
and excitement"
Gen. Snow, a retired Army Of
f1cer and former prominent New
England Republican lawyer, has
been chairman Of the State De-
partment's loyalty security board
since the start of President Tru-
mans loyalty program in 1s47.
So far as the State Department
since 1947 is concerned, Gen.
Snow told the fledgling lawyers.
I can say confidently that there
are no known Communists in
Government"
Sees Long Range Effects.
Discussing long-range effects of
McCarthyism on freedom of
thought and action among the
american people, Gen. Snow said:
Insofar as McCarthyism re-
strains honest and loyal people
from giving consideration. either
singly or collectively to the needs
OF the underprivileged and op-
pressed, to the injustices and
abuses OF the economic, social and
political life Of this country. for
fear OF being blackmailed as Com
munists or Communist sympa-
thizers it is undoubtedly sup
pressing freedom of thought and
action in most important man
ner.
Insofar as McCarthyism, or in
tolerance in politics is substituted,
for simply loyalty to the country,
for willingness to fight in its
Armies or to give sacrificial serv-
ice in public employment, a stand
ard which requires blind sub
servience to a political thesis,
either national or international,
such as the New Deal on the one
hand. or support of Chang Kali
shek on the other. it is putting
freedom Of thought and honesty
of purpose into a straight-jacket,
which would deprive US Of our free
heritage and ultimately Of our
democracy" =
500 Cases Considered.
Gen. Snow said that, since 1947,
the State Departments Loyalty
Security Board has considered
more than 500 cases of employees
who. have been investigated for
loyalty by the FBI.
"And not one case," he added
"has been found Of a present Com
munist working in the State De-
lpartment."
He said eight employees, during
that period. have been deemed
security risks, but that in no such
case was there evidence of present
Communist Party membership.
About 40 other employees have
resigned during the process Of in.
vestigation. he said.
Contending that "this small,
number" of possible security risks
docs not indicate any noticeable
inf1ltration Of Communists in
Government" Gen. Snow asked
What. then, is all the shouting
about?"
He recalled the old saying that
where there is SO much smoke
there must be some fire." but he
declared that there is mo excuse
for mistaking dust for smoke"
Dust Created by One Man.
.. He added:
'The dust in the present case Is
created by one man, trampine
about the Nation and making, over
lnv,l AWAY, a~o;x, &L~