Evening star., 1952-06-26
u. S. Agents Investigate Motive
Behind False Tip on baltimore

but not behind-the Iron Cur
tain.
His position-more than that of
an ordinary employe-in Seattle
travel agency lent more than ordi-
nary credence to his reports on
Mr.. baltimore.
BY coincidence or calculation,
there were some other develop
|ments that were taken at first as
Icorroboration. One of these was
discovery that Mr.. baltimore had
talked to Johns Hopkins Univer-
|sity authorities about taking sab
batical leave for a year. Others
Cannot be disclosed. Mr.. Latti-
more later explained he had con-
lsidered going to India for a year to
teach in the University of New
Delhi, but nothing came of it.
The Star learned that the first
CIA report in the matter went to
the State Department out of regu-
lar channels. passing along de-
tailed information about Mr.. Lat
timore'S purported itinerary as
from one of GAS contacts, with
out any qualifications as to evalu-
alton Of the information.
Flat Assertion Made.
The CIA report, reaching the
State Department May 26, con-
tanned the fiat statement that Mr.
baltimore would leave June 21 on
a trip to Russia. It added that
his tickets had been paid for and
forwarded to him.
According to detailed timer
airy in the report, Mr.. baltimore
was to leave New York in an Air
France plane on June 81 and ar
rive in Paris June %. From there
he was to go on to Berlin, Kiev
and Moscow by other air lines. A
return itinerary by the same route
but with open dates was listed
After preliminary inquiries, the
State Department sent it's formal
request for stop-order against
Mr.. baltimore leaving to Customs
on June 6. The FBI already hac
been brought into the investiga.
ton.
On June 10, CIA submitted 6
subsequent report from it's same
Seattle informant that the trave
arrangements had been Cancelled
and adding some details abou
how they were supposed to hav'
been made.
This report said the tickets wer
purchased on or about April q
by an attorney who had arrange,
travel for Mr.. baltimore in tn
past. It said the attorney pal,
for the tickets and they wer
mailed to Mr.. baltimore by tn
travel agency.
i Tickets Reported Returned.
u Then during the first week i
!, June, the June 10 report said, tn
attorney who had bought tn
tickets returned them and re
ceived refund, stating that MI
baltimore had Cancelled his tri
because of the unfavorable pub
licity it would entail.
1t was not until last Monday
June 23-that the FBI reporte
an interview with the CIA's in
, formant in which he admitted tn
5 whole report about Mr.. Lattimor
5 was complete fabrication.
In the meantime, the attorne
, involved in the false report ha
, denied making the alleged trave
, arrangements. The Seattle gran
Jury is expected to question
among others, the travel agenc
official, the attorney he name
land the CIA officials who receives
1.-THE reports.
Importance attached to the in
| quiry here was demonstrated b
disclosure yesterday that Attor
, ney General McGranery had sen
; one of his top special assistant:
Joseph A. Lowther, to Seattle t
help United States Attorney .
Charles Dennis there present tn
matter to the grand jury
President Truman's interest i
the case was confirmed by Whit
d House Press Secretary Josep
Short, who said the President ha
j. asked for and obtained a "fill-ir
!. on the situation from the Stat
l. Department.