Evening star., 1952-09-06
DR.. Condor Declares
He Cleared Himself
Before Red Probers
Dy the Assoeioted Press

BY the AsSoeoted Press
CHICAGO, Sept. GA former
top government scientist once
labeled "the weakest link in our
atomic security chain" says he has
cleared" himself before the
House Un-American Activities
Committee.
After six hours of intensive
questioning yesterday, DR.. Edward
U. Condon-head Of the National
Bureau Of Standards for nearly
six yearS-said:
... This could have been cleared
up If it was done four years ago
but better late than never"
The House committee, which
made the weakest link" charge
in l948. has not yet recorded its
opinion on DR.. Condon's testi-
mony-his first sworn statements
before the group since the charge
was leveled.
Representative Jackson, Repub-
1ican, Of California, a committee
member, said the group may have
a report ready when it resumes
hearing in Washington on Octo-
ber Is.
Guards on Duty.
DR.. Condon's testimony ended
four days of hearings by the COM
mittee which at times was pro-
tected by guards armed with riot
guns following disturbance
Tuesday when jeering picketS at
tempted to enter the crowded
hearing room in the United States
courthouse.
DR.. Condon-while admitting
association with men named in
testimony before the committee
denied that he was ever a Com
munist, had ever consciously
known a Communist. or had vio-
lated Government security regu-
lations in any manner.
Representative Jackson COM
mented: ...
"It may be the long arm of
coincidence, but the most diff
cult consideration before this
committee is that one in the most
vital position in time of war would
number among his friends,
acquaintances and contacts the
men named in testimony at this
hearing"
Rejected Atomic Duties.
DR.. Condor had said he had as
house guests scientists who re-
fused to answer questions about
communism at committee hear
ings.
The former Government .scien-
tist, who was Bureau of Stand
ards director from 1945 to 1851,
was questioned at length by Fran
els Tavenner, the committees
chief counsel, about his rejection
in 1912 Of an assignment to work
on atomic bomb development at
Los AlamoS. N. Mex. a part of
the so-called Manhattan project.
Mr.. Tavenner said DR.. Condor
rejected the assignment after
spending month at Los Alamos
on grounds that he found en-
phasis on security "morbidly de-
pressing" DR.. Condor said that
at the time he preferred t6scon-
centrate on a radar develGpment
project he was then working on
for Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Joined Soviet Group.
Or, Condor told the committee
he had social contacts with en-
ployes of embassies Of Iron Cur
tain countries but added that at
the time he knew nothing of any
alleged off color activities by any
of them.
He testified that in 1943-45 he
was board member of the Pitts
burgh branch of the National
Col1ncil Of Soviet
Friendship. and was member of
the American-Soviet Science So
ciety.
.M1' 4dVciulcI SdlO tIlc NdIlOIldl
Council of American Soviet +;
friendship later was cited as a
subversive group by the then At
torney General Tom Clark. ,
DR.. Condor also acknowledged
that he may have been ''indis-
Greet" in authorizing in 1946 the
sending of letters to bureau en-
ployeS stating:
-"It has been suggested by DR..
Condor that you might be inter-
ested in becoming a member" of
the American-Soviet Science So
ciety.
He confirmed for the committee
evidence that in 1916 he told a
Washington audience I'VE must
welcome their (Soviet) scientists
in our laboratories as they well
come ours in theirs"
Dr.. Condor said the Soviets that
year invited American scientists to
Moscow for a science meeting.
DE- Condor now is director of
research at the Corning Glass ;
Works, Corning, N. Y. i