Evening star., 1953-11-17
The Political Mill
Caps Seen in Trumon's s
Answer About White
Nub Of BrowneII's Charges
Of Falling to Act Is Cited
By Gould Lincoln

former President Harry S. Truman
last night affirmed his loyalty to the
United States and denounced Attorney
General Brownell's statement that
Harry Dexter White was known to
be Communist spy by the very peo-
pie who appointed him to the most
sensitive and important position he
ever held in the Government service"
The nub of the Brownell charge,
however. Mr.. Truman did not answer.
Harry Dexter White was appointed by
him, his appointment was considered
by Senate committee, and White was
confirmed by the Senate in his post
do anything about the reports of the
FBI linking White with Russian es-
pionage in this country.
In his address to the American peo-
pie from Kansas City, the former
President virtually admitted that he
did not read voluminous FBI report
sent to him in December, 1945. in
which White was mentioned, with many
others, as having engaged in espionage
for the Russians. It was after that
report was received at the White House
intended for his information-that
Mr.. Truman appointed White to be
the United States member of the Board
Of Executive Directors of the Monetary
Fund, new international organization
then being set up.
Mr.. Truman said in his address: II
first learned of the accusations against
White early in February, 1916, when
an FBI report specifically discussing
the activities Of Harry Dexter White
was brought to my attention" Fur
ther. the former President said that
lengthy FBI report on subversive
activities was sent to the White House
in December. 1945, containing the
names of many persons in and out
of Government service.
Unwarned on Appointment.
among the many names mentioned"
said Mr.. Truman. II now find, was
that of Harry Dexter White" Mr.. Tru-
man said, in effect. that the FBI report
showing White charged with Russian
espionage, sent to him in December,
not only was never read by him but
was never called to his attention, and
he was permitted by some one in his
White House force to go ahead and
appoint White to the new important
position without having this report on
White shown him. Either that, or no
one in the White House paid any at
tention to the FBI report on subversive
activities in this country, including
those of White.
So Mr.. Truman exonerates himself.
He did not know. he says, that White
was one of those under Investigation
and report by the FBI when he sent
Whites appointment to the Senate.
From Mr.. TrumanS address, it now
appears it was his then Secretary of
State, James F. Byrnes, now Governor
OF South Carolina, who stirred him to
action in the White case. Secretary
ByrneS sent him a note, along with a
copy of the second FBI report, the
morning of February g. Mr.. Truman
then communicated with the then Sec
retary OF the Treasury, the late Chief
Justice VinSon. White was then an
assistant secretary of the Treasury.
Later the three men conferred, and it
was found that the Senate had Just
confirmed the White appointment
Mr. TTuman's explanation of what
happened thereafter had already been
suggested in number of speculative
newspaper stories. He said that it was
determined by the Secretary of the
Treasury and the Attorney General,
Tom Clark, now an associate justice
OF the Supreme Court, and other Gov
ernment officials that the best course
was to permit White to hold his new
office, since if he was denied it in any
way the FBI investigation of subver-
SiveS, then under way, might not be
effective. The idea was that White
and his associates would be scared off
and go under ground.
Under Surveillance.
Apparently this FBI investigation was
getting more White House attention at
this point than it received when the
lengthy report was submitted in the
previous December White had been
under surveillance by the FBI for a
long time while he was assistant sec
retary Of the Treasury. Obviously, the
FBI was not going to relinquish that
surveillance, whether White remained
in the Government or got out.
One item the former President did
not mention in his address-his letter
to White when the latter resigned from
the monetary fund job in l947 compli-
AASAAUAAA6 VAAVC OIl Auo oCl VIC W IH0
Government. Such a letter seems en-
tirely incongruous especially as Mr..
Truman said: THE fact is that he was
separated from the Government service
promptly when the necessity for secrecy
concerning the intensive investigation
by the FBI came to an end
Mr.. Truman, during the course Of his
address, did lot of name calling and
charged he was being made the victim
OF political attack. He concluded
with denunciation of "McCarthyism,
which he said was undermining the
country.
Mr. Truman's account of what hap
pened in the White case and his dia-
tribe directed at Mr.. Brownell and the
Republicans, however, do not answer
the charges of laxity in dealing with
Communists and fellow travellers. White
was appointed to Office by persons who
should have known, even If they didn't,
that White had been reported as en-
gagged in espionage.
Flower Arrangement