Evening star., 1953-12-15
BY Cecil Holland
Sicr SsuH corrsspcndent

Sior Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Dec. Three
former Army Signal Corps en-
ployes invoked the Fifth Amend
ment when questioned by Sen
ator McCarthy today in a public
hearing on alleged espionage at
the Fort Monmouth IN. J.)
radar laboratories and else
where.
One Of the witnesses. Ernest
Pataki, testified that 'I was
never engaged in espionage"
A few minutes later, however.
he sought unsuccessfully to
change his answer and plead the
constitutional provision that a
person cannot be required to give
testimony against himself.
Senator Mccarthy refused to
let Mr.. Pataki, now a teacher at
Cooper Union Institute, with
draw his original answer. The
Wisconsin Republican indicated
that his Senate Investigations
Subcommittee would seek con-
tempt action against Mr.. Pataki
and numerous other witnesses
who have appeared in the public
hearing on the Fbrt Monmouth
investigation.
COnfusiOn Over EunetiOn.
Senator Mccarthy, as today's
hearing got under way. observed
that there had been some con-
fusion as to whether it was his
subcommittee's function to prove
espionage. He added that this
was the function of the Justice
Department.
"It is sufficient for us to show
potential espionage" the Sena-
tor said.
He explained this would con-
vince the heads of agencies of
the need for stringent security
measures. Up until last January,
Senator Mccarthy said, there
appeared to be no great concern
"for the protection Of our Sc
crets."
In the past, Senator Mccarthy
has said there was no doubt
there had been espionage at Fort
Monmouth during. and for a
considerable period after, World
War II. More recently he has
said his investigation has not un-
covered evidence enough to prove
espionage in court beyond a rea-
sonable doubt.
Denies Work on Radar.
One of today's witnesses, Mrs.
Eleanor Hutner, said she was en-
ployed in 1942 and 1943 at Fort
Monmouth but claimed that she
was not engaged in any work on
radar as far as she knew.
She refused on grounds of pos
sibles self-incrimination to say
whether Julius Rosenberg, the
executed atomic spy. suggested
she go to work at Fort Mon
mouth. She also refused to say
whether she was a Communist
while employed there and
whether she now is a Communist.
Roy M. Cohn, the subcommit-
tee counsel, produced records
showing that Mrs. Hunter signed
an anti-Communist affidavit in
obtaining a position with the
New York City schools in 1949.
The witness invoked the fifth
amendment when asked if she
was telling the truth when she
signed the affidavit.
Another witness, Mrs. Diana
Wolman Of New York, also re-
fused to say whether she was a
Communist while working for
the Army Signal Corps during
the early part Of the war.
Had Access to Secrets.
Mr.. Pataki said he was en-
ployed by the Federal Telecom-
munications Laboratory at Tut
ley, N. j., from 1914 until 1850
and had access to classified in
formation. He refused to say
whether in the last two months
he had been in touch with per-
sons now employed at Federal
Accommodation or at Fort
Monmouth on Communist mat
terS.
Have you ever obtained clas-
Sif1ed material at Fort Monmouth
and transmitted that to any one
you knew was a member of an
espionage ring?" Senator Nc
Carthy asked.
The witness refused to answer
the question.
Mr.. Cohn said IA witnesses
thus far in the public hearings
on Fort Monmouth and other
.radar research installations have
invoked the fifth amendment.
Meanwhile, other Develop
ments in connection with the
inquiry included:
/. Senator Mccarthy predicted
that Congress will legalize wire
tapping in espionage cases next
year and said this would do a
tremendous amount" toward
breaking up spying operations in
the country.
2. Senator Mccarthy appar-
emily sought to avoid another
fracas with the Eisenhower ad-
ministration over relaxing the
presidential directive denying
security information to congress
sional committees and said he
believed President Eisenhower
would change the order when he