Evening star., 1953-07-16
4 Doubt or \ Believe?

The agreement between Allen w. Dulles,
head Of the Central Intelligence Agency, and
Senator Mccarthy is on its face a reasonable
one. Mr.. Dulles recognizes the right of Con-
greSs" to subpoena witnesses from the executive
departments. Mr.. Mccarthy recognizes the
delicate and highly secret functions of the
intelligence agency, and is evidently impressed
by Mr.. Dulles contention that its work might be
impaired by questioning its employes-in the
atmosphere of public hearing-in regard to
their duties and relationships.
Under the formula" of the agreement,
agents of the Mccarthy subcommittee will turn
over to the intelligence agency any information
they may have collected in the case of william
Putnam Bundy, an official of CIA. The CIA
will "re-evaluate" this information. Under
standard CIA practice, If any derogatory in@
formation furnished by the Mccarthy agents
is considered substantial, Mr.. Bundy would be
suspended until final determination of the
case.
The reason this formula has been invoked
in the case Of the CIA is that the agency is
dealing in highly secret matters. But the
formula should apply generally, not only in the
case of CIA but in other Government depart
ments as well. For there is an important
principle of orderly procedure involved and it
is time for a reassertion of that principle.
The principle was discussed in an excel
lent speech in the Senate on Monday by Sena-
tor Monroney. more and more" he said, "the
Senate and the Congress have infringed
upon the necessary administration prerogative
granted to the Chief Executive by the Con-
stitution More and more we neglect our own
duties as we eager-beaver ourselves into assum
ing legislative direction of the executive depart
ment." What Is needed, said the Senator, is
return to the philosophy of II believe" instead
of the philosophy of "I doubt" For the effect
of the II doubt" philosophy is to undermine
public confidence in our own institutions of
government and in the loyalty and patriotism
of the men chosen to head those institutions.
The II doubt" philosophy has been exploited by
Mr.. Mccarthy beyond all reasonable limits.
If the Mccarthy subcommittee and its
agents are going to insist conducting in
veStigationS of one executive agency after
another, the inference is that the Senators who
approve of such tactics lack faith in President
Eisenhower, the men he has chosen to admin
lister Government agencies and the means they
possess-such as the FBI and other security
and investigative machnery-to check on the
loyalty and competence of the employees.
Mr.. Monroney predicted that the Senate
itself is to be faced with the decision whether
the Mccarthy subcommittee will undertake an
investigation of the CIA and its employees. That
decision may have been postponed, or avoided
altogether, by the agreement reached between
Mr. Mccarthy and Mr.. Dulles. But it may have
to be made in some other Mccarthy expedition,
and the sooner it is made the better it will be.
Mr. Mccarthy is not the Senate. The Senate
cannot escape responsibility for the actions of
its various committees. It must assert that
responsibility, or, as Mr.. Monroney said, become
an accomplice to the end of subverting this
country to the cynical philosophy of II doubt"
which in the end is as fully capable of injury
to our Government and its institutions as the
Communists.