Evening star., 1953-10-14

will go before the next session
of Congress to ask for a law
that would force witnesses to
testify about their SubverSive
connections provided they them
selves are granted immunity
from criminal prosecution.
In the meantime, President
Eisenhower hung the threat of
dismissal over Federal employees
who claim constitutional i'm
munity from self determination
in refusing to testify at Congress
sional hearings where loyalty is
the issue.
Both these steps have been
hotly debated over long period.
Between them they are designed
to strengthen the hand of Co1f-
gress and the courts in probing
the field of Subversive activity
inside the Government and out.
Executive Ofdef FIRST.
The White House announce
ment, the first of the two. or.
dered that workers who refuse 70
testify on constitutional groun IS
be brought up on Federal Sc
curity charges. The same penalty
will also apply to employees ques-
toned in connection with mis-
conduct charges.
The order permits action
against the employees for:
Refusal by the individual,
upon the ground of consti-
tutional privilege against self
incrimination, to testify before a
congressional committee regard
ing charges of his alleged dis
loyalty or other misconduct"
Press Secretary James c. Hag-
erty said the new order closes
a loophole left in Gen. Eisen-
hoWer's security order of April
7, replacing the previous loyalty
program.
Later, in a speech at the Ma
tional Press Club, Mr.. BroWnell
said he will seek a law providing
that testimony of witnesses can
be compelled, upon grant Of i'm
munity from criminal prosecu-
ton"
Will Recommend Bill.
He announced that "the JUS
tice Department will recommend
to the Congress in January an
immunity bill :. which protects
the constitutional privileges of
witnesses but will, at the same
time, aid materially in stamping
out criminal and subversive
activities"
While the emphasis of Mr..
Brownell's Justification for his
proposed law was strongly on
control of Subversive activity, it
would apply equally to all forms
of crime.
The Attorney General noted
that SubversiveS and criminals
frequently have found refuge be-
hind the fifth constitutional
amendment providing protec-
ton from standardization.
Can we afford to permit these
wrongdoers to try to destroy
the institutions of freedom by
hiding behind the shield of this
constitutional privilege?" he
asked.
Cites Long Precedent.
Mr.. Brownell called attention
to the fact that the principle of
immunity in return for testi-
mony goes far back in Anglo
American legal history.
In recent years, he said, con-
gressional investigating commit
tees "have been particularly
concerned in alerting the Amer
lean people to the nature of sub
versive and other criminal ac-
tivities." Noting that some
people have criticized these in
veStigationS as restricting free
dom of speech and stigmatizing
expressions of unpopular views,
he continued:
''UnqueStionably, every effort
should be exerted to protect the
right of our people to speak and
think freely. We should dread
the day when the people could
justiflably become wary of ex-
pressing unorthodox or unpopu-
lar opinions.
AT the same time, he warned:
"We must also weigh the pos
sible harm to the public safety
(See SECURITY, Page A-50