Evening star., 1953-02-05
Red Suspects 5
File Removed,
Probers Told
Security 'DepIorobIe'
In State Records,
OfficiuI Testifies
BY Gornett b. Homer


officer told Senate investigators
today that ION several occasions
he had discovered significant
documents missing from Foreign
Service personnel files in the de-
partment.
One was his own report con-
corning a possible" Communist.
Another concerned the resigna-
tion of a man suspected of
unusual morals" Still another
was an apparently innocuous
letter written by Lawrence Dug
gan, former high department
official who committed suicide
while under FBI investigation.
After telling the Senate IN
vestigation subcommittee about
these and other missing papers,
John E. MatSon. special agent
in the State Departments Divi-
sion of Security and Investiga-
tions, described the Foreign
Service personnel filing system
as "deplorable' from security
standpoint.
Remarking that as security
officer he is a suspicious man, ;"
Mr.. Matson said he suspected
that many more documents than
he knew about had been removed
from the files.
Witness Intimidation PrObed.
Chairman Mccarthy adj
journed the public hearing short
ly before noon after hearing Mr..
Matson's testimony and called an
Executive Committee session late
today to investigate reports Of
intimidation Of another witness.
Senator Mccarthy said he
thought it important that the
Senate take immediate. positive
action" to make clear that Gov
ernment agencies could not in
timidate witnesses called in the
subcommittees' investigations
into various charges Of inefh-
cheney In Government.
He said it had been reported
that a General Services Admin
istrati0n employe. who testified
recently before an executive SeS-
sion of the committee about the
Governments stockpiling pro-
gram, had been criticized later
by his immediate superior for
testifying before a Senate COM
mittee.
Names Are Withheld.
Senator Mccarthy said that If
this is true, he believes the Sen
ate should proceed promptly
against the GSA official involved
possibly through contempt ac-
tion.
The witness reported to have
been criticized and his superior
were called before the executive
session to explain the incident.
Chairman Mccarthy refused to
name either man in advance.
Chairman Mccarthy brought
out during questioning Of Mr..
Matson that three employees Of
the recruitment section Of the
State Departments Foreign Serv-
ice Personnel Division had been
allowed to resign recently while
suspended on what he called
unusual morals"
Mr.. Matson said it was general
security experience that such
people might be expected to
recruit similar types.
Warning Letter Removed.
Mr.. Matson told of one in
stance in which the file copy Of
a letter to the Civil Service Com
mission warning against other
Government employment for a
resigned Foreign Service en-
ploye had been removed from the
individuals file.
AS a result, he said the file
contained a later letter to the
Defense Department stating that
the files showed no derogatory
information about the individual
concerned. He said the file did
not show whether the person got
the job he was applying for with
the Air Force in Europe.
The clearance" letter was
written, Mr.. Matson testified, by
a woman In the State Depart
ment who recently resigned
under the same type Of charges
that the man resigned under"
Mr.. Matson said his own re-
port, which he later discovered
missing from the files. was writ
ten in 1949 while he was inspect
ing the American Embassy in
Ecuador. This was a letter ask
ing immediate investigation by
the State Department of the
background Of a man In the En-
bassy involved in Questionable
activities. possibly indicating
Communist connections.
He had no reply to this letter,
1cao A1cfSApruIv po0e A.RA