Evening star., 1953-01-16
The New u. NJ. Loyalty Check

Under the executive order Just issued by
President Truman, our Government has gone
about as far as it can go to make sure that
disloyal Americans will not be employed by
the United Nations in either the Secretariat
or any of the world organizations specialized
agencies 81
For the order establishes for all present
and prospective American employees of the U. NJ
precisely the same procedure Of investigation,
hearing and review as applies to individuals
now holding jobs or seeking jobs, in the Federal
Government. What this means is that every
United States national who currently occupies
a major position in the United Nations or
who is an applicant for such position, will
be given full field check by the FBI. In addi-
tion, if warranted by derogatory information
developed by the Civil Service Commission in
preliminary inquiry an identical check will
be made even on those occupying or applying
for minor positions in the international organ
ization.
In other words, as explained by State
Department officials, the United States Govern
ment-for the first time since the founding of
the u N-Will now screen and clear, If clear
ance is justified, all the u MS American per-
sonnet This has not been done heretofore,
except in very limited degree, because of
the organizations strictly international charac-
ter and because of Charter regulations govern
Ing Secretary General Lies independent status
as the chief administrative officer of all the
member states However, on his own initiative,
result of number of disloyalty disclosures,
he has been at pains to establish a special
United Nations commission of jurists to give
him legal guidance on the matter, and the
commisson-in its historic report of last
November 29-has counseled him follows:
That he should regard it a thing of first
Importance to refrain from hiring, or to fire,
any employe of the Secretariat whom he has
reasonable grounds for believing to be engaged,
or to have been engaged, or to be likely to be
engaged in any Subversive activities against the
host country" It is on the basis of this ruling
that MIR. Truman's executive order has been
issued.
Accordingly, in line with the order our
Governments loyalty checking machinery for
Federal workers will now be applied not merely
to applicants for U. N. jobs, but to all current
American employees of the Secretariat. These
number between 1,7O0 and 1000, and upwards
of $50 of them (those holding major poSitionS)
will receive full FBI field investigation. The
results will be passed on to MIR. Lie, who thus
will be given much more information than In
the past to guide him i'm his hiring and firing
policies. Over and above all this, the same
procedure will operate in connection with
United States nationals ttotalng about 1,1O0)
In the U. MS specialized agencies, such as the
international Bank.
Belated as it may be, the establishment OF
this procedure is certainly gratifying. AS soon
as 1t is in full operation, 1t will provide the
United Nations with ample safeguards against
being infiltrated-as in the past-by so-called
Americans whose loyalty is so dubious that they
refuse to testify whether or not they are or
have been engaged in espionage or subversion
against their country.