The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-04-29
THE WORLD
TODAY
BY JAMES MARROW

E1Senhower'S new security order
should give the government better
protection. Time win show whether
it also gives the individual govern.
ment employee better protection.
The Truman administration had
two programs: ID loyalty to
bounce people Of questionable 10y
atty; and t2) security-to weed out
security risks: people whose loyal.
ty was not questioned but who
might spill secrets.
The loyalty program applied to
all government employees. The Sc
eurity program covered only those
with big secrets, like the State
and Defense Departments and the
Atomic Energy Commission.
The new Eisenhower move tele.
scopes the loyalty and security
programs into one. 1t covers all
government employees, no matter
where they work. on loyalty and
security.
In doing this the administration
has made some changes in the
way people in both groups are to
get rid of people it decides can't
be trusted TO work for the gov.
,rnment.
The best way to understand the
new program is to compare 1t with
the old.
The old loyalty program:
A man of questionable loyalty
was given a hearing by a board
made up of officials from mis- own
agency. II it recommended he be
fired, the head of the agency or
department could do so. Then the
man could appeal to the Loyalty
Review Board, men specially APP
pointed by the President. If the
board found the man loyal, he kept
his job.
At these hearings the accused
man was entitled to counsel and
to get a copy Of the charges
against him, in writing. There
wasn't one case in 1000 where
this man was told who his aceus-
ers we're. The government didn't
have to tell him. So he got no
chance to cross-examine witnesses
against him.
The Eisenhower loyalty
program:
The Loyalty Review Board goes
out of existence in seven months,
long enough to clear up pending
business. 1t can't take on new
cases. Thus the head of an agency
or department now has the last
word. A man he fired on loyalty
grounds stays fired, with no APP
peal. He gets a hearing before a
board set up by his department
head but made up Of men from
other agencies.
At all stages he's entitled to be
represented by counsel and. as
under the old program, gets copy
Of the charges against him. And.
the Eisenhower order says, be
"ean" be told who his aecuSers
are and can eross-examine them.
But since the order doesn't say
this unjust" be done, it probably
won't.
The old security program:
The top Loyalty Review Board
had nothing to do with security
risk cases, The man under inyes-
tigation didn't have to be told the
charges against him. He could Get
hearing by a board in his own
agency and then be fired by bis
agency head and he had 40 appeal.
But only 10 government agencies
or departments we're covered b.
the Truman security program. In
those places which dealt ia secrets
a man might be considered loyal
but a bad security risk If be drank
too much, talked too much. or,
among other examples. was .
homosexual who might be black.
mailed into giving secrets.
The Eisenhower security order.
Now every government empl0ye,
no matter where be works, can be
fired on security grounds. He. too,
has no appeal if the agency heads
fires him. II suspended while under
investigation, he would get a cops
Of the charges against him. gal
he wouldn't be allowed to cross
examine any aeeaseEs, or eYaG
learn who they were.
Under Truman . mar considered
security risk in y certain 3b
could be transferred 10 another
non-Sensitive 700 in the same agea
ey. Or, Il be Vas fired as 4
security risk il one agencg. he
might be able 70 get q l0b ia 81
agency not handing secrets.
Under EiSenh0wsrs secgrffy
order. covering all seeaeles, q mas
xtiIl could be transferred 10 . neaa
sensitive JOB or Get a Job 10 an
ether agency, but under deiinass
limitations.
NCS each agcney head vii Dr.
eide what JOBS are sensitive whsl
national seeasity s.. and wssss !
security risk ~. Tbs q p*sl8s
great latitude.
It's assumed thss sayuas fired
as security rtAk wa BE- f
@SQk "a 9sk8Sasssnx sssFzfszfse zttsz ssszl