The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-02-12
BY WILLIAM r. ARsocAsr
and WARREN ROGERS IR

WASHINGTON N-Kep. Rooney
(D-NY) said today someone in
the department must have leaked
the story" about the number of
State Department security dismis-
sails effected under the Eisenhower
administration.
Newspaper accounts published
Wednesday said that In secret tes-
timony before a House Appropria.
tons subcommittee Under Secre-
tary OF State Walter BedeIl Smith
had said that of 534 security dis
missals, Just II could be attributed
to reasons Of questionable loyalty.
The first published version of this
purported testimony gave no indi-
cation Of its source. Later versions
were attributed to House members
who asked not to be named. Smith
has not commented,
J. w. Scott Mcleod, the State
Departments security adEinistra-
tor who is now on a Republican
sponsored speaking tour, described
the figures as inaccurate but gave
no others.
~ think Mr.. Mcleod should be
back in Washington looking into
his own office" said Rooney, q
member Of the subcommittee.
Someone in the department must
have leaked the story. The exact
facts In the matter viii appear
when the hearings in question and
answer form are formally made
public by the committee. They viii
speak for themselves"
A State Department spokesman,
told Of Rooney's comments, said
he had no knowledge of any
'1eaks," but he added: Leaks are
very difficult to control"
While Rooney was thus accusing
the department Of leaking prema-
turely information given the House
group In confidence, newsmen
were scratching their heads over
Q curtain of confusion apparently
stemming from the fact that top
department officials are In Berlin
for the Big Four talks.
The prime example Of this con-
fusion has centered around Nc.
Leod and the question: Is he or Is
he not subject to the Hatch Act,
which bars federal employees from
political activity?
For three days in a row, acting
department spokesman Jameson
Parker has been issuing some
times conflicting statements, in
written form, and then declining
further comment. When pressed,
he viii say he doesn't know the
answer but viii get it.
His problem seems to be that in
many cases whoever has the an.
swer is in Berlin or elsewhere out
side Washington. With Secretary Of
State Dulles in Berlin are Asst.
Secretary for Public Affairs Carl
w. McCardle and the departments
news division chief, Henry Suy-
dam. Suydam's chief assistant,
Lincoln White, is touring with Pres
ident Celal Bayar Of Turkey.
Besides the case Of Mcleod,
there was some confusion over the
status Of Ambassador Arthur H.
Dean and whether he would return
TO Korea to resume preliminary
talks with the Communists for q
peace conference.
The department issued state.
ment Monday denying published
reports that Dean was being re.
placed. After the Communists de.
marded, in q note reaching here
Jan. 26, that Dean return and re.
sumo negotiations, department
spokesman said for several days
that = reply would 90 out shortly,
It has not been sent yet, evidently
because Dulles Is dealing directly
with Russian Foreign Minister
Molotov and is holding up the re-
ply.
The snafu over McLeod's speech.
making status continued for three
days.
In reply to questions about the
trip Tuesday, Parker told news.
men Mcleod "a was not on leave
and was drawing his $4,000 IN.
nual salary, CD was having his
travel expenses met by the Re-
publican National Committee, (S)
was 4 presidential appointee not
subject to the Hatch Act, and 90
had had his trip cleared by the
Civil Service Commission and the
State Department legal office.
On Wednesday Parker said this
was incorrect. Actually, he said,
Mcleod "a was on annual leave
with pay, CD was having his ex-
penses met by local groups and
not the national COP, CD was not
. presidential appointee, but "a
held rank equivalent to an assist
ant secretary and had been advised
by the department legal office and
the Civil Service Commission he
was exempt from the Hatch Act.
Then reports were published yes
terday that the Civil Service Com.
mission had told Mcleod he was
subject to the Hatch Act, although
It had no jurisdiction over his case.
Parker then put out a statement
verifying this report, and saying