Evening star., 1954-04-23
Stevens Meets Schine
For First Time

Stevens Meets Schine
For First Time
I got back to Washington
September 7. The next morn
ing I phoned for an appoint
ment. l had lunch with SEN
ator Mccarthy and discussed
the cases which the SEN
ator was investigating in the
First Army area. I attended
an executive hearing of this
committee held that afternoon.
There I met David Schine for
the first time.
On October 20, accompanied
by Senator Mccarthy; Maj.
Gen. George I. Back, chief
signal officer; Col. Kenneth
E. BeLieu. my executive Of
f1cer: Mr.. John Adams; two
employees of Senators who are
members of this committee,
and Cohn, I flew to Fort Mon
mouth. I was again looking
for first-hand knowledge of
the security situation, which
was then being investigated by
Senator Mccarthy. I also
wanted to get a feel of the
morale on the post. The hear
ings had resulted in newspaper
headlines of an alarming char
acter. Upon arrival we were
joined by Senator H. Alexander
Smith, Congressman James C.
Auchincloss of New Jersey and
Gen. Lawton, commanding
general.
The following incident oc-
Cured during our inspection
of the laboratories at Fort
Monmouth. Entrance to one
of these, a laboratory engaged
in secret work, required spe-
cial security clearance. I
made an on-the-spot decision
that I would take the respon-
sibility for inviting those who
had been elected to public Of
flee to enter with me. This
included Senator Mccarthy,
Senator Smith, and Repre-
sentative Auchincloss, but ex-
cluded the other members of
the group.
Upon leaving the laboratory,
I could see that Cohn was ex-
tremely angry at not having
been allowed to enter. Col.
BeLieu informed me that
Cohn, upon being denied en-
trance, had in substance said:
This means war Don't
they think I am cleared. for
classified information? I have
access to .FBI files when /
want them They did this
on purpose just to, embarrass
me. We will really investigate
the Army now"
I subsequently learned that
Cohn made a statement, This
is a declaration of war;" within
the hearing of John j. Slat-
terry. countermeasures director
at Monmouth and 1t. Joseph
E. Corr, jr., of Gen. Lawton's
staff.
I now turn to the charges
made by Senator Mccarthy:
l. That I urged the Senator
to go after the Navy and the
Air Force, and
2: That I am guilty Of black
mail.
1 would like to recall events
arising out of the Gen. Zwicker
incident.
On February IS, I made a
public statement from the
White House that from assur-
ances which I had received
from members of this commit
tee, I was confident that Army
witnesses would not be abused
in the future.
Senator Mccarthy said my
statement was completely
false" This was widely quoted
in such papers as the New
York Times, the Baltimore Sun
and The Washington Evening
Star.
The Washington Post OF
February Is carried the follow
ing comment:
Subcommittee Member
Karl E. Mundt, Republican, of
South Dakota, however, said he
agreed entirely with Stevens
statement. Mundt said he felt
Stevens was justified in saying
he received assurances from
members Of the subcommit-
tee, meaning individual mem
bers.' about the treatment of
witnesses"
A United Press dispatch, also
dated February 26, reported
as follows:
Senator Charles E. Potter,
Republican, of Michigan also
told newsmen Stevens was
absolutely correct in saying
he had received assurances
that Army witnesses would
not be browbeaten and hu-
Yniliatad'O -