Evening star., 1954-12-23

FREIGHTER DRIVEN AGROl
waves, is seen from the air. IT
ern Europe. Note the spectator
might be employed by the Gov
eminent. He said that free Wet
Nam could use his services for
instituting land reform meas
ures needed to save that South
east Asia country.
An Agriculture Department
spokesman said one of the Com
munist-front organizations Mr..
Ladejinsky is alleged to have be-
longed to cant be named be-
cause 1t is in the FBI files"
The other was identified as
the Washington Committee for
Democratic Action and the Agri-
culture spokesman said Mr.. Lad
ejinsky's membership. according
to reports, was during the 1940s.
Mr.. Ladejinsky, however. told
newsrnen: 81 certainly never be-
longed to it."
The departments statement,
in addition to the listed security
reasons, referred also to "infor-
nation contained in classified
reports" as another basis for
refusing to give Mr.. Ladejinsky
| clearance.
Refuses Answer.
Asked what this information
was, a spokesman said, "I could
not answer that" He added that
1t was presumed 1t referred to
information in the State De-
partment's file on Mr.. Ladejin-
sky. including FBI information.
The Agriculture Departments
statement gave no detailed rea-
son for turning down a clear
ance for Mr.. Ladejinsky on
technical Standards.
He served In the Agriculture
Department from 1885 to 1850
as specialist on Far Eastern
problems, and was then trans
ferred to the State Department
to become an attache. He served
with the occupation forces in
Japan under Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur and has been highly
commended for his work there.
He was born in Russia in 1899,
came to the United States in 1922
and became a naturalized citizen
six years later.
Departments Statement.
The departments statement
was as follows:
"Mr. Wolf Ladejinsky does not
meet technical standards and Sc
curity requirements set up by
the United States Department Of
Agriculture for employment as an
agricultural attache. Mr.. Lade-
jinsky is at present a Department
Of State employe. His desire to
transfer to the Department of
Agriculture as an agricultural
attache raises the same employ
ment qualifications which would
be required of any other appli-
can't for such a position. There
fore. the problem Of Mr.. Lade-
jinsky's continued employment
by the Department of State is
different from the one which
confronts the Department of Ag-
riculture.
Two Of the main considera-
tions in employing any iwdivid-
ual were carefully studied in Mr..
Ladejinsky's case: Qualifications
for the particular assignment for
which he was considered. and
security.
1T is understood that Mr..
Ladejinsky has done effective
work in executing United States
Government policy Of land re-
form in Japan. However, there
are other considerations.
Work Described.
AS indicated. Mr.. Ladejinsky's
principal work in recent years
has been In the field of assistance
TO now friendly countries whose
agriculture is relatively unde-
veloped. Such activities are now
being carried forward under the
technical assistance program of
the Foreign Operations Admin
istration. The problem Of an ag-
ricultural attache. particularly
under p. L. $50 recently enacted
by the Congress is primarily to
serve American agriculture. Per-
sonnel who have been trained In
and have been close to American
farming operations and problems
are best suited to MI these at
tache posts.
The Tokyo attache post is q
key sensitive position. and the
person occupying it requires top
secret clearance. The fact that
Mr.. Ladejinsky has sisters Iiv-
ing in the o. s. r., through
whom he may be subject to CO.
ercion Is in itself SUFFICIENT to
deny the necessary clearance as
agricultural attache.
Employed by Amtorg.
According to testimony Of
former Communists. TO have
been employed in any capacity
by Amtorg Trading Corp. re-
quired clearance from the Conn
munist Party. Mr.. Ladejinsky
was employed as an economist,
investigator and assistant to the
Chief Of the Bureau Of Trans
portation Of the Soviet Railroad.