Evening star., 1954-09-17
Censure Unit Studies
Handling Of Secrets
And Espionage Law
By Cecil Holland

Senators investigating CEN
sure charges against Senator
Mccarthy are making a detailed
study Of the handling of classi-
fed Government documents in
relation to the espionage laws
and other regulations.
This was learned today as the
six-man committee headed by
Senator Watkins. Republican, of
Utah, continued its closed-door
sessions applying the facts and
law to the censure charges pre-
ferred against Senator Nc
Carthy.
One of the charges is that the
Wisconsin Republican received
and used a classified FBI docu-
ment in possible violation of the
espionage laws. This is the two
and-one-quarter page letter
which became a controversial
issue in the Army McC Carthy
hearings.
The letter, it was brought out,
was taken largely from an FBf
memorandum marked "confiden-
tial" sent to Army intelligence
on possible security risks at the
Army's Fort Monmouth IN. j.
radar laboratories.
Received in Evidence.
The Censure Committee re-
ceived the letter in evidence but
decided to keep its contents Sc
cret. Both Senator Mccarthy
and his attorney. Edward Ben
nett Williams, argued the letter
used by the Wisconsin Republic
can in the Army McC Carthy
hearings was not classified prop
erly and it's contents, with
names of persons deleted, could
be released.
The use of the FBI letter and
his invitation to Government
workers to become his inform
ants on corruption, communism
and treason in the Government
were reported yesterday as the
two of the five main charges
against Senator Mccarthy that
are receiving the special commit
tees most serious attention.
In connection with the FBI
document, Mr., Williams. it was
learned, has been requested to
file with the committee by to-
morrow a brief on the applica-
bility of the espionage laws.
AS the committee worked on
its report, with indications that
it would be completed some time
next week, Senator Mccarthy
announced plans of his own for
the fall election campaigns.
Plans Three Speeches.
He said he would make only
three speeches, except for pos
sible radio and television ap-
pearances he said he had been
asked to make.
In announcing his schedule,
he said he was faced with the
choice of resuming his Senate
Investigating Subcommittee's
work of exposing graft, COR
ruption and Communists inher-
tied from the prior administra-
tion," or trying to assist Re
publican candidates for Office.
He said he had decided his
investigative work would be
more effective than campaign
speeches. However. he did not
announce what Investigations he
planned to undertake.
More effective"
"I feel this will be more ef-
fective than campaign speeches
in proving that the Republican
Party is not represented by those
few people who have misunder-
stood the Republican promise to
clean up the mess to mean to
, classify them" the Senator said
In an announcement released by
his Office. Those few are the
type of people who would have
started censure proceedings
against Paul Revere for giving
out military secrets in his mid
night ride"
The Senator's statement did
not name "those few people" he
referred to.
His announced speaking en-
gagements which he said he had
committed himself to some time
ago, are in Omaha, Nebr.. Sep
tember 25; Wheaton, ILL.,. Sep
tember IS, and Bloomington, ILL.,,
October /.
The Senator said the Septem-
ber Is and october / speeches
would be to "non-political
groups" The other is expected
to boost Joseph Meek, the Re-
publican candidate opposin g
Senator Douglas, Democrat, Of
Illinois.