Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-30

general manager reviewed the
testimony and the findings and
recommendation OF the Gray
board and the briefs: his con-
clusion that DR.. Oppenheimer's
clearance should not be REIN
stated was submitted to the
Commission on June IL, 1854.
Prior to these proceedings, the
derogatory information in Gov
eminent files concerning DR..
Oppenheimer had never been
weighed by any board on the
basis of sworn testimony.
Result of Hearings.
The important result of these
hearings was to bring out
significant information bearing
upon DR.. Oppenheimer's char
acter and associations hitherto
unknown to the Commission and
presumably unknown also to
those who testified AS character
witnesses on his behalf. These
hearings additionally established
as fact many matters which
previously had been only allega-
tionS.
In weighing the matter at
issue, we have taken into ac-
count DR.. Oppenheimer's past
contributions to the atomic
energy program. At the same
time, we have been mindful of
the fact that the positions of
high trust and responsibility
which DR.. Oppenheimer has oc-
cupied carried with them a COM
mensurately high obligation of
unequivocal character and con-
duct on his part. A Government
official having access to the
most sensitive areas of restricted
data and to the innermost de-
tails of national war plans and
weapons must measure up to
exemplary standards of RELIABLE
ity, Self-diScipline and trust
worthiness. DR.. Oppenheimer has
fallen far short of acceptable
standards.
classification" Charged.
The record shows that DR..
Oppenheimer has consistently
placed himself outside the rules
which govern others. He has
falsif1ed in matters wherein he
was charged with grave RESPONSE
bilities in the national interest.
In his associations he has re-
peatedly exhibited a willful dis
regard of the normal and proper
obligations of security.
AS to Character:
/. DR.. Oppenheimer has now
admitted under oath that while
in charge of the Los AlamoS
laboratory and working on the
most secret weapon development
for the Government, he told Col.
Pash a fabrication of lies. Col.
PaSh was an officer of military
intelligence charged with the
duty of protecting the atomic
weapons project against spies.
DR.. Oppenheimer told Col. Pash
in circumstantial detail of an
attempt by a Soviet agent to
obtain from him information
about the work on the atom
bomb. This was the Haakon
Chevalier incident. In the hear
ings recently concluded, DR..
Oppenheimer under oath swears
that the story he told Col. Pash
was a whole fabrication and
tissue of lies"
Which Was the Lie?
1t is not clear today whether
the account DR.. Oppenheimer
gave to Col. PaSh in 1943 con-
corning the Chevalier incident
or the story he told the Gray
board last month is the true
version.
If DR.. Oppenheimer lied in
1943, as he now says he did, he
committed the crime of know
ingly making false and material
statements to a Federal officer.
If he lied to the board, he COM
perjury in 1854.
2. DR.. Oppenheimer testified
to the Gray board that if he had
known Giovanni RosSi Lomanitz
was an active Communist or that
Lomanitz had disclosed informa-
ton about the atomic project
to an unauthorized person, he
would not have written to Col.
Lansdale of the Manhattan
District the letter of October 10,
1943, in which DR.. Oppenheimer
supported the desire of Lomanitz
to return to the atomic project.
The record shows, however,
that on August &c, 1943, DR..
Oppenheimer told Col. Pash
that he (Oppenheimer) knew
that LOmanitz had revealed in
formation about the project.
Furthermore. on September IL,
1943, DR.. Oppenheimer told Col.
LanSdale that he (Oppenheimer)
had previously learned for a fact
that Lomanitz was a Communist
Party member.
Lambert Incident.
90 In 194S, DR.. Oppenheimer
indicated to Col. Lansdale that
he did not know Rudy Lambert,
a Communist Party functionary.
In fact, DR.. Oppenheimer asked
Col. Lansdale what Lambert
looked like. Now, however, DR..
Oppenheimer under oath has adj
mitted that he knew and had
seen Lambert at least half a
dozen times prior to 1913; he
supplied a detailed description
of Lambert: he said that once
or twice he had lunch with
Lambert and Isaac Folkoff,
another Communist Party func-
tionary, to discuss his (Oppen-
heimer's) contributions to the
Communist Party; and that he
knew at the time that Lambert
was an official in the Communist
Party.
"a In 1949 DR.. Oppenheimer
testified before a colSed session