Evening star., 1954-06-02
Past Mistakes Need Not
Bar Future Clearance

One of the important issues
presented in cases of this sort
Is that of rehabilitation.
Must we accept the principle
that once a Communist, always
a Communist, once a fellow
traveller, always a fellow
traveller? Can an individual
who has been a member of the
Communist Party, or closely
enough associated with it. to
make the difference unilnpor-
tant at a later time, so comport
himself personally, so clearly
have demonstrated renuncia-
ton of interest and sympathy,
SO unequivocally have displayed
a zeal for his country and its
security as to overcome the
necessary presumptions of Sc
curity risk? We, as a board,
firmly believe that this can be
the case, and, if we may be
permitted something in the
nature of a dictum, we believe
that this principle should be a
part of the security policy of
the United States Government.
The necessary but harsh re-
quirements of security should
not deny a man the right to
have made a mistake if its re-
currence is so remote a possi-
bility as to permit a comfort
able prediction as to the sanity
and correctness of future con-
duct.
Can an individual be loyal to
the United States and, never
theless, be considered a secu-
rity risk?
Because the security in
terests of this country may be
endangered by involuntary
act, as well as by positive con-
duct of a disloyal nature, per-
sonal weaknesses of an in
dividual may constitute him a
security risk. These would in
clude inordinate use of alcohol
or drugs, personal indiScretion
Gin the sense of careless TALK,
homosexuality, emotional in
stability, tendency to yield to
pressures of others. unusual
attachment for foreign sys-
TENS. The presence of any of
these items would support a
finding of security risk, even
though in every case accom-
panied by a deep love Of
country.
There remains also an aspect
of the security system which
perhaps has had insufficient
public attention. This is the
protection and support of the
entire system itself. It must
include an understanding and
an acceptance of security
measures adopted by respon-
sible Government agencies. It
must include an active CO.
operation with all agencies Of
Government properly and
reasonably concerned with the
security of our country. It
must involve a subordination
of personal judgment as to the
security status of an individual
as against a professional judg-
ment in the light of standards
and procedures when they
have been clearly established
by appropriate process. It
must entail a wholehearted
commitment to the preserva-
ton of the security system
and the avoidance of conduct
tending to confuse or obStruct.
The question arises whether
an individual who does not
accept and abide by the Sc
curity system should be q part
of it. :.
Another major question
posed by these proceedings is
whether we should take calcu-
lated risks where the nstiOnal
security is involved.
1t has been urged upon us
that where there is lingering
doubt about the security
status of an individual in the
absence of a finding of dis
loyalty or a tendency towards
indiscretion, we should take
a calculated risk Of granting
clearance to such an individual
Il he Is q man Of great attain