Evening star., 1954-11-18
Printer 0usfed
From Job as
Security Risk
u. 5. Cites Presence
OF War Veteran at
Red Embassy Fetes

An American Legion member
who is o veteran Of the Battle Of
the Bulge has been suspended
as q security risk from his job
at the Bureau Of Engraving and
Printing.
The compositor, Frank L. Dob
bins, a, Of $3.50 Sixteenth
street NV. told The Star he Is
"bewildered by it ALL"
Although superiors Of Mr..
Dobbias told him his job has no
effect on national security. the
Treasury Department plans a
hearing on the suspension order
which says his working at the
bureau is not consistent with ma
tional security.
He Is accused Of attending
Russian Embassy cocktail par
ties in the late 1940s and Of try
ing to arrange with another per-
son to print material for the
Embassy.
Admits Attending Functions.
Mr.. Dobbins admits attending
two Russian social functions
when he worked for the Darby
Printing Co., which then was
printing the "USSR information
Bulletin" by request Of the War
Production Board.
He said he is puzzled by the
second charge, and does not re-
call ever trying to arrange to
pass along any Soviet business
to anyone else.
Mr.. Dobbins was suspended
without pay Monday, although
he has known since June that
he was under investigation.
Last June, he said, he got a
notice signed by A. w. Hall.
who then was bureau director,
telling him *hat the Treasury
Departments security officer
had ordered his "reaSSignment
to duties where you could not
adversely affect the national
security"
"Inasmuch as you are already
assigned to such duties. you will
continue to work in your present
job assignment" the notice con-
tinued.
Two Charges Listed.
These two charges were in
cluded in the notice:
II. You and your wife at
tended social functions at the
Russian Embassy in Washing
ton. D. c.
"2. In 1851. you proposed to
another person that he arrange
to have a certain magazine con-
tanning Russian propaganda
printed for and delivered to the
Russian Embassy and that he
would be paid a certain sum of
money over the expenses for his
services in making said arrange
mentS."
Mr.. Dobbins was given the
usual 80 days to file an answer,
which he did, pointing out that
he had attended the parties be-
cause OF his job and that he
didn't know what the bureau
meant by the second charge.
When Mr.. Dobbins got out of
the Army in 1946 he went back
to his job at the Darby Printing
Co., and a part of his job. he
said. was working on the Soviet
information magazine.
No Salesman Involved.
There was no salesman ham
ding it. so I worked with people
on the embassy staff on techni-
calities involved in getting out
the magazine" he said. Il didn't
do any editorial work and didn't
have anything to say about what
went into the publication"
He said that because Of his
work he got routine invitations
to attend the annual embassy
celebrations Of the October Rev.
olution.
II remember one of them in
November, 1947," he said. 'The
place was full Of Americans. I
never saw so many generals in
my life."
The Darby firm no longer
prints the Soviet information
bulletin. Officials of the firm
said that when the Korean War
began, they wrote the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and the
State Department, seeking per-
mission to continue printing the
magazine. The permission was
not given, and the account was
dropped late in 1850.
The magazine then was
printed by the Advance Printing
Co. Of New York City. until the
State Department told the RUS
slams TO stop its publication in
July, 1852. Nh
Officials Of the Bureau and
Treasury Department would not
comment on the case, except to
say that a hearing on the charges
would be set as soon as security