Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-09

by 0QIHStt ~. IIOIHST
White House Press Secretary
James G. Hagerty says there
was no intention to claim the
Eisenhower administration was
solely responsible for all the
actions against subversives he
listed in statement Tuesday.
His explanation came after a
story in The Star yesterday
pointed to apparent diserepan-
cies and misleading facts In the
statement summarizing Justice
Department statistics on legal
actions against subversives since
the Eisenhower administration
came into Office.
Mr.. Hagerty noted that The
Star story brought out that
some of the court actions were
started under the Truman ad-
ministration.
mo attempt was made or in
tended to make it appear that
all actions in these cases oc-
CURED solely under this admin
| istration," Mr.. Hagerty said.
He emphasized that his Tues
day statement was a report on
the continuing work" of the
Justice Department and FBI in
dealing with subversives through
the orderly processes of law"
Answer to Charges.
The original Hagerty state
ment was issued to counter
charges that the Eisenhower
administration was soft on Com
munists.
Actually, Mr.. Hagerty's state
ment was a bringing up to date
of figures announced by Presi-
dent Eisenhower last June 2 in
statement stressing that "con-
slant surveillance of Commu-
nists in this country is a 24-hour.
7-days-a-Week, 52-weeks-a-year
Job" carried out quietly and
relentlessly" by the appropriate
Federal agencies sin conform
ance with due process of law"
Revising earlier figures, Mr..
Hagerty said Tuesday that since
the Eisenhower administration
has been in Office, the Attorney
General has, among other things,
convicted so Communist Party
leaders; indicted 40, and indicted
one person for treason as we'll
as convicted two for espionage.
Started Under Democrats.
The story in The Star pointed
out that Al of the so Communist
leaders convicted under the
Eisenhower administration were
indicted under a Democratic adj
ministration, with 10 of them
being convicted only one day
after Gen. EisenhoWer's inaugu-
ration.
Mr.. Hagerty said he never had
said that legal action was not
started against some of those
| involved before the Eisenhower
administration came into Office.
He added that in listing Justice
Department actions since Janu-
airy 20, 1858, he felt that Gin all
fairness" every action should be
listed and that the convictions
had taken place since that date.
Mr.. Hagerty was generally
quoted as saying Tuesday that
40 additional Communists-in
addition to the SO convicted
had been indicted under the Eli
senhoWer administration. The
Star story pointed out that only
10 additional Reds had been in
dicted. since nine of the 40 were
included in the SO convictions.
Deleted One Word.
Mr.. Hagerty insisted that in
his Tuesday statement he
had deliberately deleted the
word additional" Confusion
arose from the fact that he had
handed reporters copies of the
Presidents June statement
. and reporters were making notes
revising the figures on this ear
.. lier statement. The Presidents
original statement read:
Indicted 20 additional Com.
munist leaders. :"
Mr.. Hagerty said yesterday
that in revising the figure Of
20 to 40, he had told reporters
to delete the word additional.
Most reporters did not under.
" stand this at the time.
j The Star story also noted thai
r the one treason indictment citec
in the Hagerty Tuesday state.
) ment had nothing to do with
' communism" because it con.
: cerned John D. Provoo, indicted
= on treason charges growing out
o of his relations with japanese
!" forces on Corregidor in Worlt
h War II.
Mr.. Hagerty said yesterday HI
b had never said this case die
have anything to do with com.
d munism. He pointed out tina
! his statement was a record O.
]. Government action lin dealing
50 with subversives.
! Convicted in 1853.
;, The two convictions for espi
s. onage noted by Mr.. Hagerty, TIL,
: Star story pointed out, involved