Evening star., 1955-06-22
BY L. EDGAR PRINA

1COAS sc W MNofASet uN~SeHS~
Of being ruthless" and "dicta-
torial" IN his handling of en-
ploye security In the Small Busi-
ness Administration, said today
that he modelled his office after
the FBI.
In an interview with The Star,
the first he has granted since
two former subordinates told a
Senate subcommittee last week
that he had used the security
program as a tool to eliminate
personnel unjustly under civil
service procedures, Mr.. McDavitt
asserted:
II never evaluate a file or
make a recommendation in
either a security or suitability
case.
II have modelled this Office as
nearly as I can after the FB1.
They do not evaluate or recon-
mend and that's one reason they
have stayed out of trouble these
many years"
Mr.. McDevitt, slightly built,
bespectacled man, with a reced-
ing hair line. is the director OF
SBA's Office of compliance and
security.
Despite the serious allegations
directed against him by two OF
his former investigators at SBA
Clarence E. Clarke and LOUIS
j. Lyell-Mr. McDavitt said ne
bears no grudge or ill-feeling.
II don't want to criticize either
Of the boys" he said. They're
both young-and ambitious. Per-
haps they thought they were
doing right"
Mr.. McDavitt said he did not
want to discuss the Clarke-Lyell
testimony, but he took up two
Of their accusations.
First, he denied having set UP a
special teachers index" He
said there is no such thing, to
my knowledge. He observed that
being In the investigative busi-
ness for 26 years "a lot Of infor-
nation flows into my Office" on
many kinds of people.
Denies Accusation
Second, he denied seeking "let-
tiers of recommendation" from
his subordinates. He explained
the matter as follows:
Robert Montgomery, SBA dep
uty administrator, told him that
he had been informed that there
was a morale problem in Mr.. Nc
Davitt's Office. The deputy re-
quested information on COM
plants and criticism.
Mr.. McDavitt asked every one
In the Office to write a memo
randum so he could advise Mr..
Montgomery as to whether there
was a morale problem.
Q II told them to put anything
and everything in the memos
they desired" he said. That's
all there was to it,"
Samples of these letters read
into the record at the Senate
Civil Service subcommittee hear
ing indicated that MI. McDavitt
received resounding vote of
confidence from his subordinates.
A framed statement entitled
Loyalty" hangs in Mr.. McDav-
tits Office. 1t reads:
IF you work for a man, in
heavens name work for him;
speak well of him and stand by
the institution he represents. Re-
member-an ounce of loyalty is
worth more than a pound of
cleverness.
IF you growl, condemn and
eternally find fault, why not re-
sign your position and when you
are on the outside, damn TO
your hearts content-but as long
as you are part of the institu-
ton do not condemn it; if you
do, the first high wind that comes
along win blow you away. and
probably you will never know
why"
Plans No Reply
When attention was called to
the statement, author anony-
nous, Mr.. McDavitt smiled and
said:
II guess there were a couple
of fellows who weren't impressed
by it."
He indicated that he would
not demand a chance to testify
in reply to the Clarke-Lyell
charges, but that he was pre-
pared to answer any questions
the subcommittee might want to