Evening star., 1955-02-24

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|InLadejinsky Case
President Eisenhower got a
prompt response to an invita-
ton to q reporter to submit to
him any information about
"wrong-doing" in his admins
tration.
The incident revived the case
of Wolf Ladejinsky. Far East
agricultural expert fired by the
Agriculture Department as a
security risk and later given full
clearance and another job by
the Foreign Operations Admin
istration.
Clark r. Mollenhoff, Des
Moines Register reporter, in
formed the President in a letter
that the Agriculture Depart
ment has charged Mr.. Ladejin-
sky was "a member of two sub
versive organizations" while the
FOA "has stated fatty that
Ladejinsky was not a member of
any subversive organizations"
What is the general policy of
the White House with regard to
correcting mistakes if it becomes
clear if any executive agency
was making charges against an
individual that were not sub
stantiated?" Mr.. Mollenhoff's S
letter asked.
Exchange With President.
The letter was an outgrowth
of an exchange with Mr.. Eisen-
hover at his new conference
yesterday.
Mr.. Mollenhoff reminded the
President then that in the past
he had "deplored the fact that
certain members of Congress
have attacked individuals un-
justly on the floor" The re-
porter posed this question:
II wondered what steps you
would take if it should come to
your attention that someone in
the executive agency would call
an individual a member of a sub
versive organization when they
had no evidence to sustain that
and it was absolutely clear that
there was no evidence to sus-
tain it,"
Mr.. Eisenhower rejected what
he termed a hypothetical ques-
ton, but said:
when you bring to me facts
such as you just now allege and
bring them so that I can study
them and not answer them in a
press conference where I have
nothing of any other side except
statement of accusation, then
I will give you my opinion, but
not now"
Mr.. MollenhoH came back: us
that an invitation?" but he was
interrupted by. the President,
who told him that if he had "any
information that you believe of
wrong doing in this administra-
ton" he should submit any facts
he had and they would get "the
finest kind of consideration"
A few hours after the news con-
ference Mr.. Mollenhoff took
letter to the White House and
sought to deliver it to Mr.. Eisen-
hover. White House Press Sec
retary James C. Hagerty re-
ceived the letter from Mr.. Mol
lenhoff and assured him that he
would give it to the President.
Mr.. Eisenhower was playing
golf at Burning Tree Country
Club yesterday afternoon and |
was not expected to get the letter |
until this morning. Mr.. Hagerty's |
only comment about it was that |
Mr.. Mollenhoff released it to |
the press before the President |
had a chance to see it."
Mr.. Mollenhoff's letter cited
charge in Secretary of Agricul-
ture Ezra Taft Benson's press
release dated December %, 1854,
that Mr.. Ladejinsky held mem
bership in two Communist front |
organizations" Asserting that |
this determination "is in direct
conflict" with a January Is.
1855, press release by FOA Direc-
tor Harold E. Stassen, Mr.. Mol
lenhoff's letter quoted the FOA
release as saying:
"Mr. Ladejinsky's name was
on the mailing lists, during
World War II. of some of the
front organizations subsequently
cited by the Attorney General as
subversive. He was not a mem
ber of any of these organizations,
and many thousands of loyal
Americans were on the same
mailings lists"
The letter added that despite
the FOA statement, Secretary
Benson continues to reiterate the
charge that Ladejinsky is a
member of two Communist front
organizations. His department
continues to circulate the
charge"
Princess Margaret Sails