Evening star., 1955-01-20
Wilson Reinstotes Mrs. Moss,
Once Called Red by McC Corthy
Woman Accepts
Non-Sensitive'
Position With Army
BY John A. Giles

Mrs. Annie Lee Moss, who was
suspended from her Army job
after being accused by Senator
Mccarthy Of having been a
Communist, has been restored to
"non-sensitive" duty on orders
of Defense Secretary Wilson.
She accepted the new assign
ment yesterday ION conditions
there is no implication of sub
version or disloyaity."
Defense Department General
Counsel Wilber NJ. Brucker. for
mer Michigan Governor. told re-
porters the action closed the
case Of the 49-year-old colored
woman whom the Wisconsin Re-
publican once accused Of hav-
ing "a known Communist rec
orc"
Mr.. Brucker said the case had
bothered Mr.. Wilson for six
months and that he had
reached into it to make his de-
cision while il was still pending
in the Army.
No Direct Reply.
Secretary Of the Army Stevens.
asked if he had recommended or
concurred in the reinstatement.
refused a direct reply and said:i
"This is an action by the Sec
retary Of Defense and / will
stand strictly on his statement.
The action will be executed i'm
mediately."
George E. C. Hayes. Mrs. Moss
attorney, expressed qualification
with the action and announced
Mrs. Moss. who lives at 1914
Evarts street NE, would return
to her 1885 a year position.
She also is entitled to some 81 900
in back pay.
I'VE are very happy about
the decision" Mr.. Hayes said.
1--WE felt all along that she was
entitled to vindication.
"She has been given. employ
ment identical to that from
which she was suspended and
the action has been taken with
out any implication that she
was a Communist. We are very
happy that the matter finally
has been brought to a close"
Suspended in February.
Mrs. Moss was suspended from
work at the Army's Communica-
ton Center at the Pentagon last
February after appearing be-
fore the Mccarthy subcommit-
tee. She had been a code opera
tor handling tape from a ma
chine. The Army said she was
entirely ignorant of any Of the
contents of the received and
transmitted messages.
In March Mrs. Moss returned
to work as a stock card record
clerk in the Signal Corps supply
section pending final adjudica-
ton of the case. But on August
4 the case was re-opened on what
was termed new information not
previously available and Mrs.
Moss again was suspended.
Mrs. Moss repeatedly and Wig
orously denied that she is or
ever was q Communist both be-
fore the subcommittee and at
Army hearings. The last hear
ing was held at Fort Leslie u.
McNair in September before the
panel Of the District area Se-.
curity Hearing Board.
Wilson Interyenes.
Mr.. Brucker said Mr.. Wilson
personally intervened in the mat
ter because Mrs. Moss had been
subjected to repeated investiga-
tions and that he feared the case
might drag on another six
months. Mr.. Wilson once re-
ferred to Mrs. Moss as this poor
woman"
But Mr.. Brucker maintained
that Mr.. Wilson was not "re-
versing anybody" In stepping
into the case. He said that he
could not make known the
Army's position.
while the case was pending
in the Army, the Secretary of
Defense saw At to become in
terested in 1t and sent for the
file," Mr.. Brucker said. THAT
is all there is to it,
Her attorneys have accepted
the decision on the basis that
there is no implication Of SUBJ
version or disloyalty and the
case is terminated" he con-
tinued.
Mrs. Moss was assigned to the