Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-11
Mcleod Would Hire
Security Risk Under
Special Conditions
By J. v. Homer

Scott Mcleod. State Depart
ment security chief. told Senate
investigators today he might be
willing under special conditions
to hire security risk.
He told Government Opera
tons subcommittee, however,
that such action would be very
rare. Under sharp questioning
he said he could not think Of
any example in the past.
The surprise testimony was
offered while Senator Humphrey.
Democrat. of Minnesota. sub
committee chairman was asking
Mr.. Mcleod questions relating to
the case of Wolf Ladejinsky. who
recently was labeled a security
risk by the Agriculture Depart
ment and later was cleared by
the Foreign Operations Admin
iStration.
Senator Humphrey did not
refer to Mr.. Ladejinsky by name
but he asked Mr.. Mcleod how
he could reconcile the Agricul-
ture decision with the clearance
given by the State Department
and FOA.
variable in All Cases"
There is a variable in all Sc
curity cases." said Mr.. Mcleod.
"Our policy is that we will not
be so secure that we can't get
our work done. If we some
times have to hire security risk
to get a job done then we are
going to get the job done"
you don't hire security risks,
do you Mr.. McLeod?" inquired
Senator Humphrey.
II would not hesitate to do so
If it was necessary to get a task
DONE" replied the security di-
rector.
Senator Cotton, Republican, of
New Hampshire said he assumed
the State Department preferred
not to take such action and
pressed the witness to clarity his
testimony.
Example Is Cited
Mr.. Mcleod cited as a hypo-
thetical example an individual
who might possess knowledge of
some obscure language or have
special knowledge on a remote
geographical area in which some
important job needed to be done.
He said if he found two men of
equal qualifications for the mis-
sion, obviously the choice would
be the man who was not a risk.
But If there was only one man
and he happened to be a secur-
1ty risk, Mr.. Mcleod said this
man might be hired. He empha-
sized the situation would be very
rare and he added that efforts
would be made to keep the en-
ploye away from activities of a
sensitive nature.
Mr.. Mcleod defined the term
security risk as an individual
who probably would violate
security-or possibly"
S Clusters Reported
1t was established from testi-
mony of Dennis Finn, director
OF the State Department Security
Office, that five employees were
separated from employment and
228 resigned during security in
vestigations be tween May %.
1858, and September 30, 1854.
Hearings were conducted for
seven and three of those were
cleared. One of the seven re-
signed
Mr.. Mcleod told the subcom-
mittee that in the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1854, the State De-
partment conducted $3.50 in
vestigations of applicants and
incumbent employees. He ex-
planned in some detail the de-
partment procedure, which varies
in several respects from pro-
cedures followed in other Gov
eminent agencies.
Senator Humphrey pointed out
differences between State De-
partment policies and procedures
followed by the Defense Depart
ment and the Atomic Energy
Commission. He noted that the
Acc holds hearings in proba-
tionary cases and asked Mr.. Nc
Leod whether the work at State
would be jeopardized in any way
by following suit.
The witness said he thought
there was a very real possibil-
1ty" that his departments ac-
tlvlty would be jeopardized and
that the question should be ex-
plored thoroughly before adopt-
ing that system. He said, how
ever, that if ample funds were
provided and sufficient addition
al personnel supplied, the change
might be possible.