Evening star., 1955-11-06

The long-range import o
depend on whether the subc'
departmental witnesses, pierce
merely rustles it.
Advance QUESTIONABLE mate
rial by 6l agencies provided SUBJ
stantial light as well as many
leads for further searching into
the subject. It also cast shadows
on the policies and practices Of
giving out or holding back infor-
nation about agency activities,
Representative Moss, 42-year-
old California Democrat who
heads the subcommittee, said
yesterday that some Of the Cow
ernment's public relations poll
cies give an impression that .the
public is being treated as II 1t
could not be trusted with ir-
formation to which 1t is right
fully entitled"
May Get Good Start
He and his fellow members Of
the subcommittee. Representa-
tives Fascell, Democrat Of Flor
ida. and Hoffman, Republican
of Michigan, have served on the
House Government Operations
COMMITTEES long enough to have
experienced some difiicuIty them
selves in extracting information
from various agencies in the
past.
Despite q small, selected list
of departmental spokesmen on
the witness list and the investi-
gators ayowed purpose to drop
no 'bomhshells.a the subcolIl-
mittee may take q long and firm
first step at the four days Of
open hearings this week. II is
described as determined to avoid
the Micawber method Of waiting
for something to turn up or
of deciding there's no story be-
Tomorrow's opening session
will be arotlnd-table discussion
between the subcommittee and
IA representatives Of the press.
editors associations. radio and
Tv news organizations. and
magazines.
Civil Service Commission, Post
Once, Treasury and Agriculture
Department officials will be
heard on the three following
days. The subcommittee ex-
planned those four were selected
mainly because they generally
are in closest contact with the
public. The Health, Education
and Welfare Department may be
called in later.
Security" Aspects Noted
There is no present plan, how
ever. to include the Defense De-
partment or the Justice Depart-
ment and there is no intention
Of going into security inforina-
ton" as such, the subcommittee
said. But related aspects, rami-
flcations, and expanded classi-
fications Of so-called security In
formation are almost certain to
come up at the round table talks
tomorrow and in Subcommittee
Interrogation Of departmental
witnesses later In the week.
Financial matters also are ex-
pected TO raise pointed questions
By individual members Of the
subcommittee Or Chief Counsel
Jacob Scher. These win deal
with the dificulty experienced
by the subcommittee stan itself
In determining salaries, and in
many instances the identity, Of
employees who classify or dissem-
mate information.
Still another line Of question:
Ing win center on the overall
cost Of public information pro-
grams IN the Government. RE-
plies to the questionnaires added
up to about SO million d year.
That Is known to be far from
the free total, II only because
several major agencies said no
cost computations were available
or possible.
The general problem of Cow
ernment international services.
methods and policies is so vast
that the subcommittee intends
at the outset to ascertain the
basic attitudes OF agencies. It
hopes to explore also the prac-
tices they follow and the legal
authority they have for what
they door don't d0-in keeping
the public properly informed.
A Trend Observed
/ IN It's quest for information as
TO whether any legitimate infor-
nation Is being denied the public
BY administrative Offices, sub
committee sources indicated
there Is considerable evidence Of
. trend toward undue secrecy,
super-caution. or q papa knows