Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-04
ne l1:I J Story
Agency Assists in Conviction Of Hiss,
Then Suffers Setback in CopIon Case

States. But in the political up
roar there were steady attacks
on the F'BI investigations as
being something mysterious and
sinister-particularly the use Of
confidential informants and the
manner in which the FBI as
|sembled its files Of information.
Files In Evidence
In all the controversy involving
the bureau and its operations,
there was none which was worse,
perhaps. than that which ex-
|ploded in the Governments
espionage case against Judith,
Coplon in l949.
For rs years. Mr.. Hoover had
jealousy guarded the integrity
of the FBI's investigative files
to protect informants and toI
protect innocent persons from
the embarrassment Of unevalu-
ated reports. complaints, and
insinuations accumulated in the
course Of an investigation, or
received in unsolicited letters
and telephone calls.
But In the Coplon case, At
torney General Tom C. Clark
Ioverruled Mr.. Hoover and per-
United Government attorneys to
place in evidence documents
from the "raw files" of the FBI
to comply with a bench order by
Federal Judge Albert L. Reeves.
Only a small portion of the in
formation in the file was relevant
to the Governments case against
Coplon. Much of it would have
been tossed out as a matter of
course. The FBI files were
Iridiculed as storehouse of
gossip and the trivia was given
prominence above all else.
Hoover Explains
In a letter to his executive as
lSistants and to special agents in
charge at district Offices, Mr..
Hoover explained what had hap
pened:
q. I urged the Attorney
General to seek a mistrial or a
citation for contempt rather
than produce these reports with
consequent devasting harm to the
FBI's responsibility for internal
security. as well as the disclosure
of as yet uncorroborated inform
alton in our files concerning in
dividuals.
THE first knowledge I had
that the reports had been in
PRODUCED in evidence occurred
after they had been presented in
court. The reports introduced in
evidence were selected by the de-
partment and not by the bu-
reau. :"
The Coplof1 incident did more
than anything else TO create a
misunderstanding as to how the
FBI's raw files" were assembled
and were later developed into a
factual report giving a rounded
picture Of a case.
How Files Set Up
A file begins for any number
of reasons-for example, when
someone makes complaint, or
confidential informant. sup
plies information indicating dis
loyalty or q violation of Federal
law. At this stage the informa-
ton might be case OF mistaken
identity. an Uniformed suspicion.
a line of scandal or a shocking
charge of disloyalty backed by
what purportS to be docu-
mentary proof.
The next step is the investiga-
ton. Information is supplied by
confidential sources. Documents
are assembled.
At this stage. the raw file"
may contain information that is
false. trivial. or perhaps ma
licious. 1t also includes reports
on administrative details in the
investigation. the investigative
techniques used. and the identity
of informants.
For the incomplete file to fall
into anyone's hands at this stage
would be damaging to innocent
people and perhaps endanger the
life OF an informant. For these
reasons, the FBI has refused &C
cess to such files to outsiders.
The results Of Investigations
are set forth in the agents in
vestigative reports. These are
the reports containing the infor-