OFFICE MEMORANDUM: HIDALGO, BALMES N., JR. UNDER CONSIDERATION.
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF, CLEARANCE BRANCH
To: CHIEF, PERSONNEL SECURITY DIVISION
Document date: 10/18/1955
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10120-10261

RETURNTO CIA

Background Use Only

Do Nor Reproduce

STANDARD FORM NQ. 134

.Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOYERNMENT

M. Winte

DATRE 10115.

surger: Hidalgo, Balies N.-Jr.

commersin.

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STANDAR PORN NO. BE

I CONFEENTIAL

Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENI

DATE: 10 October 1955

TO

Chief, Personnel Security Division

FROM

Chief,, Clearance Branch

SUBJECT:

HIDALGO, Balmes Nieves, JI - #65077

The subject person is under consideration for conversion from contract

employee to staff employee in Panana City, Panamal

116-7

Subject is a 36 year old married man who has been with the agency under

contract

since early 1952.

He was investigated by SSD prior to that employ

ment and was polygraphed with favorable results in early 1952.

Ta.

The key item in this case is his having served the FBI as a member of

he Communist Party from August 1946 until May 1949 when he was surfaced for

he purpose of testifying against the eleven leaders of the Connunist Party.

Subject's service to the FBI was described by the FBI in a memorandum

dated in January 1951 which was furnished to the Army in very favorable terms.

The FBI stated that while serving them "he furnished much valuable, information"

and was considered "a valuable informant." In a statement furnished to the "

Agency in November 1951 at the time we were checking on Subject, the FBI gave

us the same information. Since the date Subject was employed by the Agency

several inquiries have been received from the FBI and from the Immigration

and Naturalization Service..

These requests concern the availability of Sub-

ject to the Bureau and to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for

Intervew and for testifying.

Subject's

membership in the Party and his service to the FBI were known.

prior to his being employed.

He ättached a statement to his Personal History

Statement in which he stated that in October 1946 he was approached by certain

functionaries of the Communist Party who urged him time and again to join the

Communist Party.

He said that finally in November 1946 he arranged an inter

ew with the FBI and following that interviey agreed to join the Party for

the FBI.

As stated above, Subject rendered valuable service to the FBI.

reports that his services with CIA have been satisfactory. These favorable

statements, however, are insufficient to answer a question which has not been

answered in the investigative material available as to why Subject was approached

by the Cormunist Party to join the Party and why they were, as Subject reports,.

so Insistent upon his joining. At the time he joined the Party he was serving.

as a correspondence clerk in a wholesale food company in New York City. It 1s

possible that an answer exists in the fact that the FBI states that Subject

was of interest to them from August 1946 on, while Subject states that he did

not contact the FBI until November of 1946.

the three months gap noted, Subject may have been laying,

the FBI, the ground work for the contact by the Party.

CONFIDENTIAI

B

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14-00000

It is recommended,

therefore, that this matter be discussed with ir.

Fapich to determine if the FBI ever explored and was satisfied as to Sub-

ject's conduct or activities prior to his being contacted by the Communist

Farty functionaries.

*. A. Osborne

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