(Testimony of Alan H. Belmont)
Mr. Stern.
Mr. Belmont, in view of the quite important considerations you mentioned before, the danger of interfering with individual liberty, would it be possible within your organization to have the agents recommend to headquarters here and have someone at a higher level examine the recommendation before it is made to the Secret Service? This is, as I understand it, a continuing program and not one that comes into effect only when the President schedules a trip. This would operate without respect to scheduled trips by the President. Would that be possible? Would it fit your operation? Do you think it might help any?
Mr. Belmont.
Well, what is your thought behind that, Mr. Stern? In other words, so that names of persons won't indiscriminately be sent on a local level?
Mr. Stern.
Precisely. These categories are, after all, fairly gross. They use large terms which can mean different things to different people. The considerations you mention, I think, are quite real and important. Would it help any to do something of the sort?
Mr. Belmont.
I think we will find that our agents are using good judgment in this matter. The danger involved in referring these matters to headquarters for a decision as to dissemination is the delay in time and, you will note, we stress the time element that when such information comes into the possession of our agents, immediate steps must be taken to transmit this information to Secret Service by the most expeditious means possible.
This might be of assistance to you. This information which we send to Secret Service in the field is placed in a control file, a separate file in the field, and is subject, under instructions, to inspection by our inspectors as they visit our field offices to insure that this requirement is being carried out properly; and they will examine the type of material that is being sent over.
Each field office is thoroughly inspected about once a year, and that is one of the requirements that they go through this to make sure this instruction is being properly carried out.
Mr. Mccloy.
I have no further questions. I have some general questions I would like to get to at the end, but I have to leave early this afternoon.
Mr. Rankin.
I have one question I wanted to interject, Mr. Chairman, and that is as to statements, Mr. Belmont, about subversives, including persons who are members of Communist front groups. You mean to say that that includes any person who is a member of a Communist front group because, as you know, many leading citizens have been members of such groups.
Mr. Belmont.
Now, Mr. Rankin, I wouldn't carry it by any means that far. It would be dependent upon the front group, the extent of activity in it, and the activities of the individual. By no means would we classify someone as a subversive who was connected with a front group by name or----
Mr. Dulles.
By front groups you mean those on the Attorney General's list; you are taking that as a criterion of a front group?
Mr. Belmont.
No, sir; not necessarily that, sir. There are other groups that we consider front groups.
Mr. Dulles.
I see.
Mr. Belmont.
I am glad you raised that because each case would have to be considered on its own individual merits as to what is the extent of the activity and the purpose and intent of the activity.
Mr. Rankin.
You recognize in the work in this field that there are many Americans who are interested in certain causes and purposes and front groups in connection with them who are loyal Americans, don't you?
Mr. Belmont.
I have no doubt of that whatsoever.
Mr. Rankin.
I just wanted to get that in the record.
Mr. Belmont.
I also know many loyal Americans, unfortunately, who don't look behind some of these groups to determine their intents and purposes, and allow their names to be used where they would not otherwise do so if they took the time and trouble to check into what the organization was.
Mr. Rankin.
So you don't lump them all under the term "subversive," that is what I was trying to get at.
Mr. Belmont.
Right.
The Chairman.
I suppose some join before an organization is infiltrated, too.
|
