Summary of Congressional Hearings on Fellowship Issue

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SWRY OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON FELLOWSEIP ISSUE Open Hearing of Joint Congressional Committee on Mr.Lilienthal states that program does not relate to secret side of atomic energy development; that purpose isto uncover and develop great and rare talents, and to increase knowledge of U. S. upon National RLsearch Council, an agency of t h e National Academy of Sciences t o administer the program because of reluctance that Federal Gorernment should directly intervene i n education. Cites Strong recommendation by General Advisory Committte and Advisory Committee on Biology and Medicine that pmgram be set up, Refers to lack of National Emphasizes that AEC called Cites opinions of bRC and others that extension of investigation process to now secret work would seriously threaten interests of fellowship program as adole, and would establish precedent of grave and far reaching consequence t o our scientific cxid education system, Points to logical extension t o GI Bill of Rights, non-secret research financed by many government agencies, National Science Foundation, Federcl aid t o educc.tion. Pc in ts to difficult balance between undesirability of paying public funds t o people who have views completely antngonis tic to Constitution, and FederPl Government itself tying strings related to political and economic views and opinions t o educational funds. National Academy of Sciences) interrogated about kcfirms various points mentioned abovu, out that training even a communist adds t o pool of much needed sci cnt is ts, and A t need could release .for gmernment classified service another who possessed no d is qm ll fi cations. (1) Points to J ff ect of F6I investigations in deterring desirable pcople from applying, and t o the damaging effect of disqualification at the most vulnurabla age. ['It is intolerable to me that i n order to assur c our taxpayers that their money i s not bzing spent in the training of communists, we must subject a most precious part of our intellectual resources to the risk of hurt involved i n such investigation, where no question of security is Suggests balancing costs of PEI checks against cost of fellowships to1 or 2 percent who might be disqualifies3, particularly when educcting the latt cr may be agod investment. isas worthy as we believe It t o be, it will Trove itself to young individuals beginning proft-ssicncl careers devoted t o quest for truth, as they wturc and their eKperience broaduns. Suggestg that i f our social and political syst-71 (3) Feels inost important point I s danger of disastrous intervention of Government i n educetion, . kr 1 citing proposal recently advanced i n Congress th2.tsocial and ,Sconomic views of every applicant for scholarship,s under National Science Foundation be investigated by FBI.

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hsked t g Senator Mcchbnhon whether selection of Frei stadt was fa good job", answers, vlyesrtfrom standpoint of potential scientific vzlue t o country; l)noll from standpoint of promotion of whole program i n which AEC i s concerned. hsked by Senator Hickenlooper, feels person who is a comuni st,in sense of accepting principles of Polit bur > , ought not t o have a fellowship. Feds man actually cod t ted to Communism (in extrems and sinister implications of term) who has a l s o taken oath of allegiance to U. S. must be false to oath; hence dishonest and disqualified from fall om hips. Cost of investigations, Senatcr Hickenlooper points out investigation costs about $100, which isa small fraction of tho 99% of investigations would be wasted, assuming 1% educating communists, even i f wasted, thcin $40 - $50,000 t o prevent wasting the smaller sum, Asked by Senator Hickenlooper, D r . Richards feels fellowship holders are in different category from app lio ants for federal employment. Damage due t o FBI Clear?.nces Senator Hickenlooper asks whether elimination of 3 - 4 mzn out of 150 would wreck fellowship would not wreck it, but t h a t system which provided elimination might damge it badly, Dr. Richards replies that mere elimination Oath of kllegiance Reprcsentativc Durham asks how t o insure, except by FBI report,against m king another mistake as serious as the Frei stadt case. Criticizes ' gen-ral arid scientific qualifications of Frei stadt. D r . Richards, admitting Frdistfidt nppointment a rriistakz, suggests fullowship holders sign octh of allegiance similar to that required for naturalized SJes objections t o questionnaire asking cbout memberjbi:? i n communist p:.rtjT, since this includes politic d faith os criterion for educational Rei? iates, when pressed by Senator Knowland, that apr men mmber ofthe communist party, With all tha-c that implies", has no business t o be i n Mr.Lilienthal, asked by Scnntor Xnovrlnnd whether proven and admitted comnunist should have a fellowship, says he would accept judgnent of RX as t o what is in best interests of scientific progress. Says NRC review of situation might find more discriminating way of answering question, Says AEC must accept responsibility for any w r ' r.) decisions made b y NRC, but h e would rathcr than be party to very terrible turn of the road i:i relations between government and education. Thinks it will be sad day for country when Federal government seltscts individuals for educational fellowships,

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Senat w Hickenlooper says government i s sticking its finger directly into education when it supports subversive people with public funds I S emt or Knowlnnd point9 out atomic energy i n general i s distinguished from other government activities,for exnmble, b y unprecedented powers given AEC, Asks why line of distinction cannot also be drawn between hEC fellowships and genural education ; Mr, Lilienthal replies that tho law drawd such aline between restricted dRta and non-secret Would be self defined would b e helpful, but he has not yet been able to find one. ser at or Hickenlooper queries r e apparent abrogation of responsibility bg hEC to private body such as NKL difficulty of problem, says he feels best solution isfor Commission to retain th a responsibility but t o accept .judgment of non-government group about educational matters. Queried by Representativo Elston, says he would prefer giving a communist a fellowship, i f recommended by NhC with judgment of NRC that, political and economic views were irrelevant to future promise, than having NRC withdraw from program, Points t o value of unclassified work (e.g. cancar) t o public at large and points out one nevor knows where gLnius is. States very strong fouling of distaste about Szys aome othcr line or rule th nt admitting communists t o fellowship program, but says deeper and broader issuus persuaded him private nongovernmental organization should se lcc t fellows . Representative Kilday develops by inter ro get ion would continue t o serve even i f overruled ina few individual cases by tha Conqission. Mr.Lilienthal emphasizes NRC is actively studying problem, hoping they will c:ome up with a solution, cvoid interfering with NRC in selection, Rep, Kilday establlshe: with Dr. Richzrds willingness of NIC t o pass only upon men’s technical qualifications, and submif them t o PEC for its final determination as t o wheth-r other factors make him unacceptable. of difficulty is obviated Mr.Lilienthal says that this,hwver, dodges the question o f mcthods of selec ~ ~ o q ,since avowed communists such 8 s Freistsidt area l-ess sc riou s probleui tha more devious types. ii lien thal sees lack of clecir dir oct ive byM r Coq rez s ns cne difficulty ; communist party tias not b w n outlawed. that th a U. S, government has said communists will not be carried on public payroll. &. Lilienthal says this suggests a clear line which would cler.rly eliminate F rie stadt and other nvowad communists. ht the really bad eggs ars more subtle, it isthe% who raise the problem of possibly investigating a11 Senator Hickenlooper answers Qmrd with suggestions, such as lo ys l ty or thor .,Li -1: which will provide ‘an pcceptable solution to the problem, rather than have Federal government impose Senator Hickenlooper further explores se lcc tic n process, su,ggesting that NRC be responsible for appraising scientific qd if ice t ions,letting c government agency decide upon the other qualifications