Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, General: Economic and Political Matters, Volume I, Part 2

A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “Internal Security Subcom., Loyalty Security Material”

Memorandum by the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration (Humelsine) to the Director of the Office of Operating Facilities of the Bureau of Administration (Wright)¹

Washington, May 21, 1952.

• Subject:
• Reorganization of the Loyalty Security Board

I wish to summarize here the agreement reached in my office, Monday, in regard to speeding up the operations of the Loyalty Security Board and in regard to reducing the Board’s backlog:

1. Mr. Boykin will continue to devote two Security Division evaluators and a clerk-stenographer to the preparation of case summaries.

2. Mr. Boykin will check and then recommend to me the names of additional Board members. The Board will be expanded by at least 12 new members.

3. A full-time special panel will be established to adjudicate “re-review” cases. This Board will not write interrogatories or hold hearings—cases on which it votes interrogatories and hearings will be transferred to the regular panels for execution of the interrogatories and hearings, at least until the “re-review” backlog is liquidated.

4. General Snow will divide the Board into four panels (in addition to the Special Panel). These panels will adjudicate current cases and handle all interrogatories and hearings voted by the Special Panel. The additional Board members to be appointed will provide him some flexibility and take care of the vacation situation during the summer months.

5. Mr. Jean agreed to recruit immediately one well qualified additional legal officer for the Board staff and two specially qualified stenographers.

6. Mr. Wilber agreed to provide funds, or make other financial arrangements, for the increase of the three positions for the Board staff, the three positions Mr. Boykin is devoting to case summary work and the three members of the full-time Special Panel.

7. Mr. Johnstone has agreed to make available to the Board seven (7) suitable rooms, two of which are to be hearing rooms.

8. I will decide upon three officers to serve as the members of the Special Panel. It appears that a full-time Special Panel will be required for approximately six months.

I should greatly appreciate a concerted effort by all concerned to put this plan in operation without delay. We should be in full swing by Monday, June 7.

Carlisle H. Humelsine

1. Addressed also to Boykin, Snow, Sipes, and the following officers of the Bureau of Administration: Edward B. Wilber of the Office of Budget and Finance; Arch K. Jean, Chief of the Division of Departmental Personnel; Donald L. Nicholson, Chief of the Division of Security; and James R. Johnstone, Chief of the Division of Central Services.