Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "54538190",
    "label": "Memorandum from Carlisle H. Humelsine to James Webb",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/54538190"
}

{
    "id": "54538190",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/54538190",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum from Carlisle H. Humelsine to James Webb",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/54538190",
    "collections": [
        "Confidential Files (Truman Administration)",
        "Confidential Subject Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/90/5381/54538190/content/presidential-libraries/truman/598863/1066164-09-01.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/90/5381/54538190/content/presidential-libraries/truman/598863/1066164-09-01.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/90/5381/54538190/content/presidential-libraries/truman/598863/1066164-09-01.jpg",
    "imageCount": 4,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/54538190",
    "naId": 54538190,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 23,
            "logicalDate": "1950-06-23",
            "month": 6,
            "year": 1950
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 3,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/90/5381/54538190/content/presidential-libraries/truman/598863/1066164-09-03.jpg",
    "mediaId": "4ea3f4800755709c",
    "ocrText": "- 3 -\ntime to the detection of such individuals and the study of the problem.\nThere are several cases under consideration at the moment. When\ninformation or evidence is received that an employee is suspected of\nbeing a homosexual, an investigation is assigned to one of these two\ninvestigators. A thorough and comprehensive inquiry into the matter\nis made to ascertain all the facts in the case, bearing in mind the\npeculiar susceptibility of such cases to possible malicious charges.\nThe investigation entails inquiries at all places of employment, all\nresidences and habitats. The investigation also attempts to determine\nwith whom the person associates and whether any of his friends or\nassociates is homosexual. All available records, including school,\ncredit, police and other investigative agency records are checked.\nAll character references and other people who may know the subject\nof the investigation are interviewed personally. If the circumstances\nwarrant it, he may be placed under surveillance to determine whether\nhe frequents known homosexual places or associates with other known\nhomosexuals. In all cases the person under investigation is accorded\na personal interview not only by the investigator but often by the\nChief of either the Division of Departmental Personnel or Foreign\nService Personnel, depending upon the service in which he is employed.\nIf the person is determined to be a homosexual through investigation\nor admission, he is promptly separated from the Department.\nThe human element of the problem has always caused us considerable\nconcern and has been made more difficult of resolution because the\nmedical profession itself is at such sharp variance as to the cause\nand the possibility of cure of homosexuality. One school of thought\nholds to the theory that homosexuality is congenital. Others hools\nhold that it is acquired, While a great number admit that evidence\nis lacking that it is either. Some, especially in the psychiatric\nfield, contend that homosexuals can be cured while others who have\nstudied the problem maintain that there is no cure.\nWe believe that most homosexuals are weak, unstable and fickle\npeople who fear detection and who are therefore susceptible to the\nwanton designs of others.\nWe have no evidence, however, that these designs of others have\ncaused a breach of the security of the Department. Yet the tendency\ntoward character weaknesses has led us to the conclusion that the known\nhomosexual is unsuited for employment in the Department."
}