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OCR Page 1 of 2THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
s
SERVICA
REGORDE
October 24, 1947
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
The following is a resume of the facts regarding the con-
duct of loyalty investigations.
With respect to present employees, the Executive Order
provides that upon receipt of derogatory information from the FBI
obtained through a check of its records, "each department and agency
shall make or cause to be made by the Civil Service Commission such
investigation of those employees as the Head of the department or
agency shall deem advisable. " (Part VI 1b)
There are also other parts of the Executive Order which
indicate the departments and agencies may make their own loyalty
investigations. (Part II lb - Part III 2b)
There, however, appears to have been a change in the think-
ing on this point to the end that all investigations of present
employees should be made by the FBI. This change apparently came
about from the fact that the FBI had been carrying out investigations
of Federal employees under the authority of the Hatch Act, and as the
FBI had been directed and designated by the President to coordinate
all matters related to espionage, etc. and to have jurisdiction over
espionage matters involving civilians. Furthermore, the FBI had an
organization built up to handle investigations of subversive activities
which had gained public acceptance, and to authorize other agencies to
conduct such investigations would be duplication. It was apparently
also felt that the FBI was more efficient than any other existing
organization in this field.
Crystallizing this change in thinking was a meeting with the
President attended by the Attorney General, Mr. Mitchell of the Civil
Service Commission, Mr. Vanech and Messrs. Clifford and Ross in which
the Attorney General, by memorandum of May 1 addressed to the President,
states it to be his understanding that it was the President's decision
that all investigations of government employees against whom there is
evidence of disloyalty be conducted by the FBI.
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