Memorandum from Roger Jones to Donald Dawson

Filed by EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT MR. DAWSON BUREAU OF THE BUDGET MAY 31 1952 252-R WASHINGTON 25, D.C. September 11, 1951 WERRY NATIONAL TRUMAN LIBRARY ARENING AND SERVICE MEMORANDUM FOR MR. DAWSON: GOVERNMENT RECEIVED SUBJECT: Transfer of investigations from FBI to the Civil SEP 12 1951 Service Commission. x10-B DONALD S, DAWSON X 2 In confirmation of our telephone conversation this morning I should like to bring you up to date on the status of legislation authorizing transfer of security investigations from the FBI to the Civil Service Commission. As I indicated to you over the telephone, through some lack of understanding which was not serious and which I recommend that we do nothing about, the FBI bill was forwarded to the Congress prior to receipt of formal clearance from this office. Under the circumstances, I felt that it would be best to get the chief agencies together to discuss several proposed amendments which had been suggested in comments on the bill of the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Labor, and also to discuss statements of opposition to the measure which had been received from the Department of State, ECA, and the District of Columbia Government. Accordingly, a meeting was held in my office this morning attended by repre- sentatives of the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Civil Service Com- mission. There was unanimous agreement that none of the proposed technical amendments merited incorporation in the bill since all of them pertained either to matters which could be handled admin- istratively or to the question of central financing, which the Bureau and the Civil Service Commission feel would be a mistake. As a matter of policy, at least at the present time, we believe that the agencies should pay for these investigations on a reimbursable basis. Workload is too uncertain for the Commission to do a good job of estimating cost on a central basis. On the basis of the meeting this morning, the legislation is being formally cleared by letter to the Department of Justice which states that enactment of the bill would be in accord with the President's program. Letters to each of the agencies suggesting amendments also are in process of preparation and in addition to the letters, we shall talk with each of them as to the reasons for rejecting their suggestions. no ach, in file 6/4/52.