Letter, Assistant Secretary of Defense Fred Seaton to Senator Joseph McCarthy Regarding Accusations of Communists Working in Defense Facilities

OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON 25, D.C. June 3, 1954 STATES OF LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS The Dear Senator McCarthy: I am writing you in reference to the action of the Special Subcommittee yesterday in unanimously recommending to you as the Chairman of the Permanent Investigating Subcommittee that the names of some 130 alleged Communists in Defense plants be furnished the Secretary of Defense. In order that the record be clear, I was advised last evening (June 2) that your office had telephoned mine about 6:30 P. m. that you requested that instead of sending the names to the Department of Defense forthwith that either myself or someone designated by me as a representative of the Department of Defense meet with you during the luncheon recess around 12:30 P.m. on June 3 to "discuss in some detail" the circumstances involved in the case and case histories rather than just delivering a list of the names involved. It is my understanding that your office further indicated that I should try to reach you that evening or the first thing on the following morning. I was not in my office at that time but I was contacted and returned the call as soon as possible. I was advised by your secretary that you had by that time left your office and that you were not then available. She stated, however, that you believed the names should not be turned over to the Defense Department without some explanation on your part and that you suggested meeting with me for such purpose during the noon recess on June 3, 1954. I replied that the Department of Defense was indeed interested in receiving the names that evening and I suggested the names be sent the Department of Defense forthwith in accordance with the Investigating Committee¹s resolution and that a conference with respect to such names be held as soon as practicable thereafter at a mutually convenient time. She replied that she could not comply with my request for delivery of the names but that she would make every effort to comply with my request that you get in touch with me the next morning. She suggested you probably could call me shortly before 9:00 a.m. because she expected you to be in your office at that time.