Senator Hill Proposes Complete Inquiry Into Hiring of Undesirables, Evening Star (Article, May 1950)
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Senator Hill Proposes Complete Inquiry Into Hiring of Undesirables
A resolution calling for a "full and complete" investigation of the employment of homosexuals by the Federal Government is pending in the Senate today.
The resolution was introduced late yesterday by Senator Hill, Democrat, of Alabama, on behalf of the District Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriation Committee.
Earlier, the subcommittee unanimously had [endorsed] the suggested investigation on the basis of reports submitted by Senator Hill and Senator Wherry, Republican, of Nebraska. The two Senators, at the direction of the subcommittee, have been looking into the matter for several weeks.
Both Senators submitted separate reports, quoting Lt. Roy Blick, head of the Metropolitan Police Vice Squad, as estimating there are at least 5,000 homosexual in Washington and that 3,750 of them are employed by the Federal Government.
The police officer also was quoted as estimating that "between 300 and 400" suspected homosexuals are employed by the State Department.
Sought Names
The Department quickly said that, to the best of its knowledge, there are no sex perverts on its roll and that if any are found they will be dismissed summarily.
"The Department learned some time ago that such a figure had been mentioned to the Senate Appropriations subcommittee," the State Department said in a statement. "The Department immediately asked Lt. Blick for the names of any persons in the Department against whom he had any evidence of homosexuality. No such names have been furnished to the Department."
It was uncertain which Senate committee would be assigned the investigation, if one is authorized. The resolution called for an inquiry by "an appropriate" committee, since the Appropriations group has no jurisdiction over legislation or personnel.
Senator Hill, in his report, suggested that the inquiry be assigned to the Senate Expenditures Committee.
Immediate Action Asked
Senator Ferguson, Republican of Michigan, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee, told the Senate "The evidence is so shocking that action should be taken immediately."
However, no action can be taken before next week, since the Senate is in recess until Monday.
Senator Hill noted in his report that "It is accepted and agreed that... homosexuals are bad security risks and should not be in sensitive positions or in any positions in the Government where they might in any way aid or abet or be part to subversive activity."
Senator Wherry emphasized the point and said homosexuals are generally regarded as bad security risks because of their susceptibility to blackmail.
The Wherry report also said that, in testimony before the subcommittee, "there was a fleeting reference to a trail of homosexuals leading to a foreign embassy" here. There was no elaboration on the point, and the embassy was not identified.
1,000 "Bad Security Risks"
Sergt. James K Hunter, head of the Metropolitan Police Special Investigations Squad, a witness before the subcommittee, was quoted in the Wherry report as estimating there are "1,000 bad security risks now walking the streets of Washington."
On the basis of testimony by Lt. Blick and Sergt. Hunter, Senator Wherry suggested that consideration be given for an emergency appropriation for the Police Department "for suppression of the crime of homosexualism and surveillance of subversive forces."
Lt. Blick was quoted as saying only four officers were assigned to detection of homosexuals. Sergt. Hunter was reported as saying only two policemen were detailed to checking on subversives.
Senator Wherry criticized the lack of a system that would prevent homosexuals discharged by one Government agency from obtaining employment in another.
13 in New Jobs.
In this connection, he said a check had revealed that 13 out of 91 persons discharged by the State Department as homosexuals since 1947 were employed thereafter by other Government agencies. As a result of his complaint, the report said, the Civil Service Commission investigated and found it had jurisdiction in nine of the cases. He added that seven of them were ordered dismissed, one resigned while under investigation and one case is pending.
Senator Wherry said that, while these incidents emphasize laxity "in cleansing the government rolls," there is "much more to the sordid situation that will shock the American people..."
His report said that Lt. Black had testified that, in one night, police arrested 65 homosexuals in Lafayette Park "directly opposite the White House" and that all of them pleaded guilty.
It also stated that Park Police have names of "some 200 Government [employees] who have been arrested in Capital parks on the charge of moral perversion."
Navy Figures Quoted
The Wherry report quoted representatives of the Office of Naval Intelligence as saying that over the last nine years a file of 7,859 known or alleged homosexuals, both uniformed and civilian, had been accumulated, all of whom have been separated from the service.
The report added that 95 percent of this total resided within the United States and a total of 1,740, at the time of the investigations, lived in the Washington area.
"Army intelligence officers," the Wherry report continued, "disclosed they have accumulated the names of 5,000 persons, in and out of the military forces, within the Military District of Washington, who are known or alleged homosexuals. The names were said to have been gathered since 1946."
It added that the Military District of Washington was "reported to be weeding moral perverts out of the service at the rate of one every six days."
Prevalence Here Not Unusual.
Senator Hill, in his report, included a letter from Dr. R. H. Felix, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, saying:
"I have been unable to find any evidence whatsoever which indicates that homosexuality is more prevalent in the District of Columbia area than in other sections of the country."
