DEAR MR. HOUSTON:

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP57-00384R000400140059-1
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
December 9, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 4, 2000
Sequence Number: 
59
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 9, 1952
Content Type: 
LETTER
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP57-00384R000400140059-1.pdf103.89 KB
Body: 
Approve~or Release 2001/08/23: CIA-RDP57~84R000400140059-1 OGC HAS REVIEWED. RICHARD L.MERRICK THOMAS H. KING LAW OFFICES OF MERRICK AND KING 1624 EVE STREET, NORTHWEST WAS H I N GTON 6, D. C. December 9, 19520 Lawrence R. Houston, Esq., General Counsel, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington 25, D. C. Dear Mr. Houston: 25X1A 25X1A This will acknowledge receipt of your letter dated S December 1952, delivered by oncerning the status of Mr an employee of the en ra ntelligence Agency. Reference also is made to con- ferences and telephone communications between us and with Mme. Efforts 25X1A to reach you on the telephone today were unsuccessful, due to the exacting requirements of your duties. 25X1A as informed me that it is the intention of the Agency to hold an informal hearing concerning on Wednesday, 10 December, 1952. I have asked that this hearing be ccntlnue until Monday, 15 December 1 2 or later, in order to permit me more fully to prepare to represent Mr. s his desi nated re resentative under Section 14 of the Veterans Preference Act, advised me that he received word from you today that no extension of time would be made and that, because I have not been cleared by ,your Agency and for the reason that it is not customary, I will not be permitted he hearing as the designated represen- tative or attorney fo 25X1A First, perhaps I should advise you that Mr. ~s unwilling to submit his resignation under the conditions outlined in your letter. The time therein specified is considered unreasonably short in which to expect him to obtain other employment. There is no assurance or statement in your letter that, after his resignation should become effective if submitted, or even before, for that matter, your Agency would not effectually prevent his obtaining employment elsewhere in the Government service by refusal of proper clearance required to enable him to transfer. Please consider this letter as a formal request, for the convenience of counsel to enable him properly to represent his clientts interests as the designated representative under the Veteranst Preference Act, for a continuance of the hearing contemplated fora period of five days, or until 15 December 1952. Also, please c~6~l~r this a.n application by the undersigned for clearance by the Agency in order that I may appear at the hearing as the desig- nated representative of In this connection, permit me to say that I served in the Army of the United States during the First World War and was honorably discharged therefrom, and as a civilian on the legal staff of the Under Secretary of War for approximately 42 years during the Second World War, during which time I handled many classified documents, including some which were classified as "Top Secret". I do not believe I can be considdred a security risk. Approved For Release 2001/08/23: CIA-RDP57-003848000400140059-1 Approve~or Release 2001/08/23: CIA-RDP57-848000400140059-1 If ~~our regulations do not permit my clearance, then in the alternative I ask that the hearing be held in a place where unclassified matters are handled. I understand that there are a number of rooms of this character available for the use of the Agency. I regret that court and other pressing engagements, including a death and the attendant distractions incident thereto, have prevented me from sooner answering your letter of 5 December 1952. I have this date communicated the substance of this letter to Mr.~th the request that he advise ,you accordingly, which he has y consented to do. This written communication, therefore, serves as a confirmation of what has transpired over the telephone. Permit me to thank you for your courtesy to me and to say that I regret that we have been unable to effect a settlement of the differences constituting the subject-matter of our correspondence and interviews. Very truly yours, 4 --'~' v~, ~~~ Richard L. Merrick Approved For Release 2001/08/23: CIA-RDP57-003848000400140059-1