THE PERILS OF SECRECY

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• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP64B00346R000100250001-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 2, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 22, 1962
• Content Type: OPEN

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - APPENDIX A1351
communism, unless the United States re- can States, seem sound enough to prevail in
verses its policies of compassion, appease- the deliberations of his colleagues. The con-
ment, compromise, and slow retreat, I pre- igressional leaders, who, 3 years ago, were as-
diet we will never achieve ultimate victory; sured by, Mr. Roy Richard Rubottom, Jr.,
and one day America will wake up and dis- then Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-
cover the free world and our allies and our American Affairs, that Fidel Castro, if given
economy are no longer free. Then it will enough rope, would hang himself, have seen
be too late. the folly of such advice. They now know
to be against something or to react: We must
act * * *. I agree-but his boss does not
seem to agree. We don't act.
To me, the way to ultimate victory is a
positive program to persuade our allies to ban
all strategic trade with the Sino-Soviet
bloc, including Yugoslavia, Poland, and
Cuba. As for ourselves, I would harden our
export policy and likewise let it be firmly
known to neutrals and friendly nations alike
that all aid to them will stop unless and
until these nations firm up their policies in
harmony with ours.
The Select Committee on Export Controls
of the House of Representatives will shortly
be submitting a complete report to the
Congress.
Meanwhile, its chairman, Mr. KITcHIN,
made a statement giving his opinion as
follows:
"First. The economic phase of this prolong-
ed, tense cold war is becoming more im-
portant each day. As our military posture
and that of the Soviet bloc approach a
stalemate, due to the absolute destructive
power-of each to annihilate civilization in a
nuclear military conflict, the economic phase
attains the status of a prime and strategic
operation.
"Second. Continued emphasis must be
placed on the vital area of trade, with the
Sino-Soviet bloc. The cooperation of our
Western allies is of paramount importance.
"Third. There must be a readjustment of
our thinking as regards our present status
quo attitude. It. is imperative that we ac-
quire a realistic appreciation that while we
are maintaining the peace we may be losing
the cold war.
"Fourth. A strong and affirmative policy
on foods and fibers to the bloc must en-
compass a philosophy of peace for food as
well as food for peace."
George Washington once expressed confi-
dence the American people would always do
the right thing if they had the facts.
Our export policy is not favorable to an
informed opinion.
The Government has shrouded much of
the export control policy in secrecy.
The people are unaware to a great extent
of the functioning of the Cocom program and
only occasionally when word leaks out of
transactions such as the sale by England to
Red China of planes, do they learn of its
ineffectiveness.
Some matters involving security,-of course,
cannot be published, but secrecy is greatly
overdone. The privilege is often used to
cover up mistakes and to try and avoid em-
barrassment over error and weak decisions
of both ourselves and our allies.
This attitude prevents mobilization of
public opinion against continuing policy
failure and ineffective administration.
What we need, it seems to me, is full
and frank disclosure of the facts. The peo-
ple should have the truth. If they had
it, I am sure there would be a stiffening
of policy and a demand for stern measures
by the entiie free world.
Let the peoples under the yoke of com-
munism earn anew their freedom by hunger,
hardship, and harsh sacrifice. Let the peo-
. ples under the threat of communism do
the same.
.On the later score, it was gratifying to
read (in Saturday's New York Times) that
some. Americans are willing to sacrifice. A
500-member union local-Lodge 893, In-
ternational Association of Machinists-
Stratos Division of Fairchild Engine & Air-
plane Co.-invited their own loss of jobs by
protesting the production of a strategic item
for the Communists. Their leaders said they
were shocked and dismayed to discover in
their trip to Washington, D.C., that. this ad-
ministration has no set policy governing
the export of equipment. How true.
Unless the.United States sets an overrid-
ing goal and actually comes to grips with
Cuban Freedom
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
-or
HON. CHARLES MzC. MATHIAS, JR.
that Castro, instead of cutting his own
throat, simply dug in, armed his militia, men,
and women, to the teeth, consolidated his
dictatorship and started the construction of
airfields and missile launching pads. The
nearby island is an enemy headquarters.
"A victory for genuine liberal forces in
Fidel Castro's Cuba can turn the red tide
throughout the globe. Freedom for the
largest and most popular island in the Carib-
or MARYLAND bean can inspire anew the freedom fighters
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of Eastern Europe, southeast Asia, Africa,
and Latin America. On the other hand, any
Thursday,. February 22, 1962
Mr. MATHIAS. Mr. Speaker, the
Reverend Dr. Joseph F. Thorning, pastor
of St. Joseph's Church on Carrollton
Manor, Buckeystown, Md., has long been
known as the Padre of the Americas.
The Baltimore Women's Committee for
Cuban Freedom recently named Father
Thorning the 20th century's Flaming
Son of Liberty. Father Thorning is now
delivering a series of lectures to the fac-
ulty and students of the Visitation Acad-
emy, Frederick, Md. The fourth lecture
of the series was directed to recent de-
velopments in U.S. policy toward Cuba.
For the benefit of the Members of the
Congress, I append in the RECORD an ac-
count of this lecture as it appeared in
the Frederick News:
FATHER THORNING DELIVERS LECTURE
Delivering the fourth lecture in a series for
the faculty and students of the Visitation
Academy here, Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Thorning,
pastor of St. Joseph's Church, Carrollton
Manor, and author of the recent U.S. Senate-
sponsored monograph, "Cuban Aftermath:
Red's Seeds Blow South," declared that the
resolutions of the Punta del Este Conference
of Foreign Ministers "constituted a limited
victory for freedom and decency. over the
Castro brothers. Fidel and Raul, provided
swift, decisive actions implement the de-
claration that the Soviet Sauleiters of Cuba
no longer enjoy the protection of the law."
The Maryland author, educator, and diplo-
mat added:
"There is now moral, ethical, and juridical
basis for the apprehension and arrest of the
Marxist-Leninist, criminal conspirators who,
by an adroit admixture of deceit and vio-
lence, seized power over a good neighbor
Republic. Cuba has been characterized as a
captive nation. The Cuban people have the
same right to be liberated as the people of
Tito's Yugoslavia. Gomulka's Poland, or col-
lectivized Czechoslovakia. The ' Castro
brothers, in the eyes of the law, are worse
than the unlamented, Cuban military dicta-
tor, Gen. Fulgencio Batista. The latter, al-
though a tyrant, never merited the outlaw
status that has been established with regard
to Fidel Castro. .The bearded prophet can
masquerade no longer as the Robin Hood of
Latin America. He has been indicted, tried,
and convicted by his peers. Only the pen-
alties need to be spelled out and applied.
"Apparently, Secretary of State Dean Rusk,
whose skill and patience were submitted to a
severe test in Uruguay, has determined`that
a complete program of action must be sched-
uled. The preliminary steps, substantially
cutting down dollar revenues for Castro, are
an indication of a new soul in the State De-
partment. The views of Ambassador deLes-
seps ("Chep") Morrison, U.S. representative
on the council of the Organization of Ameri-
hesitation, or failure to carry through,
about Castro would encourage his fanatical
followers in Mexico, Brazil, and Ecuador.
A clue to the Western Hemisphere situation
can be noted in the presence of Franciso
Juliao, Soviet Gauleiter of Northeast Brazil,
in the Fidel Castro stronghold in Havana.
But Gen. Lazaro Cardenas, ex-President. of
Mexico, apparently intimidated by the rev-
elations about his role in the files of the
U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Internal Se-
curity, lost his nerve at the last moment
and did not carry out his design to show up
side by side with his fellow-conspirators in
Cuba. This shows the road to victory;
truth-telling about the agents of Messrs.
Mao Tse-tung and Nikita Khrushchev in all
the American Republics."
Rev. Mother Mary de Chantal Keanny,
Visitation Superior, and Sister Claire Jos-
eph O'Neill, directress of studies, presided
at the meeting here.
House Resolution 543 To Authorize the
Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce To Conduct an Investigation
and Study of the Adequacy of the Reg-
ulation of Nonscheduled Airlines
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. JAMES E. VAN ZANDT
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, February 22, 1962
Mr. VAN ZANDT. Mr. Speaker, when
I introduced House Resolution 543 on
February 12, 1962, I stated its purpose is
to direct the Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce to make an in-
tensive review, of the manner in which
the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Fed-
eral Aviation Agency have regulated the
nonsked airline industry. It is my be-
lief, based on the evidence before our
special subcommittee of the House Com-
mittee on Armed Services, as well as
my own investigations, that the Imperial
Airlines accident is attributable to the
loose regulation of these carriers by the
CAB and the FAA, as well as the poor
management of the carrier.
In view of the magnitude of our sched-
uled air carrier industry, I am not per-
suaded that there was a demonstrated
need for these nonscheduled certificates,
and in holding them illegal, the court of
appeals disagreed with the CAB, too, in
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A1352 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - APPE February 22
many respects. However, I realize that What have been the results of the in- forced release of the report. This week
the present Board inherited this problem vestigations? What changes should be it was announced that the coneirad sys-
from its predecessors. in fairness to all made in the legislation now pending be- tem is being abandoned and will be re-
concerned, I should point out that fore the Congress to bring. this industry placed by an up-to-date system that re-
throughout the history of the nonsked under proper control? We should in- fleets the technological facts of our
problem, present CAB member Chan sist before final action is taken on this times.
Gurney and his former associate, Col. legislation that it eliminate all possibility While we have no evidence that dis-
l3armar Denny, of my own State of of incompetent, poorly financed or poorly closure of the conelrad report speeded
Pennsylvania, consistently urged cau- run operators. In this connection, it is the decision on a new system for civil de-
tion in the issuance of the nonsked cer- my opinion that the interim certificate fense warning, we can assume that the
tificates and voted for enforcement pen- authority may not be adequate to accom- disclosure could not possibly have hin-
alties and sanctions against those who plish this. Why should the Congress dered or delayed reaching a decision.
violated regulations. The CAB has direct the Board to give interim certifi- And we can be sure that continued sup-
leaned over backward to resolve all cates to carriers which the Board's own pression of the report would have slowed
doubts about certifications, certificate findings might show are unfit, unsafe, or down the process by which outdated sys-
renewal, hidden control, and inadequate otherwise incompetent? Let us give the tems are reviewed and replaced by mod-
financial responsibility, and managerial CAB and FAA authority to cut off the ern security devices.
ability in favor of the nonskeds instead carriers that have filed false reports, So that the Members of Congress
of in favor of the public. Following the that have operated in defiance or Viola- might have the details of this case of
Board's ill-advised actions in issuing tion of Federal law and regulation, unnecessary secrecy, I ask leave to insert
these .certificates and in failing to re- whose control may have come into the in the RECORD a series of newspaper ar-
voke them when knowledge of their in- hands'of persons whom the Board pres- ticles dealing with the subject:
adequate financial responsibility or ques- ently considers unfit. And for the [From the New York Her iald Tribune, Oct. 25,
tionable managerial fitness came to its future, if the Congress contemplates 1960
attention, the problem then shifted to setting up a permanent class of supple- SUrazesIN ORT DECLSM _
AIR RAID A DE-
the FAA. - mental carriers, let us make sure that OBSOLETE
Here again I realize the present Ad- the initial certificate standards are high, October 24.-House investi-
ministrator inherited a problem in trying and that doubts as to the- public need WASHINGTON, , October Office of Civil and
Defense Mobilization the trying to suppress
to keep up with the fitness of these mar- for fitness or ability of these applicants gators
ginal carriers. is resolved in favor of the public and a still-secret Army report criticizing the Na-
It is quite obvious that an undue num- not in.;he private interest. tion's air raid alert system.
ber of hours have been required on the With that in mind, I sincerely hope Representative JOHN E. Moss, Democrat,
part of FAA personnel to determine the that my resolution, House Resolution of California, chairman of the House Gov-
fitness of the equipment, personnel and No. 543, will receive favorable con- ernment Information Subcommittee, leveled
operations of these nonscheduled car- sideration and thereby direct the House the charge in a letter to Army Secretary
riers. I agree with the majority's eon- Committee on Interstate and Foreign Wilber M. Brucker. He said he had been in-
clusion formed that OCDM Director Leo A. Hoegh
elusion that the Imperial Airlines acct- Commerce to review the CAB and FAA wrote the Army's research chief. "requesting
termine the adequacy of the regu- him and urging him to withhold publication
dent could have been prevented. I agree to d
e
has been inadequate attention given To
the managerial lD~ .f
the managerial capacity and financial ..LL
with the majority's conclusion that any The rerifs of Secrecy
doubt concerning legal authority of CAB
and FAA should have been resolved in
favor of the public interest rather than of
the industry, particularly where eco-
nomic factors affecting safety are con- HON. JOHN E. MOSS
cerned. OF CALIFORNIA
But I would go further. My question IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Is why this situation has been allowed to Thursday, February 22, 1962
continue. Why the CAB and the FAA
have not used all of the legal authority Mr. MOSS. Mr. Speaker, for more
that they presently have to eliminate the than 6 years the work of the House Gov-
incompetent or unfit operators, and if ernment Information Subcommittee has
they do not have adequate authority to been guided by the conviction that un-
accomplish this, why have they not necessary restrictions on the availability
asked the Congress for such additional of information about our Government
authority as they may need to deal with are dangerous and repugnant to our free
this situation. society. In a series of reports approved
I cannot help wondering how many by the Government Operations Commit-
potential Imperials there may be in the tee there have appeared documented in-
supplemental industry in view of: (a) stances of attempts to suppress informa-
Administrator Halaby's testimony in tion because it might be considered em-
reference to supplemental carriers that barrassing or of partisan use, or simply
"there are good ones and not so good because some bureaucrat did not want to
ones"; (b) the admitted failure of either answer questions.
CAB or FAA to evaluate adequately the During the summer of 1960 the op-
management and financial resources of erations research office of Johns Hopkins
supplemental airlines; and (c) testi- University completed an unclassified re-
mony of MATS that they have found a 'search project that recommended, among
substantial number of carriers not quali- other things, that the conelrad system
fled for military traffic. I certainly feel be abandoned as useless in this missile
the general public is as entitled to safe era. Almost immediately the Office of
air transportation as is the military. Civil and Defense Mobilization sought
There is too much evidence that this is to suppress the report because of the
not always the case today. embarrassment it might cause political
Both the CAB and FAA told the sub- appointees in the Government. Thor-
committee they were conducting exten- ough subcommittee investigation ero-
sive investigations of these carriers. duced proof of the suppression and
The study, prepared by the operations
research office of Johns Hopkins University,
said both the conelrad radio system and the
nationwide network of air raid sirens were
badly out of date in the ballistic missile age.
Representative Moss wrote Mr. Brucker
that the letter requesting the Army to sup-
press the air raid warning report was sent
in August to Lt. Gen. Arthur G. Trudeau,
Army Chief of Research.
Representative Moss said the report was
not secret, but had been withheld from the
press. He asked Mr. Brucker to cite "spe-
cific statutory authority for withholding it
from the public."
SIRENS IGNORED
The study, stamped "For official use only,"
said a large proportion of the Nation's air
raid sirens were not loud enough to alert
the civilian population. It urged develop-
ment of a low-cost alarm system which could
be installed in every house and building in
the United States.
It also concluded that the average Ameri-
can citizen-even when he hears a siren-
usually ignores its warning because of the
large number of practice alerts and siren
tests.
Concerning Conelrad, the report noted that
the radio system's original purpose of pre-
venting enemy aircraft from using radio
beacons for navigation was designed to de-
fend against manned bombers and would
be meaningless in the age of missiles.
[From the New York Herald Tribune, Nov.
23,19601
PROBERS SAY CIVIL DEFENSE REPORT WAS
STIFLED-SEES PENTAGON FEAR OF EMBAR-
RASSMENT
WASHINGTON, November 22.-House inves-
tigators charged today that administration,
officials tried to suppress a report criticizing
the Nation's air-raid warning system because
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1962 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - APPENDT`X
they feared its publication might prove em- The study, written under the direction of
barrassing. Theodore J. Warg, said present air raid sirens
Representative JOHN E. Moss, Democrat, are incapable of giving warning to large seg-
of California, Chairman of the House Gov- ments of the U.S, population, and OCDM
ernment Information Subcommittee, cited a has scheduled so many alerts that persons
letter from Leo A. Hoegh, Director of the who do hear the sirens tend to ignore them.
Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, in The report also found that the conelrad
support of his charge. radio system, mainly established to prevent
Mr. Hoegh's letter, addressed to Lt. Gen. enemy planes from navigating on commercial
A. G. Trudeau, head of Army research, said radio beacons, is obsolete in an era of the
"it would be most unfortunate" if a presen- intercontinental ballistic missile,
tation of the report resulted "in embarrass-
ment to the Army, to the Department of [From the Washington Post, Feb. 18, 19621
Defense, or the OCDM." DEFENSE DEPARTMENT To SCRAP CONELRAD FOR
SEES "FACESAVING" NEW SETUP
7,..... is ~? ,
Representative Moss said in a statement
that "political facesaving has been claimed
by an administration bureaucrat as justifica-
tion for suppressing the ugly fact that
during the last 8 years little or nothing has
been done to put into effect a meaningful
air-raid warning system."
"These are dangerous games for politicians
to be playing," Representative Moss said.
"To suppress public information because
someone might be embarrassed is a threat to
the fabric of democratic self-government."
Earlier this month Mr. Hoegh denied that
he had tried to suppress the still-secret re-
port, prepared under contract for the Army
by the Operation Research Office of Johns
Hopkins University. Army officials have said
the report will not be made public until they
have had an opportunity to review it.
CALLS SYSTEM OBSOLETE
The study, written under the direction of
Theodore J. Wang, asserts that the present
air-raid warning system does not provide pro,
tection in the age of intercontinental bal-
listic missiles. It says the Conelrad radio
system, mainly designed to prevent enemy
planes from navigating on commercial radio
beacons, is obsolete in the era of pilotless
missiles.
It also says present-day sirens are incapable
of warning large segments of the U.S. popu-
lation and recommends a buzzer system be
.established in all homes and public buildings.
Representative Moss said subcommittee in-
vestigators had discovered that the author of
the report was invited to present his findings
at a national conference of the U.S. Civil De-
fense Council in September. He said Mr.
Hoegh, learning about the proposed presenta-
tion, called on the Army to consider the pro-
priety of the study.
"But, before the Army had a chance to
act," Mr. Moss said, "Hoegh moved on his
own to make certain the scientist's findings
would be suppressed."
Representative Moss said the author of the
report was told after a meeting between Mr.
Hoegh and the conference officials that he
would not be on the program.
[From the Washington Post, Nov. 26, 1960]
ARMY RELEASES REPORT ATTACKING AIR-
WARNING SETUP AS INADEQUATE
The Army-under pressure from congres-
sional investigators-yesterday removed the
wraps from an unclassified report which said
the Nation's air raid warning system is in-
adequate in the missile age.
The report, prepared under contract with
the Operations Research Office of Johns Hop-
kins University, called on the Office of Civil
and Defense Mobilization to set up a na-
tional buzzer alarm system in private homes
and public buildings.
Earlier this week, Chairman JOHN E. Moss,
Democrat, of California, of the House Gov-
ernment Information Subcommittee accused
OCDM Director Leo A. Hoegh of pressuring
The Defense Department is preparing to
scrap the existing conelrad system for broad-
casting information to the American public
by radio in the event of nuclear war.
In its place, the Department plans to
establish a greatly modified system designed
to overcome acknowledged weaknesses in the
present setup and to allow local authorities
greater control over broadcasting of public
information.
Officials of the Department's Office of Civil
Defense have refused to comment on the im-
pending changes. However, it is known that
OOD has won the approval of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and the Federal Communications
Commission for a drastic overhaul of the
system.
REASONS FOR SECRECY
Reliable sources say the secrecy surround-
ing the project is due to the fact that details
have not been fully worked out. In addi-
tion, these sources report, Pentagon officials
are reluctant to discuss the matter because
the Canadian Government has not yet ap-
proved changing the system. Conelrad is a
joint United States-Canadian venture.
Official announcement of the new system,
it is said, will not be made until these two
problems are resolved.
The present setup, established in the early
1950's, represented an attempt to reconcile
certain conflicts between military and civil
defense officials.
The Government recognized that it had
to have a means of getting information to
the public before, during, and after an enemy
attack. But the Air Force, concerned at that
time with defense against manned bombers,
insisted that any broadcasting system con-
tain safeguards to prevent enemy planes
from picking up a radio signal and using it
as a guide to their target.
The result was a, plan under which the
FCC set aside two airwave frequencies for
exclusive civil defense use on a nationwide
basis. These frequencies, 640 and 1240, have
since been widely publicized as the conelrad
stations to which the public should turn
for emergency information.
The Government then selected a number
of radio stations (theoretically there is one
in every American municipality or county)
that could change over from their regular fre-
quencies to one of the two conelrad frequen-
cies during an emergency.
These stations were then assigned to two
conelrad nets, a national net embracing every
participating station in the country and a
regional net including all participating sta-
tions within a specified area.
The nets were to work this way:
The national net has a secret control center
in direct contact with the North American
Air Defense Command and the White House.
From it, mesages of national importance can
be sent out simultaneously through every
conelrad station in the country,
REGIONAL NETS
the Army into withholding the. report from Similarly each regional net has its own
the public. control center to originate messages of a
Prepared by the researchers from public local or regional nature for transmission
testimony before a congressional committee, over stations within the net.
the Army last week refused a reporter's re- For example, the District is part of a re-
quest for the study. A spokesman said then gional net that also Includes Virginia, Mary-
that the unclassified document would not land, and parts of West Virginia, Delaware,
be made public until it had been evaluated. and Pennsylvania.
A1353
Thus District officials wishing to relay in-
formation to District residents would have to
submit the message to the control center for
transmission: The message when sent would
be heard not only on conelrad stations in the
Washington area but also on those in Balti-
more, Richmond, and every other station in
the net.
The system contains three safeguards to
prevent enemy planes from using an inter-
cepted signal to "home in" on a target:
The conelrad frequencies are on a low=
power transmission system that gives off a
weak signal. This signal, which carries for
about 50 miles from the outlet station, is
considered sufficientto reach everyone within
a specific locality but not strong enough to
be intercepted by enemy planes from a great
distance.
The fact that a multiplicity of stations
would be broadcasting simultaneously on the
same two frequencies would hamper enemy
navigators in their attempts to follow the
signal to a specific source.
No city, State, or other political jurisdic-
tion can be mentioned by name over conel-
rad. This is to prevent enemy planes from
identifying a signal with a specific locality.
These elaborate safeguards have been a
continual source of frustration from the out-
set to State and local civil defense authori-
ties. Among their specific complaints:
The necessity of originating local messages
from a control center that might be several
hundred miles away from the community for
which the message is intended represents a
roundabout and time-consuming process.
Competition with national messages that
take priority and with the other political
jurisdictions in the regional net for time on
the air would also delay urgent messages,
perhaps keeping them from being delivered
in time.
The Individual trying to get local informa-
tion over his radio would be confused by
messages intended for other jurisdictions
within the regional net.
This last complaint is perhaps the most
serious against the system, since communi-
ties cannot be identified by name in conel-
rad messages.
Thus a message intended for District resi-
dents could be identified only as coming
from "Commissioner Tobriner" (Walter To-
briner, Chairman of the District Commis-
sioners). Such a system is highly danger-
ous, civil defense officials contend, because .
large segments of the public cannot be de-
pended upon to know the name of their local
and State authorities.
Acknowledgment of these weaknesses by
the Defense Department has finally led to
the decision to overhaul the system. In this,
the Department has been aided by a recent
relaxing of the Air Force's formerly inflexible
insistence on retaining the system's safe-
guards.
This change of heart has been prompted
by the Air Force's feeling that the main
threat of attack will soon come from guided
missiles, which cannot make use of radio
signals, rather than manned aircraft.
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. JAMES E. VAN ZANDT
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, February 22, 1962
Mr. VAN ZANDT. Mr. Speaker, the
tragic Imperial Airlines crash November
8, 1961, near Richmond, Va., that
claimed the lives of 74 Army recruits
has resulted in nationwide indignation
over the apparent laxity in the enforce-
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ment of maintenance and safety regula-
tions. From coast to coast the wave of
public resentment is mounting daily
while the demand increases that con-
gressional approval be given House Res-
olution 543 which I introduced February
12, 1962, and which provides that a full
and complete investigation be made of
the adequacy of regulations affecting the
nonscheduled airlines in the light of the
tragic Imperial Airlines crash last
November.
For over 3 months the daily and weekly
newspapers of the Nation have published
thousands of communications from
readers in their "Letter to the Editor"
column. These letters reflect bitter
denunciation over the callous disregard
for human life as unfolded through the
recent investigations of the Richmond
air tragedy. It is due to the brevity of
the investigations that I have requested
congressional activity in obtaining two-
pronged action by the Department of
Justice and the House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce as an
aftermath of the Imperial Airlines crash.
fly there were no fatalities. In November speare and hum arias. It's a bit startling to
1959 the company was ordered to pay a $1,000 newcomers."
fine by the FAA for operating a plane that The Birmingham Festival is a 21-day 'pe-
was not airworthy. Two of the line's pilots riod packed with cultural offerings.
have been suspended in the past by the The best in amateur, near-professional
FAA for violations of civil air regulations. and professional performances, today's stars
The Army has to save money. Boys are and tomorrow's hopefuls give enjoyable per-
expendable. formances to enthusiastic audiences here.
1 t nce Birmingham's civic opera
ns =ce Birmingham's civic opera
F
Birmingham's Festival of Arts-An
American Renaissance
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF -
HON. GEORGE HUDDLESTON, JR.
OF ALABAMA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, February 22, 1962
Mr. HUDDLESTON. Mr. Speaker, I
am very pleased to call to the attention
of the House the festival of arts program
that is going on in Birmingham right
Among the thousands of letters to been and is being widely imitated in
American newspaper editors is one from other cities throughout the country and
the pen of Raye O. Lawson of the World- we in Birmingham are glad to share our
Wide Detective Service, Inc., Richmond,
Va., which appeared in newspapers in
the State of Virginia. The brief, yet
thought-provoking title, "Just 74 Boys"
Is followed by a penetrating and poignant
description of the crash of the Imperial
Airlines cargo plane which is attributed
to the frenzied desire of the Federal
Government to spend money for every
conceivable type of program; yet when
it comes to safeguarding human lives
they are sacrificed on the altar of mam-
mon on the flimsy pretext-"the Gov-
ernment has to save money."
The letter written by Raye O. Lawson
To the EDITOR :
They are expendable.
Seventy-four young men, more boys, many
'fresh from high school graduation, full of
hope, with their boyish ambitions and young
Interests, several of them an only child,
perish like trapped rats in the flames of a
burning air boxcar. To the parents, the
moms and dads who had reared and loved
these kids they were their all, their life.
To the Army they were expendable.
The Government has to save money, the
Army with all its planes, with good airlines,
with regularly scheduled routes, and ex-
perienced pilots, the Army contracts with
shoestring contract haulers. Money to go t9
the moon, money for flying VIP's in the best
of planes, money for junkets for "two bed-
room Charlies," but for these kids the Army
had to economize. They were just 74 future
soldiers. -
In the old days it was 40 homme or 8
experience with others. For those that
are not familiar with the festival of arts,
I should explain that it lasts for nearly
all of the month of February and it is a
period crowded with artistic and cultural
events.
The. citizens of Birmingham and all of
Alabama are proud of the wonderful
traditions of the festivals of arts that
have been built over the years. It is,
I believe, getting better each year and
although Birmingham is the youngest of
the world's great cities we have built a
fine reputation for encouraging and'pro-
moting the arts. We have art shows
presenting only our local artists that fill
our fine museum, during the festival.
Our local musicians are kept busy trying
to keep up with the demand for their
talents. There is a variety of competi-
tions that are widely participated'in by
people from all over Alabama. I could
go on for a long time about our great
festival but I just want to commend the
following article to the attention of the
Members. The article appeared in the
Birmingham magazine for January and
gives a good account of the success of
the festival of arts:
AN AMERICAN RENAISSANCE: BIRMINGHAM'S
FESTIVAL OF ARTS
or
and full symphony orchestra will perform
together in the difficult Puccini Triptych,
"Gianni Schicchi," "II Tabarro," and "Suor
Angelica." Four of Birmingham's five
theater groups will present O'Neill's "Be-
yond the Horizon," "Troilus and Cressida,"
the religious drama "Everyman,", and Wild-
er's "Our Town."
The community's three ballet companies
will be presented in performances. A special
flamenco exhibition has been arranged by
the Birmingham Classical Guitar Society. A
string trio will present the festival's award-
winning chamber music composition.
The festival calendar also includes the
world's largest camellia show, antique and
coin collections, young artists concerts, cul-
tural lectures and films, exhibits and tours
of Birmingham churches and artists' studios.
Eighty chairmen head the many events
that are part of the festival.
These chairmen and their committees in-
clude public officials, civic and business
leaders, artisans, professional men, spiritual
leaders, laborers, students, homemakers, club
members, and others.
Nearly 500 persons are involved in the
steering organization of the festival. Fes-
tival events have an attendance of more
than 75,000. It is estimated that 10,000
more are engaged in the many details inci-
dental to an event of such broad scope.
Thus nearly 100,000 people from all walks
of life in Birmingham have a part as specta-
tor or participant in a festival that makes
culture an exciting, enjoyable experience for
increasing numbers.
The recently established festival of arts
office at city hall encourages continuation of
long range planning for the festival each
year. Mayor Arthur J. Hanes, whose office
adjoins the festival office, is cochairman of
the 1962 festival. He probably would not
have considered himself a candidate for cul-
tural leader in the late thirties when he
was a star college gridder.
But Birmingham's advancement in the
arts has made Hanes, as it has other leaders
and citizens, acutely aware of the value of
culture to a community.
Mayor Hanes observes, "When industry
considers expansion, it looks for cities with
a good educational system and active cul-
tural opportunities as well as a suitable busi-
ness climate." ?
Interest of civic and business leaders in
the festival is indicated by the fact that
the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
renown festival of arts.
More, it is the story of an entire metropolis
that puts aside its concentration on manu-
facture and trade and its citizens become.
chevauE. Today it is 74 boys or 500 sacks It's the story of an entire community
of potatoes. Hauling for contract. A little kby the reverberation of arts for the
known (except for bad record) contract kindled
hauler with third-handed planes is en- people,
s no empty saying.
trusted with the lives of our children we it 3 no ems in saying. ,the muses, never
give to the Army. quiet in magic town, join hands and walk
This cargo planeho that owned tooit, k 74 boys the mountain-rimmed city, assum-
ahorrible death, w how old ds l waas was in" many guises in many places.
to what the ehe rown record. company? Let's "Culture ypasses no one here," one Bir-
atin at known r. In 1953, o- mian asserts. "Art goes up in store windows,
sting s the Regina Airlines
19 soldiers this en same out- route e t schools, theaters, churches, hospital corri-
t crashed and killed Base, This s same out- dors, depots and cocktail lounge."
to McChord Air Force Bas
fit, in January 1949 at Aberdeen, N. Dak., "Housewives give up cooking for culture.
and in 1955 at Charleston, S.C., had two Businessmen bypass prospects for art films,
accidents due to faulty landing gear. Luck- lectures and flowers. Children quote Shake-
helped organize the festival in its all-em-
bracing form. The chamber gives awards
to Birmians for outstanding contributions
in the fields of music, drama, art, and original
creative event. -(Award recipients must be
truly outstanding.)
Interest of youth in the festival is aroused
by such events as a performance by the 85-
piece Birmingham Youth Symphony Orches-
tra, an art education program to prepare
scouts for participation in a nationwide
project, and additional youth-slanted activi-
ties including an opera matinee.
Birmingham is a mecca of cultural par-
ticipation for both county and State. Fac-
ulty and advanced students from colleges all
over Alabama are taking part in the 1962
festival as committee chairmen, lecturers,
and soloists. College presidents are serving
or have arranged for faculty members to
serve on advisory groups to further organize
cultural presentations.
Each year one college of national renown
is asked to present during the festival a
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- APPENDIX February 22