SENATE FUROR ON LETTER BRINGS APOLOGY BY CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100110035-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 2, 1998
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: July 29, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

WASHINGTON SPAR'
Approved For Release 2000/05/4 : f If - 75-00001 R000100
U~ ? ;FO.lAb3bl'
~. e r to Furor on Letteri
rings Apokgy by ,C1 CPYRGHT
e
e
watchdog committee. bright to say he was sorry and ;' "I wonder if the director has:
Senators expressed shock that the letter was a mistake. _~~ 1, ate not construed the so-called vote
that Helms would have writteniHe ? also said he would be glad to of confidence as a removal of all
such a letter and there were de- talk to Fulbrlght'scommittee ate restraint and the rantin of the.
mands for apologies for Ful- any time. power to do as he pleases within'.
right and the Senate-and these The upshot of this was that the area of domestic activities." 'were were quick in coming, Helms was scheduled to appear Tells of ilumnrs
"' Lilt; ,U.t"~ ?~"aye `?Le s,ue Thirt minutes alter the description of the senate vote as,
tracking the committee's bid' ry w S' "~1 eft ~'`""
Senates indignation round . a vote of confidence in the CIA,
for representation on .a CIA ended Helms t
h d F i :a~ tt '_ ~ ` Fulbright added:
l
"crafty," ems rece ved bad advice ands
lareceiived Descri"binhig come -uptpenceCT^l nhn?tocur.iim idahe haft he letter resulted from thi; Reforrinr in, (ho pditnria1 a.
,or ''raising Anti-hulbright? Editorial J_,d em ' to ' adjust to their nevi
PYRGHT By CECIL HOLLAND fe."' He'said that Helms, who
6,s served in the CIA an d its
Star staff writer rededessor organizations since'
n a n e ,gencs gency found t se o ay ?n an',~rld War II days, should have:
turmoil with the Senate over a letter its new directorRicnother chance. M. Helms, wrote to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.- :fen.. John- Stennis, D-MissThe letter praised an editorial that was critical of Seho a member of the .CIA,
William Fulbright, D-Ark., the chairman of the Senate Formmittee, said he believed that!
Relations Committee.
in last Wednesday's Globe- McCarthy, sponsor - of the
Democrat, Helms said: resolution for the Foreign
"I want to let you know of my Relations Committee to have a
pleasure in reading the editorial voice in CIA affairs, said it was
"Brickbats for Fulbright" in the "entirely out of place for Helms,
Globe-Democrat of July 18. to have signed a letter praising
"It reflects so well ? your an editorial that charged Ful
paper's policy of 'printing news bright was 'crafty.' ?
impartially, supporting what it' "I'm not taking issue with tliel
believes to be right and opposing editorial,". McCarthy said, 1111
what it believes to bg wrong!suppose it was within the limits'
without ~' regard to ' 'patty!of irresponsibility which must ,be
politics. ;allowed on editorial pages."
Express Shock . Senate Majority Leader Mike'
Mansfield said he was "more
A furor broke out when Sen.'than a little surprised that the
Eugene J. McCarthy, D-Minn., silent service' had seen 'fit, to.
called the matter to the Senate's write to the newspaper . I,
attention yesterday. Four mem? think it is something which
bers of the watchdog committee, should be brought to the'attcn-
who had opposed the Fulbright tion of Mr. Helms so that it will
group's proposal joined with not become a habit with him."
others in expressing shock that Saltonstall said the letterwrit-
the CIA director had writtenning was "a very questionable
itch a letter, and in praising thing."-'Sen., Frank E. Moss, D-
ulbright. Some Senators? Utah, called It "a grave of-
including Fulbright, wondered if; tense" and said Helms "may
here had been more than one;have limited, because of his
uch letter. actions, his usefulness in, they
The Senate discussion oc-(position he holds." I
urred one month to the day
fter Helms had been confirmed Young Disappointed
manimously as director of the Sen. Milton R. Young, R-N.D?,'
ntelligence agency and praised another member of the watch-i
s one of its most valued offi- do
committee
id h
g
, sa
e was
taT? ,
Wh' h ':disappointed and shocked to
1
t
f e
o floor dlseusston learn that Helms would have
7ent on, Sen. Leverett Salton-:signed a letter'of this kind. "The
all, R-Mass., a member of the,'CIA," he
atchdo lit added, "is not sup -
o
5 c
mm ee, talked
ith Helms by telephone. He
ame back and reported Helms
s saying there was only one
etter and he was sorry that it
ad becAlgol ptue,c{,,)rgr, Rele
publicity ' and particularly
publicity of this kind."
McCarthy said this was one of
"the
,: W." , , Al c
rather than his own Independent
udgement. "I exceeding)'
egret the writing of this letter,
tennis added.
The letter, senators were told,
riginated with a CIA aide who
cad the'editorial, which praised
he. CIA' as "one of our most
aluable agencies in foreign
ffalrs." The aide, it was under-
tood, prepared the ' letter and
ok it to Helms, who signed It. '
;What disturbed, some of the
enators' was the'fear that the
tter would revive the contro-
ersy. over the CIA and raise
ew questions about Its opera.
ions.. These had been 'eased
ver with the' Senate Vote of 61
28, after , a July ' 14 'closed
eeting, .'sending tPe Foreign
clations Committee s bid to the
enate Armed Services Commit-
s, where it now remains. .
Fulbright, speaking briefly,
uched on some - of these ques-
ons. His feelings, Fulbright
id, . were "not, particularly
I jured. But he added he had
ver --heard of any CIA director
riling' such a letter and he was
r ulorignt said tic had ncard.
rumors that the CIA takes part.
in domestic affairs-"for exam
pie in the elections in our labor.?
,rumors and I would like to prove
`o
'
r disprove them."
s
Fulbright did not elaborate. i
But, it was learned, he had been-,
informed by one union leader,
in the Dominican Republic that;,
was allied with AFL,-CIO Presi?,
dent George Mcany, and had,
supported Meany and ?Jay
Lovestone, another union offi+,
cial, in their internal, battles.
Fulbright also said , that Wil%
Liam F. Raborn, former CIAA
director, had suffered "a failure.
of memory" on a recent televi-
sion news show, He said Raborn,
had remarked ,during the show,,
that' he had responded "no"'
when asked., at a cnmmittcn.
hearing several months ago IEt
the CIA had used the Fulbright
Student Exchange Program.: ? '
The . committee's records.
show, 'Fulbright said, that
Raborn had replied that regitla=
tions prevented him from ano
swering. 'This, Fulbright addedA,
led to his Interest In the CIA'
matter. ' . '
He. expressed appreciation for.
the comments of the.sneatnra
who. are.members ?of the CIA
watchdog , ? committee,' and
added: .
"I am eneeuraged 'het pet'
aps they may teach the neW
ir~cto;; RorHo?p?o~or conduct,!';? '