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absurd, in so many cases, but if you did it in one case you had to do it in all cases, and there was no suspicion against anybody.

Anyhow, that went on. Then if anybody was found who had anything doubtful in their background--and you searched the vouchers of those who had anything doubtful about them in their vouchers--you could give them notification of presumption of disloyalty.

Now, this was where the word “disloyalty” came in. Under this order, executive order, the President handed the job of doing this to the Civil Service Commission, which was difficult. There we had to go into a huddle about it. He had had confidence that the Civil Service Commission, which was the natural personnel agency of the Government and had responsibility for the personnel, should do the business of arranging the fingerprints and setting up the hearings for those about whom there was any doubt of their loyalty. “Reasonable doubt” was the phrase that was used.

Why didn't he just turn it over to the F.B.I.?

Well, he didn't turn it over to the F.B.I., that was all. That was part of the battle inside the Committee--not to turn it over to the F.B.I. I think that some members wanted it turned over to the F.B.I., and wanted it done