Washington Spy Stories
Though Congress has adjourned, the House Sub-Committee on un-American activities is continuing its labours undeterred by the temperature of a Washington August. If it were not for the facts brought to light as result of the Gouzenko disclosures at Ottawa two years ago, the Washington news would seem to savour much more of sensational fiction than of credible fact. What actually is fiction and what fact has still to be finally -decided. The extensive and detailed denunciations of public officials, many in high positions, as disloyal Americans by Miss Elizabeth Bentley, herself a former Com- munist who diligently collected secret information for Russia's benefit, were followed first by the expected denials and repudiations and then by the statement that the Sub-Committee had acquired inde- pendent evidence corroborating about half Miss Bentley's allegations. If that is the case, prosecutions by the Federal Attorney-General
!Will no doubt be initiated in due course. But this week comes a iiew series of developments, bringing the Soviet Embassy at Washington for the first time into the picture, with the refusal of the 'Soviet Consul-General to permit entry to the consulate for the service of a sub-poena on a witness whom the Sub-Committee wishes to hear, and the demand by the Soviet Ambassador for the surrender to the Soviet authorities of a Russian teacher and his wife whom the Sub-Committee desires to hear and who are apparently quite willing
j to testify. Michael Gouzenko, the chief witness at the Canadian ' enquiry, stated categorically that his information showed that what was going on in Canada was going on equally in the United States, and when all allowances are made there seems to be clear evidence that that is so. Russia's attempts to secure secret information call for no particular comment. What is remarkable psychologically, and of obvious importance politically, is the apparent readiness of citizens of Allied countries to impart information of value from motives which are not usually financial. Any facts the House Sub- Committee may elicit regarding that should be extremely instructive.
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