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\ a5 eV ISLAS ON CONSMNED Yebruary 19, 1951 ¥r. Lyles Horton : . ng, Director, Highlander Folk School oe wo 741165 Konteagle, Ternesses 7 : . Ky dear Er. Horton: fide will acknowled.e your letter of January 51, 195], ad- dressed to the Attorney General, requesting advice about a probe lea growing cut of the sttencance of negroes at the Highlander Folk School. You édvise that the Highlander Executive Council menbers are disturbed by the exchange of oorrespondence with Kr. Hugh H. Clegy, Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of In- veetigetion, and cogmwent thet if agents can dany what they have said, they can lik: wise report things they have not been told. You quote a motion which was made by Miss Lucy Randolph Yason, wiich provides that the Hichlander Director shall speak for the staff and shell aek that all questions posed ty any Fs agents be put in writing and shall make his replies in writing pro- vided legal ecurisel adwises this action. You then request the Attorney General's advice as to the legality of tha council's croposai that interviews be carried on in rriting I should firet point out to you that the Attarney General fe euthcrized by law te give aivice only to tha fresidest of the United Stetes and to the various Department heads, in view of wiich T sevret trueb the Tepertrent cannot acvise you ré arding the lejal situation involved. It occurs to re, however, that thera should nermally be no serious objection to having Special Agents contact the Hi,hlander Director when desiring information from tre staff of the school es contestplated by the motion quoted fin your Intter. Furtherwore, 1 would cuppose thet written re- plies to questions, either in the form of stencgraphic recording of the questions and answers, or in the form of affidavits, would be quite satisfactory. JI believe that you will find the sents napite wtllif¢e- a A try + GuLee Weesate to accede to your desires in this respect. Youre sincerely, Peyton Ford Decuty Attorney General CrPims