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innocence—a thing difficult enough for any man to do—and catinly contrary to what we believe to be just. It is bad enough to require adjose to meet a charge based on rumour—a charge in which there is a0 prosecttor, of which there are no particulars, where the witnesses speak often enough from hearsay, and when they cannot be cross-examined. It would be worse still if the individual affected had to disprove a Tumour when there is no evidence against him. © ~ : LL GEn tte a "ry 997, In these circumstances I have sdopted | this test: Tf there comes to my attention information or material which points to a security risk, I have te consider it to ses whether it is of sufficient significance to call for an answer. If it is, I must cafl upon the person affected ‘to hear what he has to say. Then, having heard him, I must consider whether, in the result, it can properly be said there is evidence for believing that national séecunty has been, or may be, endangered. In short, is there evidence which, sitting @ as a judge. I would think it fit to leave toa jury? - Gv) Contents of this Part of the Report © 298, I have endeavoured to investigate all the rumours reported to me in accordance with those principles. And I have to report that in no case have I found any evidence for believing that national security has been or may be endangered. I would like to have stopped there, but I feel that, if I did, I would lay myself open to the charge of covering up the truth: and there would be a danger that, in the absence of detailed refutation, - the rumours would persist. I have therefore in the succeeding paragraphs set - out the course of my investigations. But I have deliberately refrained. from setting out suspicions which fall short of evidence, or immorality or discreditable conduct which does not amount to a security risk; for if I were to do so, it seems to me that my Inquiry would be turned into a witch-hunt, parallel to the McCarthy Committee in the United States, where people would be condemned for past sins, which are better forgotten and forgiven. I feel that such an inguiry into private lives would be repugnant | to the great majority of our people. ” 299, 1 tum therefore to consider the rumours in detail. Tn doing 50, I have refrained from setting down the names of the persons affected by the rumours: this should cause no difficulty. Those who have heard the rumours or repeated them, will readily be able to identify the persons from my description, and will, I hope, read the refutation. Those who have not heard the rumours are better off. They need read nothing. 103 ~ he is the subject of rumour, it puts on him the burden of proving, Mis’