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aD a Ral nc cd OY pT NE Sa ae A “a . * id * ry og 0, | “Lt. A. Jones to Wick memo RE: Senator Robert F. Kennedy which was conducted on the program "Opinion in the Capital, "a production of station WTTG, Washington, D. C. Additional written questions : were submitted to the three participants at a later date and these questions 5. were answered independently by them. The reference by Mr. Kennedy to =". . the FBI was made in reply to the following question on page 22 of the booklet. . . '":estion: Tt has been suggested that there has been considerable penetration , oz police agencies by the John Birch Society and other right-wing extremist organizations, Would you permit a member of an extremist group to serve . ,on the police force? How about the FBI or the Secret Service?" “Senator Kennedy: I think we should be extremely cautious about automatically canying any individual a job merely because he belongs to a particular organization. However, the John Birch Society has been clearly identified with some positions which would make it very unlikely that any individual po-iceman who agreed with th them would be able to enforce the law fairly and’ ter Fae all) alitie anes a Tt eek nt wn. a Te equally aU ali citizens. Therefore, I Wouid or absolutely bar members os ine Birch Society from serving on a police force; but I would see that a special effort was made to see that the personal views of each applicant are such that he will be able to enforce the laws fairly. I believe the questions of the FBI and Secret Service are a different matter. These agencies have special responsibilities in the field of national security, and from my personal experience with them, it does not seem to me to be. wise to allow members of any extremist group to‘serve on them." OBSERVATIONS: It is not known whether this question was submitted to Kezedy on the television program of 5-15-& or in written form at a later Ga-e; and, therefore, it is not known who was responsible for preparing the question. In any event, the question is simply a hypothetical inquiry, contrasting the FBI as the foremost Federal investigative agency with the local police, and there is no inference of Birchite activities on the part of FBI Agents. Apparently Mr. Kennedy mentioned the FBI;in his answer only because of the specific reference to it in the question. | In view of the ¢-~———7 content of this question, it is believed consideration should be given to not writing a letter to the American. vewish Committee concerning this matter. Coos 32= COMMENDATION: 2, That the Director may wish to consider not writing ” - American Jewish Committee regarding wis Dew phe te —_ i: » eT *) a