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STATEMENT OF J. EDGAR HOOVER, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, - > REFORE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE CCMMITTEE C8 FOREIGN RELATIONS, 3:30 P.M., MONDAY, MARCE 27, 1950 In the 26 years during which I have been privileged to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I have always maintained the view that if we were to fully discharge the seriéus responsibilities imposed upon us, the confidential character of our files must be inviolate. A cardinal principle of succoss for any agency having e responsibility for investigations 1a its ability to secure information. To do that, it must be able to maintain confidences. Any person furnishing information must have the Sucurity of kmewing that when he furnishes information on a confidential basis, he will not at a later date Pind that confidence broken, When that occurs, the ability of the investigative agency to discharge its responsibilities in the future ic materially lecsened. The public record clearly proves that the FBI because it does maintain confidences hae been able to develop valuable sources of information which have a dirset bearing on the internal security of the nation. I need refer only to the government witnessva who testified in the trial of the eleven Communist leaders in New York last summer, Seven of these witnesses risked their lives as undercover employees of the FBI, The queation of opening the files of the FBI involves a grave matter of principle. In taking the position that the files of the FBI shovld remain inviolate, I would not, of course, presume to discusses files other than: those'of - the Federal Bureau of Invostigation. These files contain complaints, allegations, fects, and atatements of all pergons interviewed. Depending upon the purpose of the investigation, ifs oy a a