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Office Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ATEMay13.1955 Nich SENATE POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE COI DX Irving Ferman, the Washington representative of Oivil Liberties Union (ACLU), was very much upset and.disturbed over the prospe of the Senate.Post Office Committee violating the confidential character of files.in their forthcoming inquiry on security procedures. * He advised me today that he had lunch on May l2th'with former Senator Gillette and Hugh Finzel.'. He referred to the letter which he had written Senator Johnston and which he had also furnished. us wherein he'made a strong presentation on the necessity of protecting the .. confidential character of files." He told me that Senator Gillette impressed him as. being very determined to proceed and he intends to have public hearings'on an individual case basis. The only two cases that they have definitely decided to J hold hearings on are the Wolf--Ladejinsky case and the Chasanow case:: Gillette? stated that they contemplated developing the basic facts and'then.it will be necessa. to get access.to the files to see how the cases were handled or mishandled. Gillett? told Ferman that he appreciated his concern and was sympathetic to his conce and, of course, would not'even consider getting'into raw files. . Ferman asked if there was not some compromise and whether. this might serve the purpose.' Ferman stated that he is even more concerned. now over the confidential character of files since he feels that the liberal forces wl were pretty well mobilized behind the necessity of protecting files in the McCarth. hearings might now very well reverse themselves and say that the files shouldbe I made public in the.Chasanow and Ladejinsky cases. I told'Ferman that these,' of course, werebnly two cases and thatj. must be remembered that there'are many other cases and'that there might'come a time where the only way.a Government agency might defend itself would'be to. bare the files to show exactly what was done or what was not, done., Itold Ferman. that we, of course, would stick to our traditional position,' but that on thy other should the question of our own integrity'or. what we did'or did not do became'?. a issue, we did not propose to take this idly lying down.. : Ferman stated that he cc - Mr. Boardman? cc - Mr. Belmont 1081 RECORDED-35 LBN:ptm INDEXED-35 MAY21955 4 6Z JUN 31955. 000905