Senator DONNELL. And Mr. Harry J. Becker, is he of the United States Children's Bureau, Social Security Administration? Mr. MILLER. I don't know Mr. Becker. I made an inquiry as to him, and I believe he is in the Children's Bureau. Senator DONNELL. At any rate, the United States Children's Bureau is under the Federal Security Agency? Mr. MILLER. That is right. Senator DONNELL. And Mr. Becker is with that Bureau? Mr. MILLER. I think that must be right. Senator DONNELL. I also call attention to the fact that this document which I have offered, and which I understand has been admitted to the record Senator SMITH. Yes. Senator DONNELL. Purports to be, and so states at the outset-I will just read the opening sentence: The committee, after full consideration of the report as submitted by the subcommittee, upon motion duly made and seconded, unanimously approved and adopted the report as the report of the full Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments. And that committee report purports to be signed by the five members, the gentlemen whose names I have already read into the record. Now, Mr. Miller, if you will proceed. Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman, the word "workshop," I have it in a notation here, is a term coined, I believe, in recent years, which has come to mean a convention for the exchange of experience in technical or not fully developed fields and for the projection of experiments as in a laboratory. These devices have been employed in and out of Government to develop understanding, cooperation, promote sales, and the like. Our agency has stimulated, and participated in, many such conferences. It has been more than intimated by a committee of the House that we have crossed into the realm of legislative propaganda. I believe this has not been done by my associates in conscious defiance of propriety or the law. I have great confidence in a very fine staff. I feel that the Congress should not give us too rigid a definition, but should permit us to use our best judgment and mature discretion. This, because under legislative fiat we confer with advisory bodies. and in recognition of our public responsibilities cooperate with a vast array of voluntary groups pertinent to our wide range of duties. I believe it is to be within our competence to explain the program which Congress has decreed to the people calculated to be served by them through proper channels and thus to aid in understanding and acceptance. I realize that the dividing line is somewhat tenuous which might be unconsciously crossed. We shall do our best not to do so. I have lately conferred with public officials in four States who effectuate the operating ends of our partnership programs. This was done in order that I might learn of their problems and in general "how we are doing." I have discussed health and medical care programs, as before the Congress, with three great medical associations and by radio with Senator Taft. On occasion some unsought small press interviews have taken place and I have explained our programs, the current legislative situations, and even proposals for the Congress, current or hoped for. In no instance have I felt that I failed in the amenities or in my respect for the Congress. Perhaps a workshop can be likened to what we are doing here this morning. This document I have here, Mr. Chairman, is dated January 22, 1947, months, of course, before any of us had any indication, any intimation that the activities of workshops would be under examination by the Congress, and I would like to submit it in its entirety for the record, and I think it has something that will even in that period make graphic our feeling about things of this sort. It is a memo to me from the Director of Information, Mr. Zilpha C. Franklin, and says, under date of January 22, 1947: The Public Health Service has recently had a request from the Grange and the Farmers' Union, acting jointly, to participate in a forthcoming health workship for organization and community leaders in the States of Washington and Oregon. This project, which would substantially parallel the workshops previously held in Minneapolis and Jamestown, N. Dak., again brings up the question of agency participation in such conferences. In a meeting held in my office on January 7, the questions raised by the Farmers Union letter of October, asking you to set up a workship-unit in the Agency, were again discussed in the light of this new request. The group agreed that the outstanding asset of such workshops is the two-way opportunity to provide wanted information to alert community and organization leaders and to get from them a first-hand view of public attitudes and interests in the programs with which we are officially concerned. On the debit side must be weighed the expense of sending Agency staff members to such meetings, and the possibility that such participation may be misinterpreted as propagandizing— in spite of the fact that the Government consultants are meticulous in carrying out their instructions to operate solely as sources of factual information. One important question remains unanswered-the extent and effectiveness of what the workshop participants can carry back to their own localities and can communicate to others. Though these end results are not very tangible, the Agency people who took part in the earlier workshops feel that the carry-over to the community is probably substantial. One significant gain seems to have been the demonstration, to State and local health officers, of active and constructive citizen-interest. The balance of it is subject to my approval that under these circumscriptions certain individuals be permitted to attend these workshops. I would like to have the whole statement placed in the record. Senator SMITH. It will be admitted. (The memorandum dated January 22, 1947, follows:) OFFICE MEMORANDUM, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT To: Mr. Watson B. Miller, Administrator. Date: January 22, 1947. The Public Health Service has recently had a request from the Grange and the Farmers Union, acting jointly, to participate in a forthcoming health workshop for organization and community leaders in the States of Washington and Oregon. This project, which would substantially parallel the workshops previously held in Minneapolis and Jamestown, N. Dak., again brings up the question of Agency participation in such conferences. In a meeting held in my office on January 7, the questions raised by the Farmers Union letter of October, asking you to set up a workshop unit in the Agency, were again discussed in the light of this new request. The group agreed that the outstanding asset of such workshops is the twoway opportunity to provide wanted information to alert community and organization leaders and to get from them a firsthand view of public attitudes and interests in the programs with which we are officially concerned. On the debit side must be weighed the expense of sending Agency staff members to such meetings, and the possibility that such participation may be misinterpreted as propa gandizing-in spite of the fact that the Government consultants are meticulous in carrying out their instructions to operate solely as sources of factual information. One important question remains unanswered-the extent and effectiveness of what the workshop participants can carry back to their own localities and can communicate to others. Though these end-results are not very tangible, the Agency people who took part in the earlier workshops feel that the carry-over to the community is probably substantial. One significant gain seems to have been the demonstration, to State and local health officers, of active and constructive citizen interest. Subject to your approval, we agreed to proceed along the following lines: 1. The Federal Security Agency should continue its interest in workshops on health, or other subjects in the Agency's fields, and should make available, on request, whatever consultant services it can. But at the present time, for both policy and practical reasons, our participation should continue on an informal basis, and no special unit for this purpose should be set up in the Administrator's Office or elsewhere in the Agency. 2. The Agency should participate in the Washington-Oregon Workshop. The consultants should be selected from Washington and regional staff to cover all programs. But, as indicated below, their number should be held within reasonable limits. 3. The Administrator's Office can assist in making Agency participation effective by (a) pulling together the potential contributions of all interested constituents; (b) taking over-all responsibility for authorizing participation; and (c) designating the individual to head up the Agency participants and to be responsible for organizing its consultative services. 4. Along with its responsibility to see that all pertinent aspects of the Agency's work are covered, the Administrator's Office should take steps to forestall too large an Agency "delegation." (At the two previous workshops interest was so general among both Washington and regional personnel that some 30 Agency people were present for all or part of the meeting.) As outlined by Dr. Derryberry, the Agency representatives at the Washington-Oregon Workshop might include: (1) Miss Evelyn Rahm, of the Denver Public Health Service office, to assist in the preliminary planning and in arranging the details for the conference about a week in advance. (2) Dr. Hubert Coffey, on WAE employment, to direct the workshop. (3) Dr. Butterworth, to assist Dr. Coffey. (4) Miss Klem, of the Medical Economic Section, Social Security Administration, or Mr. Becker, of the Children's Bureau, to serve as consultant on payment for medical care. (5) Mr. Ralph Vanderwerker, sanitary engineer consultant to the Federal Public Housing Authority, or someone he may designate, to cover housing and sanitation. (6) Dr. Rose, to cover medical facilities and personnel. (7) Dr. Gregg, to cover public health. (8) Miss Eleanor Finger, Labor Information Division, Social Security Administration, conference reporting. (9) Representative of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (?) (11) An FSA information specialist to study and report to the Agency on informational needs, etc. (12) The Farmers Home Administration should be asked to take part if this has not already been arranged. The Social Security Administration's Labor Information Service can be called on if needed, as well as the Social Security Regional Office and the Public Health Service District Office. Dr. Butterworth-in Dr. Derryberry's absence on detail to the Red Crosswill take responsibility for advance planning, etc. 5. The possibility of bringing into the workshop such interested voluntary organizations as the Red Cross and the Cancer Council should be explored with the workshop sponsors. Such organizations have facilities for community followup which could be very helpful. 6. The Agency will try to take advantage of this workshop to get additional data, particularly an accounting of the cost of Agency participation. Some method of post-workshop follow-up should also be developed, if possible, in order to get a better picture of the end results in terms of carry-over to individuals and community leaders. Senator DONNELL. Mr. Chairman, I am practically finished with Mr. Miller. Senator MURRAY. Before you proceed, Mr. Chairman, I wish to join with my colleague here in objecting to this line of evidence going into the record. Heretofore I have objected to the presence on this committee of Mrs. Shearon, who has been engaged for some time in spreading this propaganda which was referred to by my colleague, Senator Pepper, a few moments ago. A short time ago, upon our objection, she was discharged from this committee, but she still serves here, and she maintains an office in the Senate Office Building with a large sign on the door advertising herself as a consultant. Senator SMITH. Let me just correct you, if I may, Senator Murray. When Dr. Shearon was discharged, it was understood she was to continue until the hearings were concluded, her services would be discontinued. I think that was the understanding; otherwise, it would appear as though she were here in an unauthorized way. Senator DONNELL. May I interrupt you there, Senator? She is not any longer on the pay roll of this committee. Senator MURRAY. But she is disseminating propaganda. She is engaged in sending out propaganda against Members of the Senate who are sponsoring this legislation. As Senator Pepper has called to our attention, she has already spread this propaganda throughout the country by means of this chart which she has prepared, and in which she refers to the Senators who are sponsoring this legislation as collaborationists and fellow travelers. I resent that. I consider her personally obnoxious, and I don't think we should be subjected to these insults. We are Members of this Senate just the same as the chairman and other Members of the Senate are, and I don't think we should be required to sit here and be insulted from day to day by a propagandist who was brought here in the first instance, I understand, by the Republican National Committee, and was on the pay roll of the Republican National Committee. We have investigated her, and we find that she is not a proper or suitable person to be serving on this committee or acting here at all. Because of her unjustified attitude toward us, we resent her presence here, and we think she should be immediately discharged from this room and not permitted to sit at this table along with the Members, in view of her willful misconduct and of the insults she has heaped upon us. Now, Mr. Chairman, I want to call attention to her record. Dr. Shearon's record since 1934 is a succession of employment with various important Government agencies, each terminated because of her inability to maintain responsible and workable_relations with other people. These positions include the New York Department of Social Welfare, New York City Department of Welfare, WPA, Social Security Board, United States Public Health Service. She was also employed for a time by the Senate minority conference group in 1946, and later by the Republican National Committee. During this latter period she indulged verbally, in writing, and through her influence on Members of Congress, in a smear campaign against other Members of Congress, against prominent citizens, and against responsible Government officials. Now, as an employee of the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, she is continuing to carry on a biased and vindictive lobby. Even though she has been separated from the pay roll, she is still permitted to use an office in the Senate Office Building, and I suppose use other facilities. Senator SMITH. Senator Murray, may I just say this at this point: To my knowledge Dr. Shearon has not sent out any material of that nature since she has been working with this committee. I have instructed her not to, and I have no evidence that she has done so. Furthermore, it seems to me the material that you are presenting_was brought before our committee and not made part of the record. I think what you say is relevant, and if you want to put it in, you have got the right to, because this other material has gone in. I don't see that it has any relation to this investigation, however. Senator MURRAY. I think it ought to go in, because it is entirely relevant to what is already in the record. Senator SMITH. Unfortunately we are getting into something here— if that is going to be done we are getting off the trail of what we are trying to do, and I will have to make my investigations of some others that have been working on the other side of this. Senator MURRAY. That is perfectly all right with me. Senator SMITH. I don't want to be put in that position. I don't feel it is the right thing to do from the standpoint of trying to get constructive legislation here, to get into personalities and differences. I have asked Dr. Shearon not to participate in them, and so far as I know she has not. Senator MURRAY. She has engaged in propaganda ever since she was taken off the pay roll. Here is a letter dated June 9, after she had been removed from the pay roll, in which she addresses "To Members of Health and Medical Professions and to Others Interested in Defeating Plans for Establishment of State Socialism in the United States." It reads: In February 1945 I was appointed research analyst to serve Senator Taft and other Republicans in the fields of health, education, social security, and welfare. Last year I worked with Senator Donnell in cross-examining witnesses at hearings on S. 1606. On March 21, 1947, I was appointed consultant to the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. On May 22 I was fired at the instance of Senators Pepper and Murray after I had aided Senator Donnell in cross-examining witnesses at the current hearings on S. 544 and S. 1320. Objection was taken to my views as expressed in the Blueprint for the Nationalization of MedicineThis is the blueprint that we have just been referring to, and in which she refers to the President and to the Members, certain Members of the Senate, as being collaborationists and fellow travelers, and engaged in establishing socialism and communism in the United States. Continuing with this letter: Objection was taken to my views as expressed in the Blueprint for the Nationalization of Medicine-Plans To Enchain Medicine by Regulative Interference and in my speech on bureaucratic control of medicine. Senator Taft was unable to obtain a majority vote to retain my services since Senators Morse and Aiken voted with the Democrats for my removal. That did not occur at all. She was removed with the consent of all members of the committee, and no vote was taken on it whatever. So that is a false statement with reference to the action of this committee. She was removed by Senator Taft, who stated at the time that he thought she was unstable, that he would not feel satisfied to |