The Onslow County News And Views

FBI Trails Soviet Agent Thought To Possess Atom Bomb Secrets

Washington-(AP)- Secretary of State Byrnes last week branded as untrue reports that the State department kept the FBI from investigating an alleged Soviet agent who sought to learn America's top wartime secrets.

New York-(AP)- The New York Journal-American said in a copyrighted story that for the last two years the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been trailing a Russian secret service agent, "who, it is believed, may have obtained atomic bomb secrets."

The New York FBI office said it had no comment on the story.

The paper said FBI agents found a package in the agent's room in Chicago in 1943 that "was found to contain highly confidential details of atomic development."

The paper said the agent was living now in a midtown hotel and was surrounded by a squad of FBI men, operating on a 24-hour basis. It did not give his name.

Entered U. S. In 1938

The Journal-American said the agent entered the United States from Canada in 1938 and carried forged passports. The man first appeared in the United States as a member of a Soviet purchasing commission, but returned to Moscow the same year, the paper added.

The newspaper related that the man was "employed" by an obscure music shop on Fifth avenue here at $75 a week, but had accounts running into thousands of dollars in Manhattan banks.

The paper said the FBI first got on the trail of the man in Chicago, in 1943, adding:

"A scientist, working on atomic bomb development in a Chicago laboratory, had been suspected by military intelligence officials. Unwittingly, this scientist led the FBI to the man.

"This scientist . . . had gone for a walk through a park. He was trailed by two military intelligence officers assigned to watch all his activities. The scientist was seen to stop and hand a second man a package. No words were exchanged . . ."

Room Is Entered

"That night, while the man was out of his room, the FBI entered it and found the package. This package was rushed to Washington and inspected by scientists assigned to the atomic bomb project. It was found to contain highly confidential details of atomic bomb development."

The Journal-American said the scientist was immediately inducted into the Army,

"as were more than 100 other persons subsequently believed guilty of passing out information on the atomic bomb. This scientist is now stationed on an obscure South Pacific island where he can be watched."

Wasn't Arrested

The paper said the agent made one attempt to elude the FBI and get to Portland, Ore., to board a Soviet ship. The FBI trailed him by planting scores of agents on the trail as members of the crew and as passengers, who rode in front and behind the man, the account continued. When the man got to Portland he took a brief case and headed for the docks.

"Meanwhile, the FBI had notified the State department that the man was attempting to leave the country, and it was believed he might have atomic bomb secrets in his possession," the paper said.

"The FBI requested permission to arrest the man for espionage. The man was not arrested."

The account related that the agent saw more than 100 FBI men around the docks, turned away, and after unsuccessful attempts to shake them off, took a train back to New York where he "made no further efforts to escape and resumed his cautious work with 'contacts'."

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