Changes

In 1938, he began to give evidence of his growing importance. In that year he put forward a plan to solve railroad troubles by a lease-lend procedure through which the railroads would get equipment in much the same way that Britain gets war goods under the [[Lend-Lease Act]]. In that same year, he wrote an "influential memorandum" on the causes of the recession in which he discussed, among other things, Social Security taxes, and pointed out that compensatory Federal spending to stimulate heavy industry might be more flexible if concentrated outside the regular budget.  

In 1938, he began to give evidence of his growing importance. In that year he put forward a plan to solve railroad troubles by a lease-lend procedure through which the railroads would get equipment in much the same way that Britain gets war goods under the [[Lend-Lease Act]]. In that same year, he wrote an "influential memorandum" on the causes of the recession in which he discussed, among other things, Social Security taxes, and pointed out that compensatory Federal spending to stimulate heavy industry might be more flexible if concentrated outside the regular budget.  

In May of 1939, Currie gave testimony before the Temporary National Economic Committee. He reportedly showed that investments follow production and since 1932 State and local governments have been piling up savings so that the net Federal investment must be at least one billion dollars to provide equivalent purchasing power. Currie became Administrative Assistant to [[President Franklin Roosevelt]] in July of 1939<ref>Testimony of Lauchlin Currie, August 13, 1948. Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage in the United States Government. Hearings before the Committee on Un-American Activities. U. S. Congress, House, 80th Congress, Second Session (Washington: Government Printing office, 1948) Part I, p. 852.</ref>, and was empowered to coordinate "the work of the various departments in their relations to the Executive." <ref>''New York Times'', July 23, 1939.</ref>

In May 1939, Currie gave testimony before the Temporary National Economic Committee. He reportedly showed that investments follow production and since 1932 State and local governments have been piling up savings so that the net Federal investment must be at least one billion dollars to provide equivalent purchasing power. Currie became Administrative Assistant to [[President Franklin Roosevelt]] in July 1939,<ref>Testimony of Lauchlin Currie, August 13, 1948. Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage in the United States Government. Hearings before the Committee on Un-American Activities. U. S. Congress, House, 80th Congress, Second Session (Washington: Government Printing office, 1948) Part I, p. 852.</ref> and was empowered to coordinate "the work of the various departments in their relations to the Executive." <ref>''New York Times'', July 23, 1939.</ref>

[[Whittaker Chambers]], a former affiliate of the Soviet Secret Intelligence Service in Washington, D. C., for the purpose of developing a government underground, stated that Lauchlin Currie was a 'fellow Traveler' who helped various Communists. This statement was made to a representative of the State Department when Chambers was questioned relative to individuals in the Government who were allegedly active in behalf of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union.

[[Whittaker Chambers]], a former affiliate of the Soviet Secret Intelligence Service in Washington, D. C., for the purpose of developing a government underground, stated that Lauchlin Currie was a 'fellow Traveler' who helped various Communists. This statement was made to a representative of the State Department when Chambers was questioned relative to individuals in the Government who were allegedly active in behalf of the Communist Party and the Soviet Union.

[http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-diplo&month=9906&week=d&msg=lPD3vPuXuLZMFEHUHuo%2B5w&user=&pw= Soviet archives] likewise identify Currie as a Soviet intelligence source. In 1948, [[Anatoly Gorsky]] identified Currie in the "[[Gorsky memo]]"as the Soviet agent code-named "PAZh/Page,"<ref>Alexander Vassiliev, ''Black Notebook'',  [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/docs/Black%20Notebook%20Original.pdf Orig.] p. 40; [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/docs/Black%20Notebook%20Translated1.pdf Trans.] p. 78; cf. Ronald Bachman and Harold Leich (tr.), with John Earl Haynes, [http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-hoac&month=0503&week=b&msg=ycrsVT7M1e2L9EECiLFskg&user=&pw= Alexander Vassiliev's Notes on Anatoly Gorsky's December 1948 Memo on Compromised American Sources and Networks], History of American Communism (H-HOAC) Discussion Network, March 14, 2005; David Lowenthal with Svetlana A. Chervonnaya, [http://hnn.us/articles/11581.html Gorsky Report: Dec 23, 1949], History News Network (George Mason University), May 2, 2005</ref> who is recorded in [[Venona]] giving [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/14oct_pazh_eleron_albert_robert.pdf information to Akhmerov] and "handing over [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1945/20mar_illegal_albert.pdf documents" to Silvermaster].

[http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-diplo&month=9906&week=d&msg=lPD3vPuXuLZMFEHUHuo%2B5w&user=&pw= Soviet archives] likewise identify Currie as a Soviet intelligence source. In 1948, [[Anatoly Gorsky]] identified Currie in the "[[Gorsky memo]]"as the Soviet agent code-named "PAZh/Page,"<ref>Alexander Vassiliev, ''Black Notebook'',  [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/docs/Black%20Notebook%20Original.pdf Orig.] p. 40; [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/docs/Black%20Notebook%20Translated1.pdf Trans.] p. 78; cf. Ronald Bachman and Harold Leich (tr.), with John Earl Haynes, [http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-hoac&month=0503&week=b&msg=ycrsVT7M1e2L9EECiLFskg&user=&pw= Alexander Vassiliev's Notes on Anatoly Gorsky's December 1948 Memo on Compromised American Sources and Networks], History of American Communism (H-HOAC) Discussion Network, March 14, 2005; David Lowenthal with Svetlana A. Chervonnaya, [http://hnn.us/articles/11581.html Gorsky Report: Dec 23, 1949], History News Network (George Mason University), May 2, 2005</ref> who is recorded in [[Venona]] giving [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/14oct_pazh_eleron_albert_robert.pdf information to Akhmerov] and "handing over [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1945/20mar_illegal_albert.pdf documents" to Silvermaster].

Through a surreptitious and out of process means Currie secured [[Comintern]] operative [[Owen Lattimore]] as the personal appointment of President Roosevelt as American adviser for [[Kuomintang]] Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]], who at that time in 1941 was engaged in a desperate struggle with Japan in the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]. <ref>Testimony of Stanley K. Hornbeck, February 15, 1952. U. S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, [[Internal Security Subcommittee]], Institute of Pacific Relations, Hearings, 82nd Congress, First Session (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1951), Part 9, pp. 3209-10.</ref>  

Through a surreptitious and out of process means Currie secured [[Comintern]] operative [[Owen Lattimore]] as the personal appointment of President Roosevelt as American adviser for [[Kuomintang]] Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]], who at that time in 1941 was engaged in a desperate struggle with Japan in the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]].<ref>Testimony of Stanley K. Hornbeck, February 15, 1952. U. S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, [[Internal Security Subcommittee]], Institute of Pacific Relations, Hearings, 82nd Congress, First Session (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1951), Part 9, pp. 3209-10.</ref>  

In the early part of 1941, Currie was sent to be Head of the Economic Mission to China as personal envoy of the President to confer with Chiang Kai-shek and other leading executives of the Kuomintang. Currie studied Chinese arsenals, military training schools, and industrial cooperatives while in China. Although his report had not been made public, he appears to have studied the economic structure in general and its special problems of currency and transportation.  Currie later spent a few days in New Delhi, India, and returned to the United States on August 20, 1942.

In the early part of 1941, Currie was sent to be Head of the Economic Mission to China as personal envoy of the President to confer with Chiang Kai-shek and other leading executives of the Kuomintang. Currie studied Chinese arsenals, military training schools, and industrial cooperatives while in China. Although his report had not been made public, he appears to have studied the economic structure in general and its special problems of currency and transportation.  Currie later spent a few days in New Delhi, India, and returned to the United States on August 20, 1942.

During the Hatch Act investigation of [[Nathan Gregory Silvermaster]], an employee of the Department of Agriculture, Lauchlin Currie was interviewed. Silvermaster denied any Communist links and appealed to Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson to overrule the security officials. Currie personally phoned Patterson and urged a reconsideration of Silvermaster’s case. <ref>File card of Patterson contacts in regard Silvermaster, box 203, Robert P. Patterson papers, Library of Congress. </ref><ref>General Bissell to General Strong, 3 June 1942, Silvermaster reply to Bissell memo, 9 June 1942, Robert P. Patterson to Milo Perkins of [[Board of Economic Warfare]], 3 July 1942, all reprinted in “[[Interlocking Subversion in Government Departments]],” 30 August 1955, 84th Cong., 1st sess., part 30, 2562–2567.</ref>

During the Hatch Act investigation of [[Nathan Gregory Silvermaster]], an employee of the Department of Agriculture, Lauchlin Currie was interviewed. Silvermaster denied any Communist links and appealed to Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson to overrule the security officials. Currie personally phoned Patterson and urged a reconsideration of Silvermaster’s case.<ref>File card of Patterson contacts in regard Silvermaster, box 203, Robert P. Patterson papers, Library of Congress.</ref><ref>General Bissell to General Strong, 3 June 1942, Silvermaster reply to Bissell memo, 9 June 1942, Robert P. Patterson to Milo Perkins of [[Board of Economic Warfare]], 3 July 1942, all reprinted in “[[Interlocking Subversion in Government Departments]],” 30 August 1955, 84th Cong., 1st sess., part 30, 2562–2567.</ref>

When asked to comment upon Silvermaster's political philosophy, Currie stated that in his mind conclusive evidence of whether or not a person is Communistically inclined was the individual's attitude up to June 23 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Inasmuch as Silvermaster, according to Currie was an advocate of war prior to that time, Currie did not regard him as Communistic and stated that he was a "[[liberal]]" and "[[New Deal]]er in his political leanings." <ref>''Underground Soviet Espionage Organization (NKVD) in Agencies of the United States Government,'' 21 February 1946, FBI Silvermaster file, serial 573. </ref>  Silvermaster subsequently received two promotions and pay raises.  During the course of the investigation the Office of Naval Intelligence furnished information indicating that Currie and Silvermaster were associates and friendly.  

When asked to comment upon Silvermaster's political philosophy, Currie stated that in his mind conclusive evidence of whether or not a person is Communistically inclined was the individual's attitude up to June 23, 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Inasmuch as Silvermaster, according to Currie was an advocate of war prior to that time, Currie did not regard him as Communistic and stated that he was a "[[liberal]]" and "[[New Deal]]er in his political leanings." <ref>''Underground Soviet Espionage Organization (NKVD) in Agencies of the United States Government,'' 21 February 1946, FBI Silvermaster file, serial 573.</ref>  Silvermaster subsequently received two promotions and pay raises.  During the course of the investigation the Office of Naval Intelligence furnished information indicating that Currie and Silvermaster were associates and friendly.  

In 1943-1944 Currie ran the [[Foreign Economic Administration]] where he played a major role in recruiting or recommending economists and others throughout the Washington administration, prominent examples are [[John Kenneth Galbraith]], Richard Gilbert, [[Adlai Stevenson]], and William O’Dwyer.  [[John Carter Vincent]] is also listed as an Acting Special Assistant to the Administrator.  

In 1943-1944 Currie ran the [[Foreign Economic Administration]] where he played a major role in recruiting or recommending economists and others throughout the Washington administration, prominent examples are [[John Kenneth Galbraith]], Richard Gilbert, [[Adlai Stevenson]], and William O’Dwyer.  [[John Carter Vincent]] is also listed as an Acting Special Assistant to the Administrator.  

After the death of [[Jacob Golos]], KGB Case Officer [[Iskhak Akhmerov]] urged Silvermaster to arrange for direct KGB contact with Currie, but Silvermaster resisted. Currie sent a warning that American cryptanalysts were on the verge of breaking the Soviet diplomatic code. <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/csi/books/venona/venona.htm  Venona: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957] </ref>  An August 1943 [[Venona]] cable reports to Moscow that Currie had given [[George Silverman]] a memorandum involving the State Department. In June 1944, the New York KGB reported receipt of two items from Currie. One was information on President Roosevelt's reasons for keeping [[Charles de Gaulle]] at arm's length. The other told the Soviets that Roosevelt was willing to accept Stalin's demand that the USSR keep the half of Poland that it had received under the [[Nazi-Soviet Pact]] and that FDR would put pressure on the London Polish government-in-exile to make concessions.  President Roosevelt had personally assured Polish-Americans, prior to the 1944 election, of his support for the Polish cause. Currie's private information let Stalin know that he could disregard these public stands and need not make serious concessions to the Poles.  It was about this time Currie also met with [[Oskar R. Lange]] in Chicago.   

After the death of [[Jacob Golos]], KGB Case Officer [[Iskhak Akhmerov]] urged Silvermaster to arrange for direct KGB contact with Currie, but Silvermaster resisted. Currie sent a warning that American cryptanalysts were on the verge of breaking the Soviet diplomatic code.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/csi/books/venona/venona.htm  Venona: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957]</ref>  An August 1943 [[Venona]] cable reports to Moscow that Currie had given [[George Silverman]] a memorandum involving the State Department. In June 1944, the New York KGB reported receipt of two items from Currie. One was information on President Roosevelt's reasons for keeping [[Charles de Gaulle]] at arm's length. The other told the Soviets that Roosevelt was willing to accept Stalin's demand that the USSR keep the half of Poland that it had received under the [[Nazi-Soviet Pact]] and that FDR would put pressure on the London Polish government-in-exile to make concessions.  President Roosevelt had personally assured Polish-Americans, prior to the 1944 election, of his support for the Polish cause. Currie's private information let Stalin know that he could disregard these public stands and need not make serious concessions to the Poles.  It was about this time Currie also met with [[Oskar R. Lange]] in Chicago.   

[[Pavel Fitin]], head of KGB foreign intelligence, told its New York office in March that it wanted more out of Currie. Fitin acknowledged that “[Currie] trusts [Silvermaster], informs him not only orally, but also by handing over documents”.  But, said Fitin, “up to now [Currie's] relations with [Silvermaster] were expressed, from our point of view, only in common feelings and personal sympathies. [unrecovered code groups] question of more profound relations and an understanding by [Currie] of [Silvermaster's] role. If [Silvermaster] does not get [Currie's] transfer to our worker, then he [unrecovered code groups] raising with [Currie] the question of [Currie's] closer complicity with [Silvermaster].”

[[Pavel Fitin]], head of KGB foreign intelligence, told its New York office in March that it wanted more out of Currie. Fitin acknowledged that “[Currie] trusts [Silvermaster], informs him not only orally, but also by handing over documents”.  But, said Fitin, “up to now [Currie's] relations with [Silvermaster] were expressed, from our point of view, only in common feelings and personal sympathies. [unrecovered code groups] question of more profound relations and an understanding by [Currie] of [Silvermaster's] role. If [Silvermaster] does not get [Currie's] transfer to our worker, then he [unrecovered code groups] raising with [Currie] the question of [Currie's] closer complicity with [Silvermaster].”

In April 1944, an anonymous letter was received by the FBI, the writer was subsequently identified as [[Katherine Perlo]], wife of [[Victor Perlo]]. This letter, directed to the White House, listed the names of approximately twenty-five persons whom the writer designated as members of the Communist group in Washington or contacts thereof. Among those names listed was that of [[George Silverman]] with the following parenthetical notation along side this name: "Railroad Retirement Brd. — works thru close friends who are indebted to him — Lauchlin Currie - [[Harry White]], etc. –"  

In April 1944, an anonymous letter was received by the FBI, the writer was subsequently identified as [[Katherine Perlo]], wife of [[Victor Perlo]]. This letter, directed to the White House, listed the names of approximately twenty-five persons whom the writer designated as members of the Communist group in Washington or contacts thereof. Among those names listed was that of [[George Silverman]] with the following parenthetical notation along side this name: "Railroad Retirement Brd. — works thru close friends who are indebted to him — Lauchlin Currie - [[Harry White]], etc. –"  

In late 1945, the FBI opened an investigation of [[Anatoly Gorsky]], a KGB officer operating out of the Soviet embassy in Washington under the guise of being a Soviet diplomat. A report on the investigation in February 1946 cited several meetings between Gorsky and Currie. Currie admitted to the FBI in 1947 he had met at least four times with Gorsky in 1945. <ref>Report on Currie interview, 31 July 1947, FBI Silvermaster file, serial 2794.</ref>  Years later it was discovered that Currie also met with [[Vasily Zarubin]] in August 1943 which coincides with mysterious [[Venona#.22Mr._Hoover.22|"Mr. Guver" letter]] in which a Soviet KGB officer stated that Zarubin “has some high level agent in the office of the White House.” <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/csi/bulletin/csi7.htm#toc16 "Mr. Guver": Anonymous Soviet Letter to the FBI], Anonymous Russian letter to J. Edgar Hoover, 7 August 1943, reproduced in Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., ''Venona: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939–1957'' (Washington, D.C.: National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 1996), 51–54. </ref>   

In late 1945, the FBI opened an investigation of [[Anatoly Gorsky]], a KGB officer operating out of the Soviet embassy in Washington under the guise of being a Soviet diplomat. A report on the investigation in February 1946 cited several meetings between Gorsky and Currie. Currie admitted to the FBI in 1947 he had met at least four times with Gorsky in 1945.<ref>Report on Currie interview, 31 July 1947, FBI Silvermaster file, serial 2794.</ref>  Years later it was discovered that Currie also met with [[Vasily Zarubin]] in August 1943 which coincides with mysterious [[Venona#.22Mr. Hoover.22|"Mr. Guver" letter]] in which a Soviet KGB officer stated that Zarubin “has some high level agent in the office of the White House.” <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/csi/bulletin/csi7.htm#toc16 "Mr. Guver": Anonymous Soviet Letter to the FBI], Anonymous Russian letter to J. Edgar Hoover, 7 August 1943, reproduced in Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., ''Venona: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939–1957'' (Washington, D.C.: National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 1996), 51–54.</ref>   

Lauchlin Currie was one of the Federal employees listed as an affiliate of subversive organizations by the [[Dies Committee]] in a memorandum submitted to the Attorney General. It was stated he was a member of the Washington Committee to Aid China.  

Lauchlin Currie was one of the Federal employees listed as an affiliate of subversive organizations by the [[Dies Committee]] in a memorandum submitted to the Attorney General. It was stated he was a member of the Washington Committee to Aid China.  

Currie was listed as one of the individuals who attended the [[Institute of Pacific Relations]] Conference held at Mont Tremblant, Canada, from December 5 to 19, 1942. In the early part of September 1943, Currie was appointed as Acting Deputy Administrator and he remained until the early part of 1945. He then resumed his former [[White House]] duties.  

Currie was listed as one of the individuals who attended the [[Institute of Pacific Relations]] Conference held at Mont Tremblant, Canada, from December 5 to 19, 1942. In the early part of September 1943, Currie was appointed as Acting Deputy Administrator and he remained until the early part of 1945. He then resumed his former [[White House]] duties.  

It was Currie who recommended Owen Lattimore to President Roosevelt to serve as a special advisor to [[Jiang Jieshi]](Chiang Kai-shek). <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6315/comatph.html ''Communism at Pearl Harbor''], ''How the Communist Helped to Bring on Pearl Harbor and Open Up Asia to Communization'', Anthony Kubek, University of Dallas, p. 2 -4. </ref>

It was Currie who recommended Owen Lattimore to President Roosevelt to serve as a special advisor to [[Jiang Jieshi]](Chiang Kai-shek).<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6315/comatph.html ''Communism at Pearl Harbor''], ''How the Communist Helped to Bring on Pearl Harbor and Open Up Asia to Communization'', Anthony Kubek, University of Dallas, p. 2 -4.</ref>

In connection with inquiries conducted with respect to [[Michael Greenberg]], it was learned Greenberg at one time was assigned to work with Currie at the White House on matters pertaining to Chinese affairs.  

In connection with inquiries conducted with respect to [[Michael Greenberg]], it was learned Greenberg at one time was assigned to work with Currie at the White House on matters pertaining to Chinese affairs.