Changes

He became Administrative Assistant to [[President Franklin Roosevelt]] in July of 1939, and in 1941 was named Head of the Economic Mission to China as personal envoy of the President in the early part of February, 1941, and returned to the United States on Match 10, 1941. While in China, Currie conferred with Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]] and other leading executives of the Chinese Government. Currie also found time to study Chinese arsenals, military training schools, and industrial cooperatives. 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 in order to determine the best way for the United States to help the [[Chinese Nationalist]] government.  During this same trip Currie also spent a few days in New Delhi, India, and returned to the United States on August 20, 1942.

He became Administrative Assistant to [[President Franklin Roosevelt]] in July of 1939, and in 1941 was named Head of the Economic Mission to China as personal envoy of the President in the early part of February, 1941, and returned to the United States on Match 10, 1941. While in China, Currie conferred with Generalissimo [[Chiang Kai-shek]] and other leading executives of the Chinese Government. Currie also found time to study Chinese arsenals, military training schools, and industrial cooperatives. 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 in order to determine the best way for the United States to help the [[Chinese Nationalist]] government.  During this same trip Currie also 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.