Friday, February 2. WM By WILLIAM HIGGS leemtlnn News Service (Note: Last September If and I5, William Hfggs, a Washington lawyer noted for his work in civu rights cases, revealed to THE EVENING STAR in Washington docu- ments proving beyond reas- onable doubt that Alriie House, a huge conference center in \Varrenton, Va. which is used by many gov- ernment agencies for “think sessions,“ Is firmly under the control of, and has been fl- named by, several govem- merit agencies, notably the CIA, ln addition, Higgs proved that the entire conten ence center is elaborately bugged for sound and taping. THE EVENING STAR re ceived I! call from Richard Helms, director of the CIA, and on Sept. 19, it publicly apologized for its two articles based on Higgs’ information, asserting that Airlie is entire- ly financed by independent sources. But in a letter to THE STAR written subse- quently, Higgs pointed out that THE STAR had exam- ined only the tax and rev- enue data from Airlie‘s 1968 records, and reasserted that it is the present control, and not the present financing, of the center that determines its legitimacy. Airlie House is suddenly In the news this week, a the International Association of Chiefs of Police have chosen It as their meeting place. The police chiefs employed one Negro consultant through last August, but since then have remained a completely white group. Last week, Mrs. Willie Hardy, Washing- ton ghetto mother andror~ ganizer, Went to warrentnn to confront the police but was tnmed away loroetully. Meanwhile, Higgs has com- pleted this account of the history and control of what probably is the most impor- tant confelenoe center opera- tive in this country.) I: THE CIA IN DOMESTIC POLITICS WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 22 (LNS) — in the wake of the Ramparts magazine expose of the CIA’s relations with the National Student Association (Feb, 1967), the executive branch of the U.S. government — of necessity deeply involved in the shenanigans — moved swiftly to contain the extent of the revelation breach. The President appointed on February 15 a special commit- tee chaired by Under Secre- tary of State Nicholas Katzen— bach, with NEW Secretary John Gardner and CIA Direc- tor Richard Helms as the other two members. The committee was instructed, in Katzenbach’s words, “to formulate a policy that will provide necessary guidance for government agen- cies in their relationship to the international a c t i V i t i e s of American educational organiza» tions." Five weeks later the special committee delivered its report to LBJ. It contained a basic ltatement oi policy: No Federal Agency shall pro- vide my cover! financial u- SCARLET AND ELACK A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED EXPOSE THE CIA AND AlRllE HOUSE sistance or support, direct or indirect, to any of the Nation‘s educational or private volun- tary organizations. This policy specifically applies to all for- eign activities of such organi- zations and it reaffirms pres ent policy with respect to their domestic activities. Just to nail the matter down the committee added a foot- note: If the Statement of Policy is to be effective, it must be rig- orously enforced. it is clear from the policy statement that all covert finan— cial aid — lrom any agency of the federal government — is to be promptly ended. Such was the popular interpretation of the Presidents’ immediately ordering the policy statement into effect. As part of its containment policy, the CIA drew the lor- eign versus domestic line: the Agency only dealt with foreign matters, of. in the case of the NSA, with an organization that was engaged in activity in the ioreign field. The spy depart ment steadfastly maintained that it had gotten into domes- tic affails. The truth of the matter, how- ever, is that the CIA, the State and Defense Departments, and the nation’s intelligence sys- tem has been intimately and secretly involved in the guid- lag and pulse-taking of domes- tio thought and politics. The instrument of this com« prehensive program is a little- known conference center about 40 miles west south west of Washington, just off US. high- way 50, called Airlie House. The operator of Airiie is Dr. Murdock Head, a mansior-aii- seasons Who holds professional degrees in dentistry (Louis ville), medicine (Vermont). and law (G e o r g e Washington). Born in Trinity, Texas, about 1923, Head remains a rather mysterious tigure, even though the Saturday Evening Post, Newsweek, and other maga- zines have had feature articles concerning his work at Airlie. According to an Airlie bra- chure, the center is run by Air« lie Foundation, a non-profit Virginia corporation. Airlie’s source oi funds, however, is to say the least ambiguous In its June 23, 1562 article. the Satur- day Evening Post referred to Airlie as “a $2,000,000 set-up financed by Head and private benefactors.” In Newsweek of March 16, 1964, is the Comment: “Head launched Airlie House seven years ago with a small person< al inheritance and bluntless en- Ihusiasm. Borrowing additional money from insurance com- panies and banks. he estab» lished the non-profit Airlie Foundation, now Worth $2 to $3 million.” in an interview with Head in the Sunday Magazine section of the Washington Star of Aug» ust 11, 1963, reference is made PART ONE to the wealth of Heads wife’s parents from Louisville, Ky, together with extensive borrow- ings irum banks and insurance Companies. Airlie is situated in the bean- tiful rolling hunt. country of northern Virginia. The ram- bling conference center over- looks a scenic pond and is only part or a remarkably complete complex of private clinic, ra- dio station, cattle barn, sauna baths, game lodge, stables, swimming pool, guest houses, and private airport. In essence, Airlie House is an ideal conference center. As the brochure truthfully states: “This Center , . . offers dis< the Department of Justice, the Office of Education, the Board of Education of the District of Columbia, the National Insti- tules of Health, the Atomic Energy Commission, the De- partment of Labor, the Depart» ment of Commerce, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the U.S. Public Health Service and the Internal Rev» enue Service. Airlie is a frequent location tor many of the nation’s pri- vate organizations, such as universities and social organi- zations. For example, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund has consistently used Airlie to bring togedier civil rights law- Photo by Deb Hodlerne. East street Gallery Grinnell College‘s only interaction with the Central Intelligence Agency came in spring, 1966, when six students including Muffy Meyer, ’66 (front), and Scott nonahoe, ex-‘GB, protested a CIA recruitment visit, The demonstration was not violent, and the administration took no pun‘llive action. The above photo was one sent by the Associated Press all over the United States. tinct advantages for confer- ences in national and intema- tional aitairs." r a v And many of the leading citizens of our nation have tuund Airlie to match up to its billing. Senators, Congressmen, Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the White House staff, Cabinet members, and leaders of American economic, intellectual and social life have enjoyed the peaceful serenity of the rustic 1,200 acre site. A little detail will give some idea of Airlie’s role on the frontier of the nation’s life. Beginning in about 1961 the center hosted groups from al- most every agency of the U.S. guvemment, including the White House, the State Departr merit, the Bureau of the Bud- get, the Congress of the United States, the Agency for lnter— national Development, the Community Relations Service. yers and leaders from over the country A great many of the out- standing lacidty members from institutions of higher learning throughout the nation have come to Airlie tn Exchange views and ideas in its atmos- phere of quiet Isolation. The Scholarship, Education and Defense Fund for Racial Equality — the tax-exempt olf— shoot of CORE — conducted a fourrday training session on Aug. 19, 1967, to instruct 35 new Negro school board mem- bers from southern states in school administration and pol- icy-making. On May 26, 1965, over 100 prominent Americans attended a “Strategy for Peace" confer- ence, which focused in on the problems of Communism and insurgency in the underdevel- oped world. Conference chair< man was Dr. Kenneth Young. former Ambassador to Thai- cho Eleven land, current President of tho Asia Society and chairman of the State Department’s advis‘ ory panel on Southeast Asia. A’ national columnist commented “The Airlie House Report Will be studied by many unless of the government and not least in the White House.’ ’ Twenty-five nationally promi- nent Latin American Scholars met an Oct. 9, 1565, {or two days with top Administration men to discuss U.S. policy in Latin America toward military dictatorships and Communist insurgencies. The government was represented, among oth- ers, by McGeorge Bundy, spe- cial assistant to the President for National Security Alrairs, Jack Hood Vaughn, Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs, and Leonard Marks, Director of the U.S. In formation Agency. on Jan, 28, 1966, 40 top po lice off 'als from 17 major US. cities met to consider new techniques and systems of law enforcement. The conference was jointly arranged by the Depamneht of Justice and the International Chiels of Police. The White House Conference on Mental Retardation wan held at Airlie on Sept. 19, 1963. The meeting was attended by ficials and its tone was set by top-ranking Administration of- iicials and its tone was set by B message from i118 President. On Jan. 4, l967, the House GOP leadership, at the sugges< tion of Minority leader Gerald Ford (a member of the House CIA oversight subcommittee) held a tWtHlay conference for the 58 new Republican mem- bers of the House. Even mem. bers’ wives attended. The com lerence offered a lull panoply of seminars on loreign policy. national defense, the budget, economic policy, and House procedure, Both Ray C. Bliss, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Arc thur Burns, Chairman of tha Council of Economic Adviser! under Eisenhower, spoke to the Congressmen. It must be emphasized: Th6 above illustrations are just I very few of the very many top- level conferences and meetings held at Airlie. They have oc- curred almost without interrupt lion, hack—(whack since 196]. Moreover, Airlie can accommo- date up to three conferences sirnidtaneously. t a o The preceding paragraph: tell only a part of Airlie’s very private but very pervasive role in relation to the decision-male ing process in the domestic and foreign policy of the U.S., and to a degree, in the life of oth- er nations. In the Center‘s conference rooms, in is guest rooms, on its spacious lawns, beside Its luxurious swimming pool, while horseback riding on its lovely acreage or even ensconced in its sauna baths discussions of vast national and world impala tance occur. Truly, Airlie has become the nation's “think cen- ter" for domestic and foreign affairs. a u - But idyliis, rustic Airlie ll something more — much, much more. (Continuum Next Issle)