◆ SpookStack

On the morning of March 7, 1950, Special Agent McBWAIN of this office was advised by Mr. HOWARD WOODSIDE, U. 8. AEC Security Division, of steps taken by ARC tm this regard. Mr, WOODSIDE stated that immediately upon receiving the report from me, he had made the mttex kmown to the proper authorities st ARC end early the following morning he had conversed with Colonel JOHN MEADE, 3rd Army Headquarters, Atlenta, Georgia, and apprised him of the matter. Mr, WOODSIDE stated he also conversed with ith Air Force Headquertors at Greenville, South Carolina and advised them of the mtter. He stated thet this was strictly in accordance with the plans drawn up between ABC and the ermsd forces for protection agetnst air or lend assault. Ho continued thet the AEC has neither ths facilities nor the squipment with which to defend itself in such emergencies and that such responsibility had been essumed by these agenciss of the military forces, It would appear from the manner in which this incident was handled that despite the fact that all agencies seomed to be opereting im the manner Freseribed by agreement, and although each was apprised of the action being teken by the other and cooperating in every respect, there novertholess soomed to be an impressive lack of any agency actually tsking the responsibility for the situation and taking eny action to verity or disprove the threat. Hed & simtler incident occurred wherein an actual threat against the physical security of the AEC Installation hed been experienced, it is not impleusible to believe that a simtier confused fixing of final authority would heve been found, It should be noted that many hours elapsed from the recetving of the first report witil such time as any reasonable conclusion could be reached concerning the matter and nothing of a positive mnture with regerd to eny action being taken had been had during all that time. While it 4s now felt that this entire mtter was in e mmer of speaking “dry run", it nevertholess warrants som: consideration from a procedural standpoint and might be worthy of discussion at some liaison meting in the future. The Buresu will be immediately savised 1f there are any further developments in this matter,