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O 106 ‘Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT . - A. H, Be pee - a : L, V. Boardman a bao aa pats: Feb, 13, 1956 GUY FRANCIS DE KON ESPIONAGE - R- - DONALD DUART ha CLEAN URGESS "Washington Sunday Star” of 2/12/56 contained text of : statement tesued by subjects at news conference in the Nattonal Hotel, Moscow, 2/11/56. Conference attended’ by representatives of Russian and British press, Subjects merely handed a prepared statement to [the press and did not answer questions. The statement alleged subjects went to Sovtet Union to contribute: to the policy aimed at greater understanding between Russia and the West, having become convinced on the basia of official information at their disposal that neither the British, nor still more the American, policy at that time was pursuing such a course, Theyahaa every’ possibility te know plans of a small but powerful group opposed to mutual understanding between the Fast and Vest. Both subjects admitted being Communists at college, although they engaged in ne political activi ties while serving thetr government, “]yfeeling they could put tnto practice their ideals. ‘they denied ever acting as Soviet agents, Maclean said that after the war it was difficult to find anyone who thought of anything other than the ¥ Communist menace or to understand the senseless danger of Aperican.. . policy tn the Far East or Europe, Maclean said in May, 1951, his - phones were tapped and he was survetlled wherever he went and one of his colleagues was sent to him for provocative purposes. A week or so after Burgess returned to London from Washington, tn early May 1951, he visited Maclean at the Foreign Office. Maclean, being under sur- veillance, Burgess agreed to make all plans for their escape from ...- \jSngdand. Burgess claimed he never made a secret of the fact to his friends or colleagues that he had been a Comnunist.] Burgess also indicated he had been connected with MI- ia BELL wR Opserypation ‘ ségp 5 pb. ot = dotvalIfe e statement contains little new info except ~ that tt does remove all doudt as to subjeats' whereaboutss: ' They . ‘admitted having been Communists since thetr’dollege days. According to their statenent, Maclean bepane aware ef the,-investigation of him