WHY FIRST PRINCIPLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01314R000100530019-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 15, 2004
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: September 1, 1975
• Content Type: MISC

Approved For Release 2004/10/28: CIA-RDP88-0
NATIONAL SECURITY AND CIVIL LI
IN THIS ISSUE SEPTEMBER,1975. VOL.
il Liberties: The Principal Unlearned
d Ci
v
National Security an
The Situation, the State of the Current Watergate: The Need for a ltespvii~i,= NaV./. Freedom oS
d
ency Information Act
Law, and Legislative Action Presi
ND
CHRISTINE M. MARWICK PHILIP B. KURLA
Yea i9=
ALONG WITH THE CONCENTRATION of.'
political power in the executive branch of govern-
ment.has come the claim that "national security"
somehow dictates that we must give up some of wxily
our civil liberties in order to protect our freedoms. ? Likewise, the administration bill S. 1 (the reform
code) would define as
A al criminal
This claim has not been seriously challenged until
Ellsberg "offense" of
ionage the
cal es
i
n
p
vo
equ
placed
the last several years; the veil of secrecy
information to the public. The list of
leasin
u
- ?
g
re
over the activities of the executive branch also ser
____s...cc-. - ;. a lanvthv one --- the article on page
mission Report, in spite of all its detailing of CIA
would solve the problem somehow by making
and congressional scrutiny The focus of First Principles: National `security
With the unfolding of recent events, however,
and and Civil Liberties will be on following these issues
d
to mumble. It began to an
even expertise began
emerge that for all practical purposes successive between expansive claims of national. security and
We hope to contribute to a return to
civil liberties
.
of the Congress
administrations had come to think
and the American public like a foreign power to be First Principles -- thbncea ar ticipation and viintal right f
deceived and investigated in the interests of the full and informed p public awareness of con-
enk - by increasing
nation s security. From the initial deceptions a rip- m
pie effect began as a system of secret actions were tinuing threats and of opportunities to improve the
situation.
h
as
taken to reinforce breaches in secrecy -- suc
the wiretaps that followed news reports of b o m b - , ? . - Each monthly issue of First' Principles will in
- elude an up-date on what has happened in the
tional -
f "
.
na
claims o
ing in Cambodia. Using the
the Courts, and elsewhere that affects
ress
n
C
i
l
,
g
o
c;
og
security" as an incantation to overwhelm all
legitimate political controversy was cast into the the conflicting claims of national security and civil
mold of dissidence and disloyalty. As the trickle of liberties. There will also be a literature review
information about illegal government activities keeping you abreast of relevant books, articles,
grew into a river in Watergate, the credulity of the and government publications. Each issue will also
public changed into a healthy skepticism. But, as focus on a particular topic with guest articles,
Professor Philip Kurland notes in his article in citations of leading cases, , and. analysis. In this.
this issue, the executive branch still makes a plea inaugural issue we survey the field as a whole..,:
will turn to national security
th
we
to institutionalize the Cold War era's blind trust in Next mon
the Presidency. For example, the Rockefeller Com- wiretaps.
It is at all times necessary, and more particularly so during the progress
of a revolution and until right ideas confirm themselves by habit, that
rinciples
first
t
.
p
o
we frequently refresh our patriotism by reference
THOMAS PAINE
Approved For Release 2004/10/28 CIA-RDP88-01314R000100530019-7