4.Js: W74/2/pt. 14pt 1/app. WIRETAPPING, EAVESDROPPING, AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS 25928 PART 1 Printed for the use of the Committee on the Judiciary UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1958 CONTENTS Statement of Page John J. Hanselman, assistant vice president, American Telephone & 2 Prof. Richard Schwartz, Moore School of Electrical Engineering, Uni- 8 attorney general, Commonwealth of 20 III WIRETAPPING, EAVESDROPPING, AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS TUESDAY, MAY 20, 1958 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10: 25 a. m., in room 457, Senate Office Building, Senator Olin D. Johnston, presiding. Present: Senators Johnston and Hruska. Also present: Charles H. Slayman, Jr., chief counsel and staff director; and William D. Patton, first assistant counsel; and Thomas B. Collins, professional staff member, Committee on the Judiciary. Senator JOHNSTON. The committee will come to order. This hearing today marks the beginning of a series of public hearings planned by the Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights, dealing with the subject of wiretapping and the Bill of Rights. Another session has been scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and other sessions will be scheduled and announced in the future as appropriate. The session today will be devoted primarily to the background questions: What is wiretapping? How is it done? What methods exist today for overhearing or intercepting conversations? I want to emphasize that today's hearings are primarily preliminary in nature. We do not intend to deal today with the basic questions motivating our entire study of the subject, that is: How do eavesdropping, wiretapping, and similar invasions of privacy affect our constitutional rights; and are present-day laws sufficient to protect the rights of the individual? It is my expectation that these hearings, and, indeed, the subcommittee's entire study of the subject of wiretapping, will be conducted in a completely objective manner, with no preconceived and unshakable judgments regarding the subject. The subcommittee hopes to obtain all the facts. I will say and I am sure I speak for all members of the subcommittee on this score-that during the course of our study of this important subject, we shall be zealous in our concern for the rights of the individual, and will scrutinize with great care any alleged violations of these rights. We will call the first witness. Mr. SLAYMAN. Mr. John J. Hanselman, assistant vice president, American Telephone & Telegraph Co., who has come down from New York City. Senator JOHNSTON. You may proceed in such manner as you see fit, Mr. Hanselman. 1 |