Distortions Will Continue No Matter What : JFK: The Warren Commission released 98% of its material. But few who accept conspiracy theories bother to review it.

On March 27, legislation was introduced in Congress to release government files relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I, along with other members of the staff of the Warren Commission--which investigated the Kennedy assassination--have supported such action.

It must be recognized, however, that among the many deceptions of those promoting Kennedy-assassination theories are the allegations that the Warren Commission sealed all or most of its files and that those files contain evidence of a conspiracy.

The Warren Commission published its 888-page report in September, 1964. The report was followed by the release of 26 volumes of transcripts, testimony and copies of photographs, documents and other exhibits. The commission has released 98% of its material. Unfortunately, few of those who so easily accept conspiracy theories have bothered to review even the report, despite its availability--it has recently been reissued by private publishers.

The remaining 2% of the material was not released because of laws, regulations or other legitimate reasons. These documents consist of the following:

--The autopsy photographs and X-rays of President Kennedy’s body. These were restricted in deference to the privacy request of the Kennedy family. Nevertheless, over the years, a number of medical and forensic experts have viewed them.

--The identity of confidential sources and methods of investigative agencies. For instance, sources in foreign governments obviously must be kept confidential.

--Information about presidential protection. The disclosure of techniques to protect the President could compromise security measures.

--Isolated hearsay allegations that were found to be meritless. Such allegations involved the privacy and reputations of those who were their subject, as well as of those who made them.

--Other documents that by law must be kept confidential--that is, tax returns and visa applications.

Those of us who have seen some or all of these files are convinced that they contain nothing that would cast doubt on the Warren Commission conclusions. David Belin, who served as a counsel to the Warren Commission and later as executive director of the Rockefeller Commission that later investigated the CIA, and who viewed all the files related to the Kennedy assassination, has publicly stated that nothing in those files contradicts the findings of the commission. Indeed, in 1977, he filed a Freedom of Information Act request to have the files made public.

Earlier this year, commission staff members requested that these files be released, and consulted with those involved in the proposed legislation to open the files.

It is absurd to assume that those of us who worked for the commission carefully retained evidence of a cover-up, thereby relying on generations of others who had access to such material to maintain our alleged secret. We would hardly support the release of information if it contained suggestions of our own malfeasance.

When these files are ultimately released, conspiracy theorists will undoubtedly distort the material (as they have done with information already available), assert that not all of it was released and contend that documents were destroyed. A public that has been so easily manipulated by writers, publishers and movie makers who profit from revisionist history are not likely to reject such false and defamatory assertions.