On this day in 1947,

TRUMAN ORDERS LOYALTY TESTS FOR ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

On this day 61 years ago, Democrat President Harry Truman ordered loyalty tests for all federal employees to flush out all those who were communist sympathizers or aligned with “totalitarian, fascist or subversive” organizations.  Truman’s order demanded “complete and unswerving loyalty” to the United States, with anything less being deemed “a threat to our democratic process.”  Each federal department and agency set up Loyalty Boards to enforce the order.

More here via the Truman Presidential Library