PROVISION FOR COVERAGE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE PRESS IN THE UNITED STATES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP10-01569R000100030026-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: July 8, 1946
• Content Type: MEMO

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_1:4442-1DERI-htt- COPY NO.
C.I.G. 11
e July 1946
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP
29
PROVISION FOR COVERAGE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE PRESS
IN THE UNITED STATES
Memorandum by the Director of Central Intelligence
1. In accordance with C.I.G. Directive No. 4 the Central
Planning Staff conducted a survey to determine if coverage of
the foreign language press in the United States is desirable
for intelligence purposes, what personnel are available for the
work, and which agency or agencies should be responsible for such
'project.
2. As a result of this survey the Director of Central Intol-
ligence concludes that:
a. The Department of State has a primary need for a Cain-
_
nrehensive coverage of the foreign language press in the
United States.
b. The Department of State should develop this 3Ouree
the extent determined by its needs and capabilities.
c. Competent personnel appear to be available.
d. This collection effort and the distribution of its.
results should be coordinated by the Director of Central
Intelligence to ensure that it serves the interests of all
agencies subject to N.I.A. coordination.
3. No action by N.I.A. appears to be necessary.
4. It is recommended that the Intelligence Advisory Board
concur in the draft C.I.G. Directive (Enclosure "A") for issue.
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ENCLOSURE "A"
DR AF
PROPOSED C.I.G. DIRECTIVE
PROVISION FOR COVERAGE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE PRESS
IN THE UNITED SATES
Memorandum by the Director of Central Intelligence
with the Unanimous Concurrence of the
Intelligence Advisory Board
Purauant to paragraph 3.a. of the President's letter of
22 January l946, which gives the Director of Central Intelligence
authority to make full use of the staffs and facilities of the
intelligence agencies of the Departments subject to N.I.A.
coordination, the following policies and procedures, relating
to the coverage of the foreign language press in the United
States, are announced:
1. The Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for
Research and Intelligence, to the extent of his capabilitieL,
will develop the coverage of the foreign language press in
the United States in order to meet his own and other de7)r(-
mental needs for foreign intelligence information from this
source.
2. The intelligence information collection effort involved
in the performance of the mission assigned in paragraph 1,
,above, and the distribution of the information collected
will be coordinated by the Director of Central Intelligence
to ensure that it serves the interests of the intelligence
agencies subject to N.I.A. coordination.
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- 2 - Enclosure "A"
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ENCLOSURE "
DISCUSSION
Note: The term "foreign language press" as used in this
discussion refers to newspapers, magazines and pamphlets
published in a foreign language in the United States. It
is not to be confused with material printed in a foreign
language but published abroad..
1. By memorandum of 20 February 1946 (1), Mr. Alfred McCormack,.
then Special Assistant to the Secretary of State in charEe of
Research and intelligence, suggested that the Director of Cen-
tral Intelkigence take under advisement the matter of detp,:mining
what coverage of the foreign language press in the United Stats
is desirable for intelligence information purposes and how the
coverage should be obtained. This matter falls logically
under the provisions of paragraph 4.b., N.I.A. Directive No.
Accordingly, C.I.G. Directive No. 4 ordered a survey of the
subject.
2. The matter was discussed with representatives of the St,L
Department, MID, ONI, A-2 and FBI. \In odds tion the matter wa
scussed with Mr. Harry T. Smith of the New York TIKES ane Na
Jacob Landau of the Oversees News Agency in New York Cit', both
of whom follow the foreign language press in the United States.
3. Before the war the foreign language press was little c.2:-
ploited as a source of foreign intelligence information,
al-
though some use was made of it as a check on subversive activ-
ies of foreign groups in this country. The F.B.I. in the (.lis-
charge of its mission related to internal security, collected
information on foreign language newspapers as to editorship,
financial backing, influence, etc.
4. During the war the foreign 1::,nguage press became of con-
siderable interest to several government agencies . The F.3. T.
intensified its coverage of this source for information on
foreign groups
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and individuals. MID, ONI and A-2 searched
- 3 - Enclosure "B"
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magazines and newspapers published in foreign languages for any
information of value. This coverage Was undertaken to avoid
overlooking any source which might yield any information of
intelligence value concerning countries blacked out due to
enemy control. The State Department during this period made
little use of information gleaned from foreign language news-
napers and magazines.
5. The only agency to engage in a comprehensive coverage of
the foreign language press was the Foreign Nationalities Branch,
033. This coverage was performed in connection with research
rito origins, political and economic developments and psycho-
logical reactions of foreign groups in the United States as the
basis for reports on the composition and activities of such
groups. In addition to their own reading and analysis of foreign
press materiel, the Foreign Nationalities Branch paid the Over-
seas News Agency in New York $1,000 per month to prepare nerdoca-
ic summaries of excerpts from newspapers and magazines serving
various foreign groups in this country. This service provided
only translation of selected material with guidance by the
Foreign Nationalities Branch.
6. Organized coverage of the foreign language press in the
United States, for government agencies, ceased with deactiva-
tion of the Foreign Nationalities Branch, OSS, in the fall of
1945. 'Certain officers of the Department of State read some
of the foreign language publications produced in the United
States to the extent required by its obligation to search out
subversive tendencies among foreign language groups in the
United States. The Overseas News Agency continues to cover the
foreign language press in the United States in order to provide
nelas service to its private subscribers, but states that it
does so at a considerable financial loss and is preparing to
abandon this service. Mr. Harry T. Smith, of the New York TIME,
reeds daily and weekly publications in some seven foreign
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languages, in addition to his normal duties as a proof-reader,
but this is purely to furnish possible bases for news stories
in the TIMES. No distribution of the products of these Various
efforts is made to government agencies.
7. The F.B.I. is satisfied with its present coverage as
check on subversive activities, and MID, ONI, and A-2 are of the
opinion that the value of this source of intelligence inform:-
tion does not warrant their contributing personnel, funds or
facilities to achieve comprehensive coverage.
8. Information of the type obtainable from the foreign
language press in the United States is required primarily by
the State Department as follows:
a. By research personnel as background material for
intelligence studies;
b. By geographic divisions for analysis of influence ol
foreign pressures on foreign language groups in the United
States;
C. By the Offce of International Information and Cultul.-
_
al Affr'irs as a means of measuring the effectiveness of Lt;
foreign language propaganda.
The Department of State would welcome the re-establishment of
comprehensive coverage of the foreign language press in the
United States, but does not possess the funds required to sti-
-7)ort such coverage.
9. A small portion (apparently eight or ten persons) of the
now scattered Foreign Nationalities Branch of OSS, is still in
Washington rAld could, no doubt, be engaged by the department ? if
the need and funds to support it exist.
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5 - Enclosure "Be
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