SUMMARY MINUTES OF AN INFORMAL MEETING ON THE TRAINING OF AREA SPECIALISTS 2:00 P.M., THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1951, ROOM 500, FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP55-00001A000100050041-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2002
• Sequence Number: 41
• Publication Date: March 22, 1951
• Content Type: MIN

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2:00 Thursdav. March 22, M I Room 500, For-eIgn Service Institute
Department cif State
STATINTL
Participantst
Frank S. Hopkins, Chairman
Henry Lee Smith, Jr.
Matthew Baird. . USAF
. nne , rat. USN
Maurice Eletun, Lt. Col. USAF
John H. Cornehisen
Buell G. Gallagher
John Robinson
/.T. Milton Cowan
endell C. Bennett
,eRryce Food
The chairman distributed
discussion-was based.
Department of State
Department of State
CIA
CIA
Department of theaNavy
Air Force Institute of
Technology
Research and Development Board
Human Resources Commission
Department of Defense
Office of Education
bureau of the Budget
American Council of Learned
Societies - Cornell University
Social Science Research Council
Yale University
Social Science Research Council
copies of the attached agenda on which
1. Maintenance of Area Center Faculties
It was found that there would be great difficulty in (a) obtaining
a government-wide agreement to refrain from recruiting faculty members of
area centers, and (b) in securing any general commitment that reserve officers
or area center staffs would not be called to active duty.
It was pointed out that with respect to item (b) there were many
groups seeking special arrangements, and that a request of this character
would have to take its place in an overall policy yet to be determined.
The suggestion was made that the universities could hold the area
center staffs together despite governmental efforts at recruitment if the
universities were given some reason to believe that there would be work for
the centers to perform, either through training or research activities.
2. Student Rec tins and Deferment
It was not felt that an agreement could be reached to refrain from
recruiting students now in area centers before they had completed their
courses. They might however, be cleared and put on a payroll and then trained
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further for the special purposes of each agency. If a fellowship program
were established through legislation, it would be possible to make the
award of a fellowship contingent upon an undertaking to enter government
service for a period of years following the completion of training.
The proposed inter-agency committee would probably be given little,
if any, authority in the Qaapower_ area. The deferment problem was re-
garded as the most serious obstacle to the SSRC project, and no way of
solving it emerged from the discussion.
3. Orderly Utilization of Area Centers
The formation of an inter-agency committee as a clearing house for
area training and area research contract plans of government agencies was
unanimously felt to be desirable.
The committee would be of service to the area centers also in that
"raiding" among universities might be minimized if government plans were
coordinated by the committee. It was suggested that the committee might
have quasi-legal powers of coordination in relation to governmental con-
tracts for training and research in area centers.
Thp committee should make a quantitative and qualitative survey
of area training and research facilities which would be based upon the
Office of Education's "inventory of college facilities," and the experience
of the Foreign Service Institute, the American Council of Learned Societies
and the Social Science Research Council. The committee should also build
a roster of key faculty personnel, and an investigation should be made to
discover government officials whose area competence was not at present being
utilized most effectively.
Because of the classified nature of certain information essential
to discussions of the committee it was regarded as essential that all
members and consultants possess security clearance.
4. Survey of end-usef Requirement
After discussion of agency requirements, it appeared that if the
area centers turned out 400-500 graduates a year, they could be employed
by governmental agencies. This figure would be in addition to the number
of government officials being trained. This latter total was not estimated,
nor were estimates for each agency tabulated.
5. Survey of Legislation
The upshot of the discussion was that general legislation was
necessary to authorize all agencies concerned to send employees to area
centers; to provide fellowships for graduate students; and to make grants-
in-aid to universities for expansion of facilities or other instructional
purposes.
A major task of the committee would be the laying out of the main
provisions of the legislation.
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6. Cost of Program
In view of the urgent need for qualified personnel it was thought
that the year of field work proposed in the SEC project should. be eliminated
for potential government employees, since in many cases their employment
would provide field work. with this reduction in cost and with possible
lower estimates on other items, it was thought that the total SSRC figure
might be reduced to around 7,5UO,OO0.
For the purpose of making requests to Congress, it was thought
necessary for each agency to relate the requests directly to its require-
ments.
Because of the anticipated delay in securing legislation it. wf.s
suggested that the to Councils might approach the Ford and other founda-
tions with a request for an interim grant in order to alloVW the area centers
to make immediate plans for the anticipated expansion in their enrollments.
7. Priority Status under Manpower Regulations
S eparate consideration was not given to this agenda item.
8. General Considerations
a. To a suggestion that the training needs of the government agencies
might be met through an expansion of the Foreign Service Institute, it was
noted that such a program would involve the securing of a plant the size of
that of the rar College, acquisition of a large library, and taking away
about 50 professors, plus language instructors from the area center.,. Re-
search could not. be carried on by the staff of such an institution.
b. It was clearly recognized that the government --ptencies ;cad
training needs which were not m( t by the SRC project. (:governmental urgency,
on the one hand, and thg' need for augmenting; the eiisting supply of scholars
and teachers on the other, were thought capable of reconciliation in a dual
attack on the two problt-ms of shortage of area specialists and inadequacy
of area coverage and training facilities. The distinction between the needs
for "consumers' goods" and "capital ;goods" should be maintained, while the
production of both should be increased.
9. Action Progrrnn
a. A letter for the Pre.sident's signature was in the process of
being drafted in the bureau of the Budget, and was expected to be sent in
a few days to the agencies concerned for their prior approval. The letter
would request the Department of State to set up a committee with meaber-
ship from the Departments of. Army, Navy, and Air Force, and CIA, ECII,
Office of Education and Civil Service Commission. Because of the desire
to keep the committee as small as possible it was suggested that the Bureau
of the Budget reconsider the inclusion of the Civil Service Commission.
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b. A principal point of the letter would be the manner in which
the work of the committee would be related to the various manpower organiza-
tions. It was remarked that, up to the present, manpower authorities had
resisted the formation of this kind of committee anti that its establishment
would get a precedent which other groups would endeavor to follow. The
feeling was general, however, that even if the committee had no special
position with regard to deferment, its establish nt would be of great
value a3 a central point for the eschrange of informi.t.irn within the govern-
ment, and between the government .nrl the universities.
c. Since it was thought that the 'residential letter would probably
not he signed before April first and since the World Area Research Committee
,,f the Social Science Research Council would meet on t.rch 3C, it was de-
cided that a neetin on ThursdFyr, Apiil 5 would be a suitable date for the
first meetinz of *?he eom-aittee. Notices would be .sent by the Department
of State -is to time and place.
The meeting adjo,,irned at 5103 p.m.
Bryce Wood
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