RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROBLEMS MONTHLY REPORTS FOR FEBRUARY 1958

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00391R000200310019-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: February 1, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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Recomaendati_ons and Problems
Monthly Reports for February 1958
Over-all production of the Division was materially affected by
bad weather and by a decrease in capabilities due to illnesses and other
absences of personnel. Since this situation will extend into March, it
is anticipated that considerable overtime will have to be used in order
to attempt to meet committed deadlines.
USSR-Satellites Compilation Branch
An indirect result of the monthly scheduling of rerun requests
for D/GL is the raising of questions on our revision policy on all
kinds of base maps, including any map which is used as a base map,
regardless of its original purpose. This regular scheduling has
highlighted the large volume of such maps distributed throughout
the intelligence community and our responsibility for keeping this
kind of indispensible map up to date. Continuing to reprint seriously
out-of-date base maps amounts to a real disservice to the intelligence
community. Such maps should either be revised or not reprinted.
Far East Compilation Branch
The over-riding problem is one of getting the work out. It is
felt that the problem lies to a considerable degree in the nature of
many of the jobs that we have had In the shop during the past year or
so and the under-strength nature of the Branch. In addition, we have
had a new person here for the past several months who - while making
progress in a satisfactory ::canner.- has not reached the full production
stage as regards the more difficult type of map which it has been
necessary to assign. There has been a problem of volume of work coming
into the Division and the consequent necessity of assigning some of it to
the Aid section. a necessity that is unfortunate in many cases as some of
the requests really should be done by a regular compiler possessing area
competence. In addition, the Branch Chief has had to spend a good deal
of time in compilation himself to the disadvantage of the Branch. Such
compilation has been necessary to keep from getting too far behi.
During 1957, 12 jobs were accepted that the Branch Chief compiled; in
1956, 17 such jobs were accepted, several of which were of the lower
category of complexity. The current year has brought six such jobs so
far. It is hoped that a return to a normal complement and the increased
experience of the personnel will serve to overcome this situation.
Europe-Africa Co pilation Branch
Chief, GC/E, regrets that no opportunity was afforded GCE to
brief prior to his departure.
25X1A9a
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CARTOGRAPHY DIVISION
DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION BRANCH
A problem of the selection of source material in compiling the
Sinkiang base has indefin-Attely delayed the terrain plates for that
job. Work will continue whet this problem is reconciled in Compilation
and a corrected manuscript is prepared.
25X1A9a It is anticipated that a problem may develop in the Drafting25X1A9a
Section during the coming month due to planned leave arran ements
begins a month of jury duty early in March,
has been forced to take leave to care for a sick child, and one other
in the Section has indicated he may have to take leave during the month.
25X1A9a It was hoped that c d ist but he will be working with
GC/X in the absence of To further provoke the situation,
25X1A9 will be hospitalized for the last three weeks of March which
wi r ng Lab activities virtually to a standstill.
SPECIAL SUPPORT BRANCH
25X1A9a
Our work load has increased by about 80% over the norm of the last
six months. If thin s contin , we are going to need additional help,
especially since will be in the hospital for at least 3
weeks and possibly much longer.
25X1A9a
A unit in DD/P consulted the Near East-Africa Branch about availability
of certain maps of Turkey held by AMS. In the face of difficulties encountered
in attempts to get these maps through ACSI and AMS, DD/P has requested the
field to procure copies and send them back to Washington through D,/GL. The
arrangements made to reizeive the maps make their use by working level personnel
highly impractical.
Applications were filed by several members of the GG/F Branch for the
DD/I vacant positions in the Far "&st. In connection therewith, the Branch
Chief calls attention to the necessity for either 1. more expeditious handling
of the vacancy notices, or 2. more lenient deadlines for submitting applications.
EDITING AND REVIEW STAFF
Although 6 reports that were in Reproduction at the end of January
have been issued, 4 others have not yet been published. Although the
record is far better than in the past, we are initiating a policy of
making periodic requests for information concerning the status of all
reports in Reproduction. The Reproduction Staff has been very cooperative
in this procedure, which we regard as an automatic check rather than the
application of pressure.
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GEOGRAPHY DIVISION (CONT'D)
EDITING AND REVIEW S'_[AF'F (CONY' D )
Both GG'/R and Reproduction are working on the
problem of
inadequate printing of photographs in geographic reports. The first
proof of GR-163 was returned without approval because of the poor
quality of the illustrations. The second proof, which was submitted
in a remarkably short time, was far superiot to the original. The real
25X1 X4-RDP61tW39t' $s of GG R- - uction cooperatior,4rill be GR-171,
0019-5 For E and E reports, it is particu-
none of the features mentioned in the text or captions bey lost inyjmy
printing.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA BRANCH
Production during the month was reduced by sickness, the snow, and
a flurry of requests for information on Africa. IRA/GE, MIB and ESID
at AMS, QMIA, and OCI and CBS within CIA have all placed at least one
request for information on Africa. While it is recognized that the
Branch has limited capabilities on Africa, it is evident that other
Agencies and Offices have even more restricted resources. In view of
the increased interest in Africa and the lack of information available,
it is estimated that requests for information on Africa will continue at
a high rate. Such a situation poses problems for the Branch in terms
of the production schedule, but due to the coming importance of Africa
it would appear unwise to restrict the dissemination of information that
is available in the Branch.
25X1A9a
Prior to his departure, discussed Branch requirements
with the ORR Reading Panel. The result has been a flood of documents.
Most of this deluge is considered valuable and it is regretable that the
Branch has been included on routing at this late date -- in spite of the
addition to housekeeping problems.
During the month, it came to the attention of the Branch that certain
00-A information was being taken from trade journals and being given to
00 field men as company information. When this was called to the attention
of 00, a favorable response was received. 00 appreciates this kind of
report from analysts. It is recommended that analysts with information
of this kind contact 00 with particulars.
EUROPE BRANCH
D/GC has a problem which effects us also. The Construction Branch
turns things out in a hurry of necessity, with the result that finished
products are not coordinated with and sometimes do not agree with the
finished product of the area Compilations Branches. A recent case in
point: two craps for the Austria E and. E show different outlines for the
city of Vienna. Perhaps D/GC could institute a check of Construction
Branch product by the responsible compiler in the area Branch.
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GEOGRAPHY DIVISION (COMT' D )
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The chief problem continues to be one of staffing. Only with
excessive overtime and because some of the Chapters IX on the FY 58
schedule are small, has it been possible to complete the 4 Chapters IX,
5 Sections 19, and 1 Annual forwarded to date.
The Annual program is still in the planning stages, but will
undoubtedly be adopted in some form. How the acceptance of this
program will affect the other NIS commitments has not been established.
The Chief of the Coordination Staff prepared a memo giving the amount
of time and research spent in the preparation of the "trial run" for
Poland, which was used as a basis for evaluating the impact of an
Annual program on D/GG planning. In any case, the production of the
Annuals presents a problem to an already overtaxed Coordination Staff.
25X1A9a
The typing of PN 60.1595 on the new form has been completed after
a fashion, but much of it will have to be retyped ere it is ready for
publication. The result: (a) a new waste of much typing time, and
(b) a product that will not be completely satisfactory, because many of
the ways of presenting data that worked on the old form led to odd and
inappropriate effects when the information is switched to a new layout.
Recommendation: If the "over-riding consideration" is indeed time, attempt
no form switch on the Africa and Europe sections.
FAR EAST BRANCH 25X1A2g
The responsible analyst for Project -discovered, when ordering
WAC's for the project, that D/GL's stock of at least one of the required
sheets was only three copies and that additional copies could be obtained
only through a time-consuming order to St. Louis. In view of the wide
use of WAC's and the delay necessitated by reordering from St. Louis, it
was recommended to D/GL that a minimum stock of 25 copies be maintained,
and that when stocks approach that minimum a reorder be placed.
It is understood that the Agency has available two small recording
machines which may be useful to Geographers on future familiarization trips.
The Pierce machine, which weighs 7 lbs, uses a belt; the Dichotet, which
weighs six pounds, uses a tape. A shoulder strap arrangement allows the
user to carry them into the field, and in the case of at least one of them,
the user can inconspicuously carry the small microphone in his hand without
removing the machine from the shoulder strap arrangement.
It is recognized that such machines would have disadvantages in some
countries. However, since neither machine is exhibited at the Support
Fair, it seems appropriate to call them to the attention of future travellers.
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 MAP LIBRARY DIVISION
PROCESSING BRANCH
For the sixth consecutive month, Cataloging and Indexing Section
personnel have absorbed clerical and typing duties related to cataloging.
You mya Neva noted thta the typign in this report is otna that of a
skilled typist.
The Printing Services Division has returned no map catalog cards
since the middle of December. At the present time, they are holding over
2,192 master catalog cards and reproductions thereof. This backlog greatly
hampers Map Library operations.
PHOTO INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
25X1A9a
completed an internal
training course on the Economic Geography of the Soviet Union. This course
as presently conducted is not recommended for future participation by Division
personnel. Much of the material was-considered irrelev nt, obsolete and
inaccurate and teaching methods were consistent oor..
25X1A9a
INFO CONTROL SECTION
The over-alb. flow of documents for the month is about the same. as for
January, except that we are being required to share a greater number of
documents with other components of the Agency. This is causing some of teeth,by the . analyst who very recognizes the substance of the
douument as being basically his responsibility. These.hkared copies are more
time consuming to handle for the analyst and in this office than is the
retention copy. items.
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