MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370023-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2013
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: August 5, 1953
• Content Type: MEMO

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370023-5
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;ty Informatioa
5 August 1953
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR!
41.1110.01110.11,11
Allen Drury is a staff member of the WASHINGTON STAR and is, in addition,
the Washington correspondent for a Palo Alto, California, paper and for the
Waterloo, Iowa, COURIER. In a dispatch over his by-line to the Waterloo COURIER,
the edition of lit July 1953, he makes the following statement regarding the
Central Intelligence Ageneys
The Central Intelligence Agency is one of the wierdest con-
glomerations of people ever charged with the security of a great
nation and it badly needs investigation, but instead of approaching
the matter soberly the Senator from Wisconsin has chosen sensation-
alism and the resulting wave of opposition is going to make it very
difficult to give CIA the shaking-up it so desperately needs."
In last night's STAR he handles the McCarthy story and in it he indicates none
of the bias that be expresses in his Waterloo COURIER story.
It is reconmended that you invite the attention of Benjamin M. McKelway,
the editor of the Washington STAR, to these allegations of Mr. Drury, made on
his own authority and over his by-lineand request Mr. IlcZelway to invite
Mr. Drury to furnish you with any information Mr. Drury may have regarding CIA
which causes him to state, "...it (CIA) badly needs investigation," and his
further statement that CIA so desperately needs a shaking-up. You would assure
Mr. McKelway that any information Mr. Drury may have in support of his state-
ment will be thoroughly gone into, since you are as desirous as anyone to keep
CIA as strong a security agency as human effort makes possible. Recommend a
letter substantially as follows to Mr. McKelway:
Mr. Benjamin M. McKelway
Washington STAR
Waehington, D. C.
Dear Ben:
A clipping from the July 14, 1953 issue of the Waterloo, Iowa, COURIER
has been brought to ny attention because Allen Drury, the COURIER's Washington
correspondent and a permanent member of the Washington STAR staff, on his own
authority and under his by-line states:
, "The Central Intelligence Agency is one of the wierdest con-
glomerations of people ever charged with the security of a great
nation and it badly needs investigation, but instead of approaching
the matter soberly the Senator from Wisconsin has chosen sensation-
alism and the resulting wave of opposition is going to make it very
difficult to give CIA the shaking-up it so desperately needs."
had not been made aware by any reporting by Mr. Drury in the Washington
STAR of this bias toward CIA, and. / assume that he would not state that CIA
"badly needs investigation," and "desperately needs snakine up" if he did not
CONFIDENTIAL
caeitrify Incnrmatinn
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370023-5
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved forRelease2013/05/07 :
CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370023-5 C,ONHYC.N I AL
Security Information
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have substantial evidence that caused him to reach and publish this conclusion.
I wonder if you would care to consider inviting Mr. Drury to furnish me
-aith any evidence he may have to support these allegations so that CIA may co
into the matter thoroughly with the idea of taking corrective action where
required. I can assure you that no one is more anxious than I to have CIA
and its security activities improved and bettered wherever possible, and to
investigate at once, thoroughly and objectively, any weaknesses in the organi-
zation or its personnel or its methods that Mr. Drury or anyone else brings
to our attention.
Faithfully yours,
Allen W. Dulles
Director
STANLEY J. GROGAN
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07:
CIA-RDP74-00297R000401370023-5