'FORESIGHT' OF THE CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000200430087-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 17, 1999
• Sequence Number: 87
• Publication Date: November 5, 1957
• Content Type: NSPR

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tJ4 'P+ Approved For Release 2001/08/20: CIA-RDP75
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Paso . Pap. Page
Th. Public Business
`Foresight' Of ' They CIA
PYRGHT
tY DILLA D STOKES
THE RUSSIAN SPUTNIK wau,Russians had the aid of
a raw, numbing shock to the Uni- sMerable crew of Gernn e
ted States and the rest of ttae perts, of all the data freely giv
world. out here, and of all Common
This nation had been telling one'Spies could steal.
and all about its $110 million van-I. And there were wearnings. F
guard project, releasing cross instance, the late Senator M
section drawings, showing models; Carthy in October, 1955. put
and photos, announcing the time! a' ' comprehensive analysis
tables, radio frequencies and so, ing Russia half a yeas' ahead
forth. i the United States in missile d
And with a simplicity, altogeth- fvelopment, and asking why.
er childish, assuming that in the. And in April, 1956. McCartW:
generous spirit of Western aci- I proposed a Joint Oongresalon L.
enoe, the Kremlin. too, would tell Committee with subpoena
what it was doing to advance hu- era, to find out why guided ml
men learning. riles were lagging, and give t
The Russians meanwhile did program a spur. Although ,
nothing of the sort, but drove senator pleaded for "all possib e'.
hard in secret toward the ap- haste", the gentlemen now clu -
palling propaganda victory they ooing for investigations 41d t
scored on October 4. share his seoae of urgency,. 1
* * nothing was done.
AMERICAN statesmen and sci-
entists were caught flat-footed, THUS, WHILE test a
with no public statements needy were in- ieneral berms, Spu k~
in the, mimeo- {would not have been a 'surpr e
graph . rooms, it they d been +eeded.
and no tracking Regardless of this, many ha e
devices in the wondered why these was no
observatories. vance notice on the practical I,'
In the White from our embassies-those "
House press ening poets.,-the military -
room, the Prea- ices, or the many billion dol r i
ident's mouth- Central Intelligence Agency.
p 1 e c e, Mr. Now comes the Presider 'a
James Hagerty, :. * ? ? , Committee on Scientists and
came through Stokes giaeers to by lo take the t
gamely. fake a punch dazed hea- off CIA, with evidence the mul or
vywelgttt rolling into a clinch he spies foresaw the whole 4e.
mumbled a vague claim that the The evidence is that a big news was no surprise to the before Sputnik hjt the f
administration. es, the assistant directoOn the face of it, that was Maid the committees, "i!t
straight hogwash, because the surprise us if such an Soviet feat was an absolutely ,came at any timxi
staggering surprise to the Navy l._,'- Y'et--t did.
experts directly' concerned with it, and to the military cotmmit- :
d
tees of the House 'and Senate, an; +
Ito no end of ?genterals, admirals, i
commisioners end directors and
the like-who Wee not as alert
as hft. Hagerty, and so made no
1
etfort. to pretend other (trove l For Release 2001/08/2 : CIA-RDP75-00001 R000200430087-4