DEBRIEFING OF US REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE L. WHITTEN (D-MISSISSIPPI)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000500350002-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 3, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 11, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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On 31 January 1957, from 1015 to 1200 howcs, Representative Jami? L.
Whitten was debriefed in the Directors Conference Room, Admiaiatretion Building,
at a meeting attended by the DCI, the DD/I and six Agency analysts.
Representative Whitten, as a member for the past two years cf the House
Appropriations Subaommittas (also Chairman of the House Agrioultnre Subcommittee),
toured the Soviet IIaioa and East Enropeas Satellites from 1!. September to 22 October
1956, leaving Budapest 13 days before the Hungarian uprieiag,
Zhe primary purpose of his tour was to make a field appraisal of IIS defense
estimates. Ha made the trip on the following three conditions, all of which were
granteds
1. Mo appoiatments with any Communist offioi~].a, so that upon returning to
the US, he could not be charged with having been sold a "Commie bill of
goods."
2, Travel be permitted to the fullest extent possible by train and
automobile.
3. Only US Embassy officials be need as interpreterao*
. Whitten stated at the outset of the debriefing that he world not go
into a detailed description of his tour because ha already had written a lengthy
report on it which would soon be published,**
The purpose of his appearance at the debriefing was to register with CIA
and the DCI his deep concern over the lack of a balanced iata311gencs picture
?n Soviet strengths sad wealmesses is testimony presented before the Hours
Appropriations Subcommittee, and its effects on II3 public opinion and defense
spending,
He stated that the testimony given by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the Secretary and Under Secretary of Defense created the opposite
impressit~ of what US Embassy officials abroad told him as we31 as what he saw
during his tour? He complained that all the Subcommittee gets is that evidence
selected to support a bigger sad better military build-up each year. Such
rvidence, he said, includes only the "senaational highlights" and fails to
offset against Russian capabilities the many very real and eignifioant Russian
wealmessea which he noted during his trip!
* Ha praised highly the services of Horace Davis, US Embassy, Moscow, both as
interpreter and for his knowledge and grasp of internal conditions in Russia,
particularly agriculture.
** He gave to the DD/I a copy of his report in galley proof tv be reproduced
for internal Agency use.
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He claimed that basic information on Soviet vulnerabilities is not
being presented by US officials to his Subcommittee.* He questioned why
this has not been done and wondered if IIS intelligence is actually getting
the broad, objective, unaensational day-today facts, or whether such a lack
of information indicates a slipup somewhere is the intelligence business. He
sited as one example the followings Before his trip he was briefed by the
Defense Department, particularly on Russian transport and railroads, and directed
to find out how rail transloading from narrow to wide gauge was made at Brest
upon leaving Poland for Moscow. He discovered there was no reason why the
Defense Department should not have had this information years egos as the trans-
loading procedure at Brest, effected by hydraulic jacks, was evident to anyone
passing through the railroad station and yards, access to which was unrestricted.
Furthermore, this transloading procedure has been followed for a number of years
as the cars were old and worn and had white painted indicators where the jacks
were to be placsde**
It's his impression that Admiral Radford and Defense Secretary Wilsoa
are not getting a balanced intelligence picture on-the Soviet Union. He found
in questioning these Defense officials that they did not appear to be aware of
the nature and extent of recent changes in the Soviet Univa since Sta73n's death
and the effect and significance of such changes for defense estimates. When he
asked the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to explain the reason for the
currant budget increase, he said AdmireRl Radford replied that the over-all
estimate was-based largely on the convictions of the Defense Department ax~i
President Eisenhower that there had been no change slate Stalin's deaths particu-
larly is ultimate Soviet intentions for world domination, R.ep. Whitten said he
had observed during-his trip that there had been all sorts of aignifiaant changes
since Stalin's death, which if encouraged, might affect ultimate Soviet intentionsi
should pressures for change became sufficiently greats
He deplored the confusion created in US public opinion by contradictory
stateanents which responsible US officials have issued on what ~ and ~ ~
changed in the Soviet Uni?a. He feels this confusion has resulted is a rigid
unrealistic axe. inflamed picture of fear which 3oe Smith carries in his mind
about Ivan Ivanovitch. He sited as one example the reaction of his own con-
stituents in Mississippi. Upon learning of his impending trip to the Soviet
Union, ~aany wrote him begging h3.m sot to go. Theg feared he would never leave
the Soviet Union alive because of "what those Russians might do to you." On
the contrary, throughout his trip he was astonished and amased at the friendliness
The DCI indicated this may be the result of cont'~isioa as to which govermaent
department or agency is responsible for what particular category of intelli-
gence. He stated CIA would b? more than happy to prepare a briefing for the
Subcommittee at any time. (Rep. Whitten's remarks are to be evaluated within
the context and scope of his trip and the fact he is cleared through Secret
but has no access to Top Secret info tics and estimates on Soviet capabili-
ties, vulnerabilities sad intentiona,~
** Rep. Whitten said in passing that US military attaches abroad are being used
to da too many things, which because of their knows status, readers then
conauiauoua in situations where civilian e~xperta would have easier access.
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and curiosity of the average citi$ena he encountered, including Russian
soldiexs (although, ae the DCI stated, the Russian people, as distinct from
their leadership, have traditionally been friendly toward the American people).
He was also surprised at the ease with which he could take pictures wherever he
traveled. The image of an t~rwallian "Big Brother" electronic eye following the
every moveaaent of each Soviet citizen and the Security Polies breathing down the
neck of each peasant is not an accurate or true reflection of internal conditions
as he observed thann. Yet he is convinced that an astonishing percentage of the
gmsriean people, fed by sensational ~ournaliam~ have this impression of the life
of average Soviet aitisena,e
Rep. Whitten conceded his remarks did not mean we should relay our gttar~'!.
He made it clear he firmly supports legitimate defense and the necessary ex-
penditures f?r nuclear and guided missile development.. 3'hia, he thinka~ can
be achieved while still cutting a "healthy percentage" of current defense
estimates. But, he does find cause far alarm is --
1. Steadily mounting appropriations each year for defense and the extant
to which Congress has built military support into such an integral
part of the t!S economy, increasing that sector of employment devoted
to unproductive nor-consumer goods, which if continued unchecked maT
wreck the economy.
2. The attitude refloated in the description of the present appropriations
bill tsy the Chairman of his own Subcom-nittse as "containing something
for everyone,"
3? The spectacle of his fellow Congressmen more concerned with whoa
gotten the moat money rather than whether the amount appropriated
is commensurate with legitimate needs,
4. The spending of additional unnaaeasary funds on the location of Air
Force and military development installa,tiona in the least desirable
sites (using his awn state as an exampled because of political influence.
5. The intensified scramble to snap up new shares of stooks in aircraft
and oth?r defense companies which continue expansion as appropriations
for contracts increase each year.
--all of which he deplores because of the parasitic consolidation of those
pressures having a vested interest in maintaining and perpetuating a distorted
and inflamed public opinion. This fear of the Russians refloated itself ao
effectively in the preceding Congress that the last budget resulted in the
unique spectacle of granting the Secretary of Defense considerably wore than
even he asked fora
He contends that the lack of a balanced picture #.n information currently
presented for American eonsumptioa has developed in the US public a fear psychosis
which, as reflected in Congreas~, makes it exceedingly diffimtlt to work out long-
term solutions (which might now be possible in view of opportunities offered by
resent changes in the Soviet Union] short of war.
* He said he even had difficulty in having hie report of his trip published
commercially (~ ~ ~ $~ was not interested) because it coar-
tained no sensations revs at one. a DD/T aut~ported this point b9 ra-
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He strongly urged adoption ofs
1. A greatly increased exchange of persons program to facilitate direct
conta.cta between American and Soviet citizens and the elimination of
present requirements for fingerprinting exchange visitors from Russia,
Rep. Whitton said he was usually asked wherever he went in Russia the
questien of "When is the IIS going to lift its Iron Cu~ctaia?" He feels
few US officials are sufficiently aware of the. tremendous efforts Russia
is making to attract tourism en a world-wide basis. Many new hotels are
being built, on? recently in Brest complete with English-speaking waiters?
The Russians clais~ they will complete by Heart summer a new four-lane
highway from Brest to Moscow,
2. A program designed to take fullest advantage of recent Soviet changes.
Because Russians currently have nothimg with which to compare their
Qwn standards, the primary eanphasis in an increased exchange program
should be direct contact in the U'S with those consumer goods commodities
which the Soviet system cannot supply its citi$ena, thereby footeri~ag
dissatisfaction with what Russians have at home increasing pressures
for ahangt and developing demands which the Sov~et system cannot meet,
Rep. Whitten cited as an example the very evident admiration and
curiosity the Ehibassy's new Ford stationwagon evoked wherever he drove.
The nearest model the Russians have produced (noted at the Moscow fair)
is a copy of a 1948 Buick which is not even in mesa production. He
feels the "consumer vulnerability" is one of the most sensitive Soviet
weaknesses which an effective ~3 program could profitably exploit,
3. A concerted effort by QS agencies reaponslble~for intelligence to
provide the American people an ob3ective and balanced picture of
Russia and the everyday life and .attitudes of its people to relax
tensions and release pressures an Congress which, in turn, xould
permit a more positive approach toward fiadingtshort of wart solutions
to current problems. Because, from what he observed, Russian realities
are so far below Russian claims of achievement, there is much in which
the American people can take comfort and opportunity, which would also
facilitate more favorable conditions for the conduct end acquisition
of intelligence. He believes it is 3ust as important to sell this
aspect of the picture to the Americas people as it is for Congress
to continue to authorize necessary funds for legitimate IIS defense
.needs. Between these two pointer the Representative from Mississippi
pleads fora "sane" balance,e
* Tho DD/I felt that such an over-all program urged by Rap. Whitten for the
relaxation of tensions would require in Congress the strong vigorous leaderL
ship and prestige of the President of the US,
Rep. Whitten showed colored slides taken on his tour and made them
available for Agency screening and use.
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