FOREIGN NAMES STAFF WORK FOR THE BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01096A000100060010-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 18, 2000
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: March 1, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

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Uthce Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Executive, o/RR DATE: 1 March 1951
FROM : Chief, D/G, o/RR *DOI Waiver Letter In ERU FILE*
SUBJECT: Foreign Names Staff Work for the Board on Geographic Names
REFERENCE: Letter from the Director of the Division of Geography, Dept. of
Interior to CIA Representative on the BGN,
dated 13 February 19 1.
25X1A9a
1. The Director, Division of Geography of the Department of
Interior, who is also Executive Secretary for the Board on Geographic
Names, has submitted the reference letter and would appreciate a
reply that reflects CIA opinion. The information in the following
paragraphs is given as background for determining the content of
a reply in case CIA wishes to go on record in regard to this subject.
B. BACKGROUND
1. The appropriation for the Division of Geography, Department
of Interior, for fiscal year 1950, was 14,200. This Division
25X1A com rises the Staff for the BGN. NIS funds in the amount of
in fiscal year 1950 were transferred to finance the foreign
names work needed for NIS gazetteer production and name editing of
NIS manuscripts.
25X1A
2. The Department of Interior was unable to obtain the appropri-
ation of any funds for the Division of Geography for fiscal year 1951.
Again, the NIS program financed the BGN for foreign names work for
fiscal year 1951 in an amount of Some work is also being
done for the Aeronautical Chart and Information Service, USAF, on
transfer of working funds.
3. The BGN is not only responsible for standardizing foreign
names but also domestic names for use by the U. S. Government. The
Division of Geography has, of course, not been able to do much work
on domestic names because of the lack of funds. During fiscal year
1951, it will be unable to do any work on domestic names, except for
Alaska, since only NIS and ACS interests can be met.
4. Over the past several years the mapping agencies of the
Government, who are dependent upon BGN for geographic name policy,
have cooperated in the formulation of name policies and in the
determination of name decisions. However, there have been serious
disagreements on procedures for obtaining standardization of large
numbers of names needed for map compilation. Each agency has a
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small geographic names research group closely tied in with map
compilation units. Generally speaking, they do not feel that it
is necessary for the Staff of the Board to verify each name they
use but that the Board should concentrate on proper directions
for the application of Board policy. There are many arguments
pro and con regarding this general subject.
5. A representative on the Management Staff of the Department
of Interior has made an extensive survey of the work of the Division
of Geography and of the status of the BGN. He discussed the problem
in detail with the CIA representative on the Board. The Director
of the Division of Geography, with the Board's approval, submitted
a budget estimate for fiscal year 1952 for $595,000 which would
permit the Board and its Staff to organize itself for meeting all
government requirements for geographic name standardization and
promulgation (excluding the editing of NIS manuscripts and issuance
of NIS gazetteers which would continue to be paid for by transfer
of NIS funds). The Bureau of the Budget did not accept this estimate
and stated that, since a large portion of it related to foreign
names, such funds should not be included in the appropriation of a
civilian agency but should rather be paid from defense funds. It
appears that the general feeling of the Department of Interior is
that the Department should take steps to relieve itself of foreign
names work. The Department'of Interior's representative queried
regarding the advisability of having a domestic names staff left
in the U. S. Geological Survey of Interior and a foreign names
staff in another agency, preferably the CIA, since foreign names
work is a matter of common concern to State and the military
services as well as to CIA. For your information, I believe that
a preliminary draft of an Interior report is in the hands of the
Bureau of the Budget in which it is suggested that CIA be given
responsibility for foreign names standardization.
C. PRESENT SITUATION
1. As far as CIA is concerned, the foreign names work of the
Staff, the formulation of policy by the Staff for approval by the
Board, and the editing of manuscript material is conducted very
satisfactorily under present conditions. Nearly all of the CIA
requirements on the Board and on its Staff are those stemming from
the NIS program. From CIA's immediate point of view, no change is
necessary and, if made, might seriously disrupt the smooth function-
ing of the NIS publications schedule.
2. From a Government-wide point of view, it is possible that
the domestic names work could be better handled under new direction
within a mapping organization of a domestic agency and that the
foreign names work could be placed advantageously in an agency
concerned with foreign areas and with interest in the mapping field.
The only possibilities that have been mentioned are the Department
of State, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Army Map
Service, and the CIA.
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3. Since foreign geographic names work is of common concern
to the intelligence agencies and to the mapping organizations
supporting them, there appears to be predominance of opinion that
CIA might be the logical recipient, particularly in view of the
fact that the NIS is by far the major user of the capabilities of
present foreign nacres staff.
la.. If CIA were to accept this responsibility, the first task
would be to continue the staff work without interruption. The
second task would be to obtain agreement of the other mapping
organizations on procedures which would permit efficient standard-
ization of foreign names with minimum duplication of foreign name
research. Because of built-up animosities toward the BGN and
particularly toward operations of the foreign names staff in
Interior, this second task would be a difficult one.
D. SUGGESTIONS
1. In regard to the reference letter, the following prelimi-
nary suggestions are offered:
a. Final responsibility for geographic names standard-
ization within the U. S. Government should remain with a
single Cabinet member with the support of a single Board
on Geographic Names. The present law provides for this
under the Secretary of Interior.
b. The CIA, at most, should furnish only the foreign
names staff for the Board, but it should retain full
responsibility and authority for effecting proper
coordination, in this staff work, with other interested
agencies and should develop, with the cooperation of
these agencies, efficient procedures for providing the
staff work necessary for standardizing foreign names.
c. The public promulgation of standardized foreign names
and name decisions should be the responsibility of the
Board and issuances should be in the name of the Board.
The Department whose Secretary is responsible for name
standardization should be indicated as publishing
authority, even though CIA might assume costs of publication.
d. The Board should have a central office with a
skeleton full-time staff, to receive requests from civilian
agencies and the public and to maintain contacts with
foreign countries, always acting in the name of the Board.
This office should have no authority over the foreign
names staff. Part of the expenses of this central office
could be shared by CIA.
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f. If the foreign names staff were to be taken over by
CIA, this Agency would, of course, provide space for the
staff and for meetings of the Foreign Names Committee and
would maintain necessary records and supporting data.
E. ACTION
1. It is requested that the opinion of CIA be ascertained in
regard to an appropriate answer for the reference letter.
25X1A9a
Enclosure:
Ltr. from the Director, Division
of Geography, Dept. of Interior
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