CURRENT PROBLEMS OF THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01157A000100020011-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 29
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: January 15, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

srANPA rimed For Release 1999/-RDP79-01157A000100020011-3
Office Memorandum ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Assistant Director for Research and Reports DATE: JAN 15 1961
FROM : Acting Chief, Plans and Operations Staff
SUBJECT: Current Problems of the Office of Research and Reports
1. The main concern of all the Office of Research and Reports at this
point is how to get under way the attack on our new objectives and dispose
of the remnants of our previous functions. The problem of getting under way
centers around the determination of the objectives of our research effort and
the assignment of specific projects that will lead toward meeting those objec-
tives. This problem is discussed in greater detail at Tab A. Other major
problems facing the Office of Research and Reports are discussed below.
2. Problems of Organization:
a. Organization of the Office of Research and Reports - An
organization plan and a Table of Organization have been submitted to
the Deputy Director for approval. (Copies are attached at Tab B.)
Implementation of the plan has been delayed in part pending approval.
It is recommended that approval be obtained in principle from the Deputy
Director and that implementation procede immediately.
The Table of Organization calls for an organization of 815
persons. It is recommended that the Deputy Director be informed that
(a) neither the total number of people nor their proper organization
can be determined definitively at this time, and (b) the Office of
Research and Reports will submit a revised Table of Organization and
organization plan within ninety days.
b. Recruitment of personnel - The Office of Research and Reports
is far short of its personnel goals. The Contact Register of the Office
of Operations is screening its holdings to provide us with lists of
names arranged according to the various fields of inquiry included in
the four Economic Divisions of the Office of Research and Reports. The
Register includes all names listed with American Men of Science and the
American Society of Engineers (a total of about 50,000 names). The
Agency personnel office has also been requested to obtain lists of
retired personnel from the Department of Defense with technical, language,
or area skills of interest to the Office of Research and Reports. Prior
informal agreement was obtained from the Service Departments. Their
lists cover about 25,000 names. In the meantime it is recommended that
all personnel be "frozen't in the Office of Research and Reports and
that no persons be allowed to transfer to other parts of the Agency
until their cases can be re-examined.
Go S ace - The question of space allocation is complicated by
factors that or myself can discuss with you.
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3. Special Problems:
a. Psychological Intelligence - No final determination has been
made as to he disposition of Psycho ogical Intelligence. The Depart-
ment of State seems to feel that, with certain reservations, the
responsibility should be assigned there. The Department of Defense,
on the other hand, is at violent bureaucratic issue with the State
Department over control of Psychological Warfare. They may, therefore,
prefer to have its intelligence support assigned to the Central Intel-
ligence Agency as a responsibility of common concern. It is recommended
that the Office of Research and Reports press for a resolution of this
problem. In the meantime we have the nucleus of a Psychological Intel-
ligence Division hanging over from the old organization of the Office of
Research W2?1ts
b. - The Assistant Director for Research and
Reports is ex-officio chairman of the251 b of Central Intelligence's
Committee on International Communism It has been agreed that
research responsibility for the Communist Movement will be allocated to
the Department of State. Chairmanship of the Committee should be trans-
ferred to an appropriate official of the Department of State,
C, Dai Korean Summary - In its caretaker role, the Office of
Research and Reports has continued to publish the Daily Summary of the
Korean situation. This function should be transferred to the Office
of Current Intelligence as soon as possible.
4. Special Projects:
a. NSC 282 - This NSC action directed CIA to survey the economic
intelligence facilities of the United States Government, prepare a
statement of the total requirements of the United States Government
for economic intelligence, and make recommendations concerning measures
that would better coordinate the economic intelligence facilities of
the United States Government to meet the requirements of the Govern-
ment for such intelligence. Work on this matter has been under way
in the Office of Research and Reports since March 1950. The survey
is complete except for the State Department and for checking questions
that develop in the course of preparing the report of the survey. The
Statement of Requirements has been checked with 214 Government Depart-
ments and Agencies and is being amended on the basis of their comments.
The main job remaining is that of formulating recommendations for the
measures to enable the producing facilities to meet the requirements
of the Government. It has far-reaching implications and, if done
properly, may be of the greatest value to the Office of Research and
Reports in future operations.
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b. Advisers - Plans have been made for a series of panels of 25X1A9a
advisers drawn from industry and the universities to assist in the
resolution of problems in various fields W&O ilot p anel
is now operating under the direction of of the
Office of Current Intelligence. Either self can
brief you concerning some of the issues involved in the use of this
panel and their implications for the entire plan.
5. Disposition of Projects Currently Under Way in the Office of
Research and Reports:
a. Tab C is a copy of a memorandum submitted to the Assistant
Director for Research and Reports with recommendations for the
disposition of the remaining projects in the CIA/RR and SR Series.
These recommendations have been approved with minor modifications
and are being implemented by the Publications Division of the Plans
and Operations Staff.
b. Tab D is a copy of a memorandum listing projects for which
the Office of Research and Reports has accepted responsibility and
which will, it is assumed, continue under the new plan of organiza-
tion. This list was submitted for information.
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Attachments: (L[)
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'%W %ne
The following factors must be considered and will influence the
development of a method for making the decisions about what will be
produced:
1. The interests of the United States in the fields for which
we have been assigned research responsiTSity. In other vfords, what
difference does it make to the United States, if the Soviets produce
50 or 500 boxcars per month? Nhat are the questions that our research
must answer?
2. The world situation. Priorities will be influenced by the
current analysis of the world situation and its likely development
within the foreseeable future.
3. The nature of the specific question. It will be possible to
answer some questions easily. Others will require extended research and
may involve the use of elaborate techniques for the development of data.
The feasibility of arriving at a meaningful and timely answer may indicate
whether or not a project should be attempted at all,
4. The research resources available. The number, organization,
and quality o the people availabble in the Office of Research and Reports,
in other governmental agencies, or in external organizations will influence
the assignment of a given project. If resources are fully employed, it
may not be possible to satisfy all Office of Research and Reports customers.
5. The commitments of the Central Intelligence Agency. Agency
commitments to support specific customers must be met, those commit-
ments must also be evaluated and modified in the light of the preceding
factors.
6. Unforeseen developments. No system for production control can
afford to be so rigid that it cannot meet unforeseen changes in the factors
on which a decision to produce or not to produce a given project was based.
The Staff will be prepared to submit recommendations for a system
for the determination and allocation of research projects that will provide
for consideration of the above factors.
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