INFORMAL MINUTES OF MEETING OF ACTING DIRECTOR, INTERDEPARTMENTAL FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION, AND CONSULTANTS, 2 OCTOBER 1950
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Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP80-01065A000500120031-6
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RIPPUB
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S
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5
Document Creation Date:
December 14, 2016
Document Release Date:
June 11, 2001
Sequence Number:
31
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MIN
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INFORMAL MINUTES OF MEETING OF ACTING DIRECTOR, INTERDEPARTMENTAL
FOREI(2 INFORMATICt ORGANIZATION, CONSULTANTS C MONDAY,
OCTOBER',, IN OFFICE OF ACTING DIRECTOR
PRESENT: Department of State h Mr. Sargeant, Acting Director
Mr. Stone, Executive Secretary
Mr. Phillips
Mr. Hulten
Mr. MacKnight
Mr. Oechsner,
Joint Chiefs of Staff - Admiral Stevens
Department of the &my -General McClure
Economic Cooperation Administration - Mr. Drummond
Central Intelligence Agency
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With respect to Item I on the agenda, lists of IFIS projects
in work and proposed were distributed. Mro stone reported that IFIS,
in recent meetings, had devoted considerable attention to the question
of priorities. In his view, there were two principal categories where;
1. I-IN .1
S projects
_
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time planning projects growing out of NSCa74; (2) current interdepart
mental, planning projects centering on potentially dangerous situations
such as astern Germany and. Viet Name
Mr. Stone suggested that the matter of priorities be dealt with
either at a special projects session of the board, or in a joint meet-
ing of the board and IFIS0 Following discussion, it was agreed that
would set a special meeting for projects at which Mr. Stone
the board
.
should brief the board on current and pending IFIS projects, immediately
after which the board would be joined by IFIS for a joint meeting.
In connection with Item II on the agenda, Mr. Stone summarized 20
major types of overt projects in which private organizations and
industry were cooperating.with the information program o Mr. Sargeant
stated that the U.S. Advisory Commission on Information was setting up
five panels for study and stimulation of various phases of the informa-
tion program and that one of these panels, headed by Mr. Philip Reed,
would deall with cooperation with private business organizations.
Mr. Huiten announced that in addition to the New York and Wash-
ington offices now assisting in the development of cooperation between
up-offices-in Chicago, San Francisco, and Now Orleans for this purpose.
Mr. Stone was requested to have copies for distribution to members
of the board of a list of the types of projects to which he had referred
in his statements
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in reporting on projects developed in connection
with his organization's foreign activities, said that he felt the
need of a clearer definition between overt, gray, and covert ac-
tivities. He suggested that this topic be placed on the agenda
for a board meeting, and it was agreed that this should be arranged
for a meeting to take place next Tuesday, October 10, to enable
Mr. Drummond to be present.
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The Acting Director, in welcoming Mr. Drummond to the meeting,
requested him to report on his observations as Chief of ECA informa-
tion activities in Europe. Mr. Drummond stated that he found opinion
in Western Europe today in a malleable state. Reaction to the
victory in Korea had been tremendous; feelings were further buoyed
by U.S. support for a combination of forces with ,trope and support
for the incorporation of Western Germany in the defense system.
There was less interest is the Marshall Plan, per se, in the light
of these other developments and this highlighted the need of a
J.S. information program (EGA and State) strongly supporting U.S.
objectives. The opportunities were favorable, and if we availed
ourselves of them rightly, we might accomplish in the next two years
what it might take us fifty years to accomplish otherwise. We
should risk doing too much rather than too little.
In connection with Item III on the agenda, status of state
Department plan covering its psychological warfare responsibilities
and tasks in the event of war, Mr. Phillips reported that he and
Mr. Heath Bowman of PRS were working on an outline plan which they
would have circulated in order to secure answers to certain questions
which had arisen. They would also ask the geographic desks for
comment in connection with sections relating to the approach to the
Soviet Union itself. It was agreed that, following circulation and
study of the outline plan, it would be placed on an early agenda
for discussion by the board.
Mr. Sargeant asked, in connection with the preparation of this
plan, whether it was felt that the board should take cognizance of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff p.w,, annex, of which Admiral Stevens had
supplied copies to Mr. Barrett's office. Admiral Stevens replied
that he felt that taking cognizance of the plan would be part of the
board?s responsibility for seeing that a national p.w. plan was pro-
duced. It was part of his responsibilities, he said, to see that
war plans were coordinates with such a national plan.
Mr. Sargeant reported on the status of the study of the use
of seaborne transmitters as a possible adjunct of land-based trans-
mitters in both peacetime and wartime. He outlined a number of
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alternative proposals. Bar, Hulten explained that present thinking
does not contemplate the use of seaborne transmitters as substitutes
for land-based ones. General McClure expressed the hope that the
possibility of the use of sea-borne transmitters independently of
land-based. ones would continue to be considered.
!Lr. Stone distributed copies of a draft telegram to CINCFE
regarding; the collection of certain intelligence for propaganda
purposes on the Communist occupation of South Korea during hos-
tilities. It was agreed that a more detailed list of suggestions
and questions as to the material wanted should be prepared by
-r. Stone for possible transmission to CINCFE, -
A 1'
d:iiral Stevens brought up the matter of certain difficulties
which had arisen in connection with comment by JSPD and the individual
services on State Department information policy guidances containing
controv=rsial issues., and pointed out that the mechanics were not at
present satisfactory, There was brief discussion of whether the
"clearanco" of guidances was tantamount to the securing of
e"concurrences. Parr. Oechaner stated that the entire subject of
guidance procedures was slated for thorough discussion by IFIS
at its conference scheduled for Wednesday,, October 4 and it was
agreed that a report on the results of this conference should be
submitted to tho' board at its next regular meeting.
Admiral Stevens reiterated his feeling of the need of a
,,,tattsment of the functions and authority of the strategy board,,
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and his feeling that this should be in writing, agreed
with this view. Mr. Sargeant stated that this was a matter which
ho would have to refer to Mr. Barrett.
25X1 A I referred to a provision in the memorandum of deci-
sions regarding balloons, reached at the boardgs meeting of Sep-
-bember 1:3 $, to the effect that any further use of balloons was subject
to the boards prior authorization. On the assumption that this
constituted a ban on the covert use of balloons without specific
authorization, he requested that a project propoa ganiza?
Lion be placed on an early agenda of the board. reported
that he had been informed that the staff of the U,N..Public Relations
Scctiom included numerous Communist sympathizers,, and wondered whether
=there was anything that the board could do to facilitate an
investigation
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investigation of their influenced further expressed
the hope that something might be done to fur~er his early
suggestion that "Anima. Farm" by George Or all, be produced as
an animated cartoon for use in the information program, Aral
r0 Oechsner asked whether, in view of the number of agenda
items slated for early consideration, the board might wish to hold
its regular Monday meeting next Reeks .in addition to the meeting
scheduled for Tuesday. It was agreed to hold both a Monday and
Tuesday meeting at 3:30 p.m.
1FIS;pvOechsner:er
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