MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01048A001500060004-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 8, 1965
• Content Type: MFR

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2012/12/28 : CIA-RDP80M01048A001500060004-8
8 J U L 1965
SUBJECT: Meeting with Members of the Executive Committee
1. Immediately after the morning meeting on 6 July I conducted I
a brief meeting with the following in attendance: Messrs. Bannerman,
Borel, Bross, Earman, Elder, FitzGerald, Houston, Knoche an STAT
The purpose of the meeting was to outline to this group my ideas on how
I propose to function as Executive Director-Comptroller and to solicit any
suggestions they might have.
2. I began by saying that inevitably two people would approach the
same job differently and undoubtedly my approach would be somewhat
different from Mr. Kirkpatrickts, but this in no way was intended to cite
that one approach has advantage over the other. I then said that I was not
impressed with any authority vested in the Executive Director-Comptroller
personally. In fact, it is my view that his authority is that which he derives
from the DCI and the DDCI and that, while it is necessary for him to issue
orders or give instructions to subordinate components within the Agency,
he does so in the name of the DCI or DDCI. It is also his job to ensure
that he is in close enough touch with them so that the instructions or orders
which he does issue are pursuant to the policies and objectives of the DCI
and DDCI.
3. As I see my job, it has two primary purposes: (1) To relieve
the DCI and DDCI of as much detail as possible and to organize and present
facts to them so that they can make policy decisions with a minimum of
time devoted to a particular problem; (2) To assist the Deputies and Heads
of Independent Offices by getting decisions from the DCI or DDCI or making
decisions in their absence, ensuring always that the DCIts and DDCIts
policy is being carried out. I then pointed out that I did consider the
Executive Director-Comptroller job not limited to management or adminis-
trative matters. On the contrary, if I am to accomplish the two objectives
which I set forth, I must function across the board, dealing with substance.,
as well as administration. I said that I would make a strong and conscien-
tious effort to stay close to the DCI and DDCI so that I can make sure that
we are carrying out their policies. At the same time I emphasized that I
did not wish to be, nor did I feel that I could be, a channel through which all
matters of substance flowed to the DCI and DDCI. In fact, I felt quite
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O L T AL
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strongly that any Deputy Director or Head of an Independent Office should
have frequent access to these people. However, it is essential that the
Executive Director-Comptroller be advised of any significant developments
that grow out of these contacts, particularly any decisions which are made.
4. I then said that where time permitted, I would attempt to
circulate draft policy papers before they were issued in final form so that
the Deputy Directors might have an opportunity to make their views known
before a final decision is made. I emphasized, however, that this would
require personal and prompt attention by the Deputies. If this is not done
and these papers are farmed out to subordinate echelons, I feel that we
will encounter the same inordinate delays which we now encounter in
regulations and the system would break down completely.
5. I emphasized also that while I have always operated with an
"open door" policy and I expect to see many people at all echelons in the
Agency, nevertheless I intend to deal primarily with the Deputy Directors
and Heads of Independent Offices, particularly on policy matters. In fact,
I underscored the necessity of seeing a great deal of each other personally
and dealing orally and informally on a wide variety of matters.
6. At the conclusion of my brief discussion, there were several
suggestions.
a. Mr. FitzGerald commented on the history of Action
Memoranda. He said that it had been his experience that Action Memoranda
were issued too late to have much bearing on what the components actually
did. In general he felt that the components knew what to do and the typical
Action Memorandum served no useful purpose. He urged that the instructions
which we normally issued in Action Memoranda could better be issued in
brief meetings of the Executive Director-Comptroller and the other Deputy
Directors. I reserved judgment as to whether we could eliminate Action
Memoranda altogether, but I do agree with at least part of his philosophy.
b. Mr. Borel expressed his hope that the Financial Policy
and Budget Committee could be expanded into a general form to discuss
management policy as it affects the entire Agency. I commented that I
expect to look into the FPBC and decide what changes we should make.
I emphasized most forcefully, however, that if we should expand the FPBC
into a forum in which general management policy was discussed, the
Assistant Deputy Directors must ensure that they reflect the views of their
principal at the meeting and if they find they did not do so they should advise
the Executive Director-Comptroller immediately. This is a fundamental
G0~N F ill! EMUT AL
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2012/12/28 : CIA-RDP80M01048A001500060004-8
I C k,FIB E lA,I
procedure which I think we should insist on; otherwise a great deal of
time is spent by all concerned only to find at some later date that a subor-
dinate has not properly reflected his Deputy's views.
c. John Bross reminded the group that he had recently
been assigned responsibility for liaison with the Presidentts Foreign
Intelligence Advisory Board. He would have preferred that the Executive
Director-Comptroller retain this function; however, he proposed that
insofar as Agency presentations are concerned, he would write appropriate
memoranda to the Agency components concerned and provide an information
copy to the Executive Director-Comptroller. I indicated that this was
entirely satisfactory to me, and I, of course, would feel free to inject
myself into the program at any time I felt it appropriate.
d. Mr. Bannerman proposed more brief, informal meetings
between the Executive Director-Comptroller and the Deputies in order to
settle policy before we try to write implementing papers. He felt that a
great deal of time has been wasted fighting over detail whereas, if the policy
was first decided, the details could be filled in rather promptly and action
would be much more expeditious. I agreed with this philosophy and will
attempt to work toward this end.
STAT
L. K. White
Executive Director-Comptroller
LW:dm
Distribution:
Original - ExDir-Comp
1 - ER
1 - LKW chrono
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2012/12/28 : CIA-RDP80M01048A001500060004-8