(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81S00991R000200020021-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: February 16, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved
UIPE OF LIBRARIES
MEMORANDUM
February 16, 1951
To: OLI - Mr. A. Sidney Buford, III
From: BI - Mr. A. John Cope, Jr. 66~
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
On January 1, 1951 I called by appointment on Mr. Donald
Nicholson of SY to inform him. of the proposed survey by IAC
of the methods and procedures employed by responsible govern-
ment agencies in their biographic reporting operations. It
was also my purpose to ascertain whether any of the records
maintained in his Division appeared to fall within the scope
of the prescribed questionnaire which had been assigned to
BI for completion on behalf of the Department.
Mr. Nicholson inclined to the opinion that the majority
of the files maintained in SY were not of the type which
should appropriately be mentioned in the questionnaire. He
pointed out that SY conducted investigations "of and for the
Department" and that while it was possible to encounter
foreigners in the course of the investigations undertaken by
his division, information regarding them was not of prime
interest to SY unless they were themselves the subjects of
investigation. Although such information was of incidental
value, I was given to understand that it was not customarily
retained in any particular "biographic" file, but kept readily
available in the individual dossiers relating to cases of in-
vestigated persons. Mr. Nicholson stated, however, that
certain files comprising the fringe of SY operations might
possibly warrant coverage in the questionnaire under considera-
tion.
I explained to Mr. Nicholson that since SY kept a record
of names of foreigners appearing in its investigative reports,
reference to such card files or name indices might well merit
inclusion in the list of Departmental files of interest to the
IAC in its projected survey. Mr. Nicholson thought that the
suggestion deserved careful consideration. He agreed to study
and to return to BI with his comments a copy of the questionnaire
which was left with him for his attention.
Approved For Release 20PA IDE11[ FIt00991 R000200020021-7
 Approved For Release 200/08/19DEAA$1 S00991 R000200020021-7
^L NIC
Mr. Shipman and Mr. Anderson of DC/BM are also under-
taking to determine what files and records in the custody
of that Division should be covered in the questionnaire.
A discussion concerning the possible coverage of VD files
in the questionnaire is also contemplated.
OLI:DI:AJCope.,Jr;fw
Approved For Release 2002 f't4l fi4 991 R000200020021-7