REPORT OF CABLE SECRETARIAT OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1958

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00499R000600020160-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 17, 2001
• Sequence Number: 160
• Publication Date: January 13, 1959
• Content Type: MF

a
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13 January 1959
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MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT : Report of Cable Secretariat Operations
for the Year 1958
a. During the calendar year 1958 the Cable Secretariat reproduced
and disseminated 144, 595 IN cables, 56, 238 OUT cables and 13, 462 TD's
for a total of 214, 295 items. This is an average of 12, 050 IN cables,
4, 686 OUT cables and 1, 122 TD's per month. In addition, the Gable
Secretariat processed an estimated 11, 050 work units in the category
of requests for additional dissemination, acti~ hanges, etc, , making
a total workload of 225, 347 items. This is ~~-4 items or 4. 5?jo more
than calendar year 195? . While the overall workload of items (which
includes TD's) increased by only 4, 5~/o for 1958, TD volume increased
32%. The Director was furnished 18, 265 cables or 28% more than were
furnished in 1957, Attached as Tab A is a chart comparing the cable
volume (excluding TD's and other work items) for the years 195? and 1958.
b. A review of cable traffic (excluding TD's and other miscellaneous
work items) for the years 1956, 1957 and 1958 shows an interesting fact.
The total number of cables reproduced and disseminated in 1956 amounted
to 194, 310 broken down as follows: 133, 940 IN cables and 60, 370 OUT
cables; in 1957 the total number was 194, 682, 134, 762 IN cables and
59, 920 OUT cables and in 1958 the total amount was 200, 833, 144, 595
IN cables and 56, 238 OUT cables. The year 195? compared with 1956
shows an increase of , 006% of IN cables and a decrease of , 007% of OUT
cables in 1957; 1958 compared with 1957 shows an increase of 7% IN
cables and a decrease of 6.5?jo of OUT cables in 1958, The significant
fact is that while the IN cables increased by 10, 655 or 8% over the last
three years, the outgoing cables (Headquarters originated) decreased by
4, 132 or 7. 5%. It would appear from these facts that Headquarters
originating units have not done badly in their efforts to reduce the
number of cables originated. Whether this resulted in a decrease in
the workload reflected by Signal Center, OC, would, of course, be
determined from OC records,
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responsibility in the Cable Secretariat.
se of 1958 the Cable Secretariat had an on duty strength
During the year we
lost 11 persons (1 CSDO GS-12, LWOP 90 days to decide whether he will
stay with the Agency or resign to accept outside employment, 2 Cable
Analysts, 2 Clerk Typists, 2 Mail and File Clerks transferred to other
components of the Agency, 1 Cable Analyst, 1 Mail and File Clerk, 1
Clerk, 1 Clerk Typist resigned to seek outside employment and take up
housekeeping duties). Offsetting our loses, we gained 12 persons, 1
Cable Analyst, 6 Clerk Typists and 5 Mail and File Clerks. This is
excellent compared to the same period 1957 when we lost a total of 23
persons. The caliber of persons furnished during 1958 was uniformly
high. This will facilitate training these people for positions of greater
3. Cable Secretariat Career Service Panel
The Cable Secretariat Career Service Panel met 13 times during
1958 for the transaction of personnel career business involving 84 persons.
Individual career programs were drafted for all personnel on duty six
rnonths or more. A statistical summary of Panel ape rations follows:
1. Prorriotians recommended -
2. Promotions denied -
3. Fitness .Reports reviewed -
4. Transfers and resignations reviewed -
5. Career considerations other than promotions
4. Training Program
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a. Agency training facilities appropriate for our personnel accounted
for 29 Cable Secretariat persons having attended one or mare Agency training
courses during the year 195$. In addition, 6 persons have completed internal
Cable Secretariat training courses developed by the Gable Secretariat and
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approved by the Office of Training. Our courses are designed to qualify
individuals far positions of higher responsibility in the Gable Secretariat.
Also during the year 19 persons attended the Cable Secretariat Seminars
for Gable Analysts, The Seminars afforded an opportunity to compress
years of experience and problems into a few hours and have done much
to keep our dissemination on an even and very high level. Normal on-
the-jab training given to new personnel is not included in the above figures.
b, from the Office of Training, surveyed our Multilith
Operator's Training ~'rogram. The course developed for this program
was considered by to qualify as creditable on-the-job training
under the provisions of CIA On his recommendation
we seconded approval for it on 22 July 1958 for the purpose of receiving
credit toward the 5?Jo in training requirement contained in the Regulation.
5. DD/I Review of Incoming Traffic
The DD JI representative in reviewing selected incoming traffic for
one day each month found that during the entire year there were no cables
of interest to DD/I which we failed to disseminate or suspend to DD/I.
In the last two years (1957-1958) the DD/I representative has found only
one cable of interest that was not disseminated to or suspended to DD/I.
6. General(Achievements for 1958)
a. The new DD/I suspense system approved by General Gabell in
October went into effect on 1 November 1958. Under the new system a
minimum of time is consumed in disposing of suspense items, The new
system has been a big step forward in furnishing intelligence items to
the DD/I and from our viewpoint has worked smoothly from the start.
b. In October 1958 the Cable Secretariat accepted the responsibility
for complete dissemination of Teletyped Clandestine Services Information
Reports (TD Reports). This was done at the request of OCR and with the
concurrence of DD/P in the interest of improving the speed of service for
these reports to the Intelligence Community, Fram the time of receipt in
the Gable Secretariat, we average 4$ minutes until the TD is ready for delivery.
c, The Director of Personnel has approved and accepted the plan
"Situation Emergency" of the Management Study Review of Staffing of the
Cable Secretariat. The plan provides: a) for the Cable Secretariat to
request the detail of one to three fully cleared Typists and Mail and File
(Couriers) from the Interim Assignment Section, Office of Personnel
during any period of the emergency; b) if unsuccessful in obtaining
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personnel from IAS, to require DD/P Staff and Operating Divisions to
pick up their own cables during the emergency period, thus freeing the
Cable Secretariat's Mail and File (Couriers) for internal clerical duties.
d. We have completed the conversion of our non-sensitive crypto/
pseudo cards , to the Flexoline System, and we have started converting our
true name cards. All personnel concerned with identifying cryptonyrns are
unanimous in the opinion that searching the Flexoline strips is much easier
than searching 3 ~ 5 cards. Our Flexoline file has been microfilmed and
printed on copy flow and is ready to transfer to the Emergency Site for
vital document storage. This file will be stored within the DD/P Vital
Documents area and held for Cable Secretariat use .
e. The Management Staff concluded the study of Signal CenterjCable
Secretariat operations and Mr. White concurred in the conclusions reached
and the recommendation that the distribution of functions and activities of
the Signal Center and the Cable Secretariat remain as they are.
f. In April we started our bi-weekly internal publication, Cable
Secretariat Comments, issued, edited and published by the personnel of
the Cable Secretariat. The paper has done much to bring closer all
three shifts and is considered a real morale booster.
g. Anew radio system has been installed. The system was supplied
and installed by the Office of Communications. In addition, to making
more pleasant our working conditions, we have improved our security
since proofreading can not now be heard over the radio speakers.
h. An accuracy check on our Analyst staff covering some 18, 000
revealed an average dissemination error percentage of .008?jo. Our
study also revealed that during the same period our Analyst supervisory
staff of 6 persons, lending a hand at the wheel, contributed approximately
4, 000 items to our production total. Error percentage for this group was
. 003%. The law dissemination error percentage represents a real
achievement by the Analyst staff as a whole. The Cable Secretariat
shall continue, through training courses and seminars, to bring about
a still lower figure.
i. During the month of December 1958 (the second month of the new
DD/I Suspense System) 87 cables were selected as suspense items. Of
these 87 cables, 27 were turned down. Of these turndowns four were
disseminated to the overt components through the TDCS procedure
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because they contained too much operational material to sterilize. Thirteen
were non-CIA cables. Of these 13 cables, it may be well to note that three
of these cables were released to DD/I by direction of the divisions concerned.
The remaining 10 cables were considered by the divisions as operational and
not pertinent for DD/I.
j. An inter-com system was installed for the purpose of permitting
personnel to talk between sections. If a vote were taken as to the best
thing we have done all year to improve working conditions, the installation
of the inter-com system would be voted number one.
k. The DD/S, in December, approved an increase of one in our
personnel ceiling for the purpose of providing additional courier service
to DD/P units for priority cables after the close of business, and for the
delivery of TD's from 2000 to 2400 hours to State and to the Pentagon. It
was Management Staff's recommendation in which we concurred that we
could provide both of these services with one courier assigned to the
night tour. We will assurrse these responsibilities on or about l5 Jan 1959
when our new man is expected to report for duty.
1. The diversion of Teletype Reports (TD's) from electrical channels
to courier delivery proved highly successful during the year, This is
particularly true of the last half in which we had the benefit of improved
courier service. Our records show that from January through August,
a total of 8, 960 TD's were p"rocessed with 1, 029 or 11. 5% routed for
electrical transmission. From September through December, a period
in which began to include priarity items for courier delivery, diversion
reached its highest level. Out of 4, 502 TD's handled, a total of 66 or
.015% were sent electrically. Around-the-clock eaurier service, temporarily
established at the time of the Iraq coup, has now become permanent. We will
assume responsibility for providing a four hour period of this service early
in January 1959.
m.. I am happy to report that the Cable Secretariat participated 100/0
in the UCrF and, as was the case last year and the year before, again
exceeded our dollar goal.
n. In July 1958 the Cable Secretariat stopped receipting for cables
and TD~s except those classified TOP SECRET, those delivered to other
Agencies and those delivered by non-Cable Secretariat personnel. This
has been a distinct factor in improving the speed of our service,
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o. We are now awaiting concurrence from (JS and CI to use the
new mailing envelope for nearly all cables delivered within Headquarters.
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Cable Secretary
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OUTING AND RECORD SHEET ----
SUBJECT: (Optional)
~~`.~.
.FROM: ~/s
No.
DATE
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
t
COMMENTS (Number each comment fo show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
___
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1 to 2: I have read the attached
"word for word" with a great
3?
deal of interest. As I have
said before, you and your
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job and all of us here in the
Director's Office sincerely
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appreciate the service we
receive.
6.
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1 DEC 56 61 O USEDPTIO OUS ^ SECRET ^ CONFIDENTIAL ^ u"sE oN Y
^ UNCLASSIFIED