PRIVATE CITIZEN LETTER REQUESTS TO THE DCI FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING CIA ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00780R006100120005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 30, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: January 1, 1974
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
M~'IORANDDM FOR : The DCI
STAT
SITBJECT Private Citizen Letter Requests to the DCI
For Information 8onc-~rning CIA Activities
1. In response to your requast for a bit of reaseareh on
the MAG suggestion that press articles concerning CIA b~ indexed
for use in your responses to the subject letters, following are
the results of our staff work:
2. Background; Br~ifly stated, it was suggested by Mr
articles concerning the Agency be indexed and bibliographic data
of the articles be retained in a computer system. i~ihen a letter requesting
information is received
by :your .~offic~, a list of recent, substantive
articles (on or from a eomputar run) could be mailed to the
;:~
citizen requ~:sting the information.
3. Roements: This suggestion Mould require the following:
a. Someone to collect and mark such articles for entry into
a computer system.
b. Access to a computer systemo
c. The d?sign of a computer program and retrieval system for
proper indexing by subject and for a means to get the runs to the
responsible me~mbsr of your staff.
d. The design of a cover format to send the information to
the citizen requesting the information, viz. a letter format explaining
why the information is being sent; why it may not be complete; that
the Agency is not in the public relations business; that the Agency
STAT
a member of the Agency MAG, that substantive press
,~~,
of respond to requsst$ for 1",gency policy on most subjects; and so on.
4? Findin~e:
Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
 Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
a. The clipping service run so well byl ~in Angus
Thuermer~s office is limited in is capabilities because of a shortage
of personnel. The service eom~rises Mrs.
who edits the daily
press for a wide variety of articles of interest, and one assistant,
who clips, pastes and copies the articles for dist3~ibution to tho
customers of the service. The service does not process all substantive
articles concerning CIA activities because of time and personnel
constraints and because the customers of the service have only a
limited time each day to read press articles. The service is designed to ~
perform the limited function of keeping certAin agency executives
gen?rally informed. An additional person would be needed if the
service were to Pocus, specifically on articles concerning the CIA.
b. CRS dues not have the capability to piggyback this suggestioh
on their use of the SAFE computer system. CRS is also shorthanded; its
professionals work 100 to 150 hours pnc of uncompensated overtime
per week just to keep up with CRS requirements for clipping articlQS.
There is no computer terminal in CRS, .
c. A check at the )~ DCI ~egistry revealed that the volume of requests
for this kind of information is about one letter psr week. Most r?quests
are for information on DCI activities; most are student requ~sts from
the secondary school level.
5. Conclusions: Although one additional person could undoubtedly
handle this kin of a project, i.e. edit and coordinate the computer
indexing and retrieval of the required information, it would not ag~pear
practical to crest such a position for the following two reasons:
Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
 a. If additional hel~ could be made available, it would
probably be more practical to increase the capability of eithor Nlra.
STAT 0 staff or the CRS staff to better fulfil) ongoing objectives.
b. The volume of requests for this kind of information
is not great enough to justify the creation of a system to handle
it.
DD/A
Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
 ------?--- ---- o
r
UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIALS
I
DDA
a
3
4
S
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETYRN
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
S16NATORE
Remarks:
The attached material was forwarded to the
DCI with DDA 74-5036. D/ES does not
feel that this material need go to DCI.
ER
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE tJO.
DATE
6
1 09Q088S-9
c~o~
i0f1Y M0. n~'] Use previous editions
1-67 L I
 Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
DD/A 74-4813
6 December 1974
STAT MEMORANDUM FOR : Mr .
SUBJECT Favorable Press on CIA
1. On 2 December 1974, Mr. Deputy STAT
Executive Secretary, advised that at tie morning meeting,
the DCI asked the Deputy Director for Administration to
investigate the possibility of passing news clippings,
~- favorable to the Agency
to anyone asking for such o en
,
~li'terature. By way o background on this, Mr.
pointed out that the idea originated with Mr.
STAT a Division Chief in the Office STAT
o ra egic esearc an a member of the Agency Management
Advisory Group.. Mr. 0 mentioned that this came up for
STAT discussion because a woman at one of the universities wanted
to defend the Agency regarding Chile, and she got a negative
response from the Agency. The thought was expressed that we
should have a bibliography on the shelf, including such items
as the Time Magazine article, which might be used when these
outside re uests come in. Mr. Ostressed that Mr. STAT
STAT would be glad to assist us on this problem.
2. On 3 December 1974, Mr. Blake made reference to
the DCI requirement that we attempt to develop a package of
favorable commentaries on the Agency. Chile is now getting
old, but there should be a lot of useful material floating
aroun~~ (the Office of Legislative Counsel and the Assistant
to the Director) on this. Possibly Central Reference Service
has some useful data.
would appreciate it if your would contact Mr.
STAT see what case was involved and otherwise work
e pro em so that the Deputy Director for Administration
can respond to the DCI on this matter. A separate but related
aspect of this is that Mr. is working on an STAT
unclassified fact book, whic was o interest to Mr. Angus
Thuermer, Assistant to the Director.
STAT
Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
 Approved For Release 2003/04/29: CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
4. I'll be glad to discuss at your convenience, but
would suggest we attempt to develop some type of appropriate
response within ten days.
STAT
Attachment:
Director's Address to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council,
Los Angeles, California, May 3, 1974
Distribution:
STAT Original - Mr. O w/att
1 - DD/A Subject w/o att
1 - DD/A Chrono w/o att
Approved For Release 2003/04/ :CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
 STAT
Approved For Release 2003/04/29 :CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9
Next 17 Page(s) In Document Exempt
Approved For Release 2003/04/29 :CIA-RDP84-007808006100120005-9