CLASSIFIED PAPERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00674R000300020002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 34
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 27, 2006
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 8, 1973
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Lease 2006/04/19 : CIA-RDP86-00674F0300020002-3
8 Feh:ruary 1-973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Records Management Officers
SUBJECT: Classified Papers
Attached is a copy of the speech given by Mr. Richard C.
Tufaro, Staff Assistant to the ICRC, at the Information and
Records Administrators Conference, 15 December 1972.
This is forwarded for your information so you can get
some flavor of the way the National Security Council staff
looks at the Executive Order.
/G. F. Donnal-ey~
Special Assistant for Information Cont
Approved For Release 2006/04/19 : CIA-RDP86-00674R000300020002-3
 Approved For tease 2006/04/19: CIA-RDP86-00674PZ0300020002-3
Information and Records Administrators Conference
I>cceinbcr 15. ]?72
CLASSIFIED PAPERS
'['hank you, Marvin Kincaid, very much Cor your ki rid
introduction.
Ambassador Eisenhower has asked me to express on his
behalf his regrets for not being able to a.-)pear in person and his
warm thanks for the work you have already done and which he knows
you will continue to do in helping 1:o deal -.:?ith the problem of classified
documents.
I recently stumbled across a humorous quip from Paul Louis
Courier reflecting upon "print-ed matter. " It seemed pertinent tea
the feeling of many with regard to the volume of classified paper
generated by the Government. Let n-ie read it to you:
"All printed matter contains poison, more
or less diluted according to the size of the
work, more or less harmful, more or less
deadly . . . . One grain in a vat has-.no.
effect at all, in a teacup it causes vomiting,
in a spoonful it kills and there you have the
pamphlet. " `
Well, if this is the effect of one pamphlet you can imagine the
consequences of 30 million classified documents which are produced
every year by this Government. Mr. Courier would probably call it
a nuclear holocaust.
I can't agree with M Courier's judgment on: the consequences
of printed matter, but there were unquestionably serious deficiencies
in our handling of classified documents which led Presidr~nt Nixon to
sign Executive Order 11652 in March of this year. As you all. know, the
Order has two primary objectives: (1) To reduce the amount of material
being classified and safeguard it better; and (2) To declassify material
earlier and on the basis of automatic schedules.
Delivering a talk so close to the Christmas holidays, I couldn't
resist the urge to try and draw a parallel between this talk and Dickens'
Chri.st:inas Carol. Accordingly, I would like to talk to you. today about
Approved For Release 2006/04/19 : CIA-RDP86-00674R000300020002-3
 Approved For Release 2006/04/19 : CIA-RDP86-00674R000300020002-3
Classification Past, Classification Present and Classification Future.
':yarning first to Classification Past, let me review the progress which
has been achieved since the Executive Order became effective in
June.
First, the Interagency Classification Preview Committee has
become active in pursuing the objectives of the Executive Order.
Azxibassador John Eisenhower was named by the President as
Chairican. Ambassador Eisenhower has wide experience in
military and diplomatic fields and an -additional perspective which he
obtained when his father served as President of the United States
for two terms. ' The Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and
the Central Intelligence Agency each have senior representatives
serving on. the Committee who attend the regular monthly meetings to
reflect the views of their departments and the development of an
overall Government policy. In addition the Archivist of the United
States has been asked to serve as -a-meanber of the Committee and
has been attending our regular rrieeti ngs. Second, there have bean
specific achievements which are \vprthy of note:
1. There has been a 60% reduction in all authorized
classifiers.
Z. There has been a 63% reduction in authorized Top
E t classifiers who a c ,Iso the only individuals
aL.ath.orized to exempt: from the automatic declassification
., chedule n .
Current lists of authori s;c.d c:la.t sifinrs E;kr na.rx;r, and
pen ".t.?n ? I tinent%a ned }.y al the E i t.l" iet'is a C
f;11b.nnt.ted to thw lnttE 1 i -(-- ~, ~7 lr1 ;Hoc, on a quay e r 1 yr
Cm i I'c1 n erlts.
'.>. Of -31 departments affected by the Order, the Iri}:erag ncy
(;oir~r_zi'tne h~s.s r& viovven and apps-e:e.,ed f} inuplcrr, rf:ir,fr
rc:oguhrtions of 31.
6. l\iJ. l)ilt thr-_c ,-7't L'ie t?, r`~:TZI,,+~(: ti1,oac :- ~ elR'.iann 1~a'/c
l wn. nl>proved. ? ave pciblished _,p~~; epri
r,(l r