THE PEACE CORPS IMAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000100260034-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: May 26, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100260034-7
ARTICLE APPEARED
ON PAGE"
THE WASHINGTON POST
26 May 1981
LETTEIS TO THE EDITOR
The Peace Corps' image
.
Because President Reagan's nominee Peace Corps. and the CIA both in fact lems to cope with in their daily lives to
to head ACTION, Tom Pauken, served and in appearance. There is nothing in worry' about political machinations in
in military intelligence in 'Vietnam 12 Peace Corps policy, however, that would Washington or appearances that the
years
ago, Sen. A] an Cranston (D-Calif.) prevent someone who has served in mili- backgrounds of ACTION directors may
wants to take the Peace Corps out from tary intelligence many years ago from give. Besides, these countries have wit-
under ACTION and put it in the State also serving in the Peace Corps as well. nessed and been impressed with the
Department. He claims that. if Mr. Regardless of Peace Corps policy or work of thousands of volunteers; and
Pauken is anywhere near the, Peace how the agency is positioned in the fed- never has there been a single incident of
Corps his background will scare- people eral bureaucracy, the Soviets will con- spying or intelligence gathering.
in the Third World and perhaps end an- tinue to claim that the. volunteers are So let's keep the Peace Corps in AC-
ger Peace Corps volunteers: spies. On my first trip to Africa in 1969; This is the same debate that has been Soviet propaganda and Jack Anderson MTION r. P o a and gavc chance ante to o spin out and
carried on since the Peace Corps' found- claimed that I was trained and financed new ideas out some
ing; and 'by now it is one of those argu- by the CIA. Anderson publicly retracted new ideas for involving people and make ?
ments that-. may mean something in the claim, but the Soviets went further. ACTION fulfill involving
mndon of giving
Washington, but has no reality beyond - Since I had played tournament tennis the opportunity otp and bapea time'
the Potomac: . : -while in college, the Soviets pushed the the ce to their to perform peacetime
Ever since the Peace Corps began 20 line that the popular TV series "I Spy," aervi to their country at home and
years ago,. the 'Soviets have been trying then'. being syndicated in the Third abroad.
to convince- the Third World that. the World, was the story of ray life. JOSEPH H. BLATCHFORI)
Peace Corps is a CIA plot, in spite of the The people of the Third World and Washington
fact that six presidents from Kennedy to' their leaders weren't impressed by this The writer was director of the Peace
Reagan have maintained strict adher propaganda many years ago and couldn't Corn.c and of ACTION in the Nixon
ence to a complete,, separation of the care less today. They have enough prob- administration.
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100260034-7