SECURITY IMPLICATIONS IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT DECIMAL FILE SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP93B01194R001300070021-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2002
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: August 4, 1977
• Content Type: MF

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CRB-00106/77
4 August 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Information Services Staff
25X1A FROM :
Chief, ISS PIAG CR
SUBJECT Security Implications in the State Department
Decimal File System
REFERENCE Your Informal Request for Information - Copy
Attached
25X1A 1. On 3 August 1977 Mr. DDA/ISAS/RRB, attended
a meeting at State Department to discuss Security Implications in
25X1A the State Department Decimal File System. Mr. was advised at
this meeting that the State Department had sche ule the turn-over
to NARS of State Index Cards for the period 1950-1954 for December
25X1A 1977. As a result of this meeting, the State Department officers
(a Mr. Macket and a Mr. Cramsy - phonetic) with whom Mr. met,
agreed to delay turning over the 1950-1954 index cards untl a
decision can be reached as to how to protect the classified informa-
tion on these index cards.
25X1A 2. At my request Mr. Senior Review Officer in
DDA/ISAS/RRB, contacted the NARS custodian of the State index cards.
According to the NARS officer, there are actually three different
indices: one by name; one by subject; and, one by "purport."
These index cards of immediate concern to us cover the period
1945-1949 and include references to OSS, SSI, CfG, CIA and .101
(State Decimal System referring to CIA matters). There are
approximately seven million (7,000,000) of these 3"x5" index cards.
These cards fill 292 roller drawers (3'x3'x6").
25X1A 3. Sometime ago, the group reviewed OSS/R?A index
cards filed at NARS. Based on their experience, one (1) man can
process 1,800 cards per day. Accordingly, it appears that it will
take 3,888 working days (approximated 17.5 man years) to complete
25X1A the review of these State index cards. This review would be
further complicated if NARS insisted on some type of dummy card
being made for each index card removed. NARS did not require the
Ito put in dummy cards when they reviewed similar type
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cards. At that time NARS agreed to accept the index cards as
they were withdrawn and place them in a special protected file
area. It is possible that NARS placed dummy cards in the
OSS/ASR index although we have no confirmation of that act at
this time. Presumably we may be able to reach a similar agree-
ment with NARS with the above subject index cards.
4. In spite of the magnitude of the screening job involved
in reviewing these 1945-1949 index cards, it is apparent that
the job must be done and within a reasonable period if we are to
prevent any possible compromise of staff officers. In order to
accomplish the job, I suggest we consider the following possi-
bilities:
25X1A
(a) Use existingl personnel. Decision must
be made whether to add personnel to the Oproject in
S S
O
tors under a new project. These annuitants wou no
the same level of expertise required of the 0 group
since the work involved is more routine and little or no
independent decision making would be involved. This work
could well be done by former intelligence assistants and
analysts. Costs would be somewhat lower than that using
complement will cost from $10,000.00 to $11,000.00.
(b) We could seek approval to hire independent contrac-
ld t need
and do the index card review at the same time. We can anti
records
order to maintain the volume of review needed on
25X1A personnel from
(c) Unless approval can be obtained to use independent
contract personnel, consideration must be given to using
staff personnel. Again, personnel at the GS-5 to GS-7
level (Intel Assistants) could be used to accomplish this
review. Costs of using staff personnel would be considerably
higher since full salary and other fringe benefit costs are
involved. If the decision is made to use staff personnel,
we can use a "task force concept" to assign and direct the
activities of these staff reviewers.
25X1A
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5. The above planning covers only the index cards for
the period 1945-1949 and ignores the question of what to do
with the State purport books containing similar information
for the period 1940-1945. Considering the t" e Deriod in-
volved, it appears that we should agree that
25X1
25X1A
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