LETTER TO ARTHUR S. FLEMMING FROM C.P. CABELL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S05450A000300010012-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 24, 2013
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: September 1, 1955
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/24: CIA-RDP78505450A000300010012-6
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1 SEP 1955
Honorable Arthur S. Flemming
Director, Office of Defense Mooil!Ration
Executive Office of to* President
Washington 25, D. C.
Dear Dr. Flemming:
In a letter dated 15 August 1955, signed by Mr. F. C. a,,lexande
of your office, it was requested that this Agency comulent on or indi-
cate approval of a letter to be sent to the Federal Communications
Corrnissicv., presenting the Views Of Goverruneat agencies with reg r
to the defense aspects of a projected an Francisco. Hawaii cable.
STAT
The CIA concurs in the statement IA paragraph two of the pro-
posed letter that national defense would be served by the install&tion
of the cable, but insofar as the CIA is concerned, feel* that in the
further statement in paragraph three of the proposed letter, the word
"vital" should be changed to: of I-1-.4,1ov importance."
Sincerely,
SIGNED
C. P. Gabel'
Lieutenant General, USAF
Originator: Acting Director
Director of Communications
Distribution:
Orig & 1 - Addressee
2 - DCI files
- 1 - Ret to Office of Origin
2-DDIS
CONCUR:
SE P 1 1955
011
K GATES LLOYD
Acting Deputy Director
(Support)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/24: CIA-RDP78505450A000300010012-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/24: CIA-RDP78S05450A000360-616-02-6
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Acting Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT:
Modern Telephone-Telegraph Type Cable
between San Francisco - Hawaii
1. Under date of 1 JulKe..1955, the Director of Defense Mobilization
wrote to the Director of Central Intelligence stating that to minimize the
vulnerability of our Trans-Pacific Communications service, he planned
to start exploratory discussions with the telephone and telegraph com-
panies to determine the practicability of a modern telephone-telegraph
type cable between San Francisco and Hawaii for service late in 1957
or early 1954. The Director of Defense Mobilization enclosed a staff
study which recommended, in addition to the exploration with commercial
companies just referred to, that negotiations be conducted with the Com-
mercial Pacific Cable Company to purchase and activate the existing cable
in the Pacific for use as an emergency measOre.
2. I replied to the Director of Defense Mobilization for the DCI on
13 June 1955, substantially as follows: That CIA concurs in the recommend-
ation that exploration be undertaken with commercial companies for the lay-
ing of a new cable between San Francisco-Hawaii. With respect to the
recommendation that negotiations be concluded for the purchase and activa-
tion of the existing cable, CIA questions the validity of the estimated cost
thereof and also doubts that the cable would be worth the cost of rehabili-
tation. (While I was Chairman of the Joint Communications-Electronics
Committee. 1949-1951. a similar proposal was given consideration with
the conclusion that the rehabilitation would not be worth the initial cost,
and upkeep.)
3. On 10 August a letter to the DCI from ODM (signed by F. C. Alexander,
Deputy Assistant Director for Telecommunications), stated that the Director .
of Defense Mobilization had had conversations or exchanged torzespendence
with commerical companies on the subject of laying a modern cable between
the U. S. and Hawaii, and further advised that the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company was the only one which had contemplated such a cable in
its planning and that it was prepared to advance its time table in an attempt
to meet national defense needs.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/24: CIA-RDP78505450A000300010012-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/24 : CIA-RDP78S05450A000300010012-6
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SUBJECT: Modern Telephone - Telegraph Type Cable between
San Francisco - Hawaii
4. On 15 August, ODM (also signed by F. C. Alexander) wrote to the
DCI stating that A. T. & T. had plans to lay the cable in about 1960, but
was willing to attempt to advance this date upon representation of the
government that national defense would be served by se doing. This letter
enclosed a draft of a proposed letter to the FCC expressing the views of
the government agencies and requested CIA's comments or approval of the
letter by telephone. The proposed letter t* FCC was necessary as A. T. &
T. bad made application for the cable landing license and authority to
construct and operate the cable. Mr. Johnson, my Deputy, telephoned
the ODM on 16 August stating that CIA "had no objection" to forwarding
the proposed letter to the FCC.
5. On 24 August, Mr. Alexander telephoned me to ask if Mr. Johnson's
"no objection" was the DCI's position in the.matter. I informed him that,
insofar as I knew, Mr. Johnson's "no objection" comment was not cleared
with the DCI. Mr. Alexander stated that the Director, mom, desired the
official comments of the DCI. He also requested that I obtain the official
Agency position. Accordingly, I recommend that you sign the attached
letter to the Director of Defense Mobilization, which is self-explanatory.
H. M. McClelland
Director of Communications
Attachment
Orig: H.MM/rnv(26 Aug 1955)
cc: PTJ
's' ' Onr+ ronv Aooroved for Release 2013/04/24 CIA-RDP78S05450A000300010012-6