MINUTES OF THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING OF SUBCOMMITTEE ON EXPLOITATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03130A000100030077-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 19, 1999
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: July 13, 1998
• Content Type: MIN

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CONFIDENTIAL
MINUTES OF THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING OF SUBC02? MITTEE ON
IXPL0ITATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS
12 August 1955
Members: Mro John Lacey, State
Capto Thomas II0 Rivenbark, Air li'orce (for
Maj. Neumann)
LTJG William C. N-%n?eo Navy
Consultants:
to The 53rd meeting convened at 1400 hours, and the minutes
of the 52nd meeting were approvedo
2a The Chairman stated that consideration of proposals for
restatement of the Subcommittee's objectives was the first item on
the agenda. He referred to the proposed emendation of tta" of the
objectives submitted by Xr. Stanley of the Department of State at
the previous meeting, and distributed copies of a draft incorporating
a restatement of the objectives as recommended by FDD.
State: r?Ir. Lacey found the FDD statement of individual
objectives to be satisfactory but suggested a shift in line of pre-
sentation which would highlight the main objective of the Subcommittee,
io e., the development of a sound program for the production of
needed information from foreign language publications.
All members were in agreement with this proposal and the
FDD statement as amended was adopted.
The Chairman stated that, since there appeared to be general
approval of a recommendation from the previous meeting that the
footnotes be expanded to include definitions of exploitation
terminology, such definitions would be attached as a tab to the
restatement of objectives, and distributed with the minutes of this
meeting.
'3. The Chairman then said that consideration of the second
item on the agenda, the review of requirements not now being met,
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must be postponed until the next meeting, since FDD had not yet
received all reports from CIA and lAC components with regard to
which of the manpower requirements outlined in the memorandum
of I July to the Subcommittee these components chose to sponsors
1, At this point a discussion arose concerning the various
points of view which might be taken in approaching the problem
of additional manpower.
Navy. Lt. Nyce inquired whether the manpower require-
ments outlined in the 1 July memorandum were intended to concern
the Sine-Soviet bloc only.
The Chairman stated that this was so*
translators.
lation, therefore, is a technique to be applied in particular cases
and for particular types of documents.
I1r, Lacey felt that there was a growing cognizance of and
sympathy for language exploitation problems among State Department's
analysts, but these analysts were certain of the need for translation
of selected key documents, and would be reluctant to sponsor arequ re-
m ent for additional ~61tars if this would embarrass the need for
would be important to render the Soviet's words verbatimo
reference texts or Soviet political and economic theories where it
n FDD would not and r zbe ~tnpos lei but undesiraeo7 i
the other hand, there are some types of documentary-materials which
merit full., verbatim translation. Cases in point might be standard
The Chairman said that he felt the primary concern of the
Subcommittee was the development of a sound exploitation program.
The sources which yield the required information are available in
quantity. It is clear that existing facilities are inadequate to
exploit the needed informations The question is, what do we need
over and above our present manpower. Exploitation, as against
verbatim translation, is a device for .pr duo.ng the nee eci nformation,
and eliminating the propaganda and irrelevant materia~sp thereey --- .
effecting a saving in linguistic manpower as well as in the analyst's
time Translation of the approximately 1000 publications received
State: 1.1r$ Lea that State Department was, of
course, interested in coverage, but was at this time more
interested in an expanded translation service.
The Chairman said that he understood the departments have
their own facilities for translating correspondence and documents gJJ
of purely departmental interest? but State Department' t be an
exception, There was, of course, no objection to translation where
the need is valid, but the need for full translation should be
justified because of the time-consuming character of this technique.
Lt. Nyce said that Navy's translation facilities are fully
occupied and there is little translation of books. Books are kept
r. n AT Ti T n V. N R' T A I.
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on shelves for reference purposes, Navy would, however, like to
know the subject matter of the new scientific periodical
acquisitions which need to be covered.
The Chairman suggested that Navy refer the question to the
Chief, Scientific and Technical Branch, FDD.
IIr0 Lacey said that the Department of State would present
its needs for information within the existing machinery of the
exploitation program. However, he was still obliged to query how
the Advisory Committee might interpret a request now for more
exploitation personnel, if in a few months State Department again
asked for an expanded translation service. For example, there is
interest now in information on minority cadres in China, but State
analysts were not inclined to sponsor a request for personnel to
exploit this information if it meant jeopardizing a later request
for translation service.
The Chairman stated that present requirements for information
or for translation service should not be deferred, Personnel required
should be determined and the needs made known now.
Ltd Nyce stated that Navy had always obtained very satis-
factory translation service from FDD and he felt that additional
manpower would increase the FDD facility to accomplish bot4,-the
exploitation and translation service needed.
The Chairman agreed, but said that at present the scope of
State Department's requirements for translation service may not be
clear to M.
11r? Lacey raised the. question as to how the priority of
needs will be determined,
The Chairman suggested that once the Subcommittee has
determined what additional manpower is required and for what specific
activities, report of the Subcommittee's findings will go to the
Advisory Committee, and if approved there, thence to the DCI or IAC.
If disapproved in part or in toto some general guidance may be
forthcoming along with such disapproval or the Subcommittee may
be asked to work out the priority problem.
NSAz commented that some analysts had expressed
a need for the abstracting of East European scientific periodicals,
and inquired whether this was included in the program.
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The Chairman stated that manpower was not presently
available for the purpose, but suggested that the Subcommittee
report it as a need.
Air Force: Capt,Rivenbark inquired whether the Chairman
expected a memorandum on requirements from Subcommittee members.
The Chairman stated that he did, Ile requested that the
members select from the manpower requirements outlined in the
memorandum of 1 July those which the members would support, and
comment on the manpower suggested to handle the requirements,
whether it appears adequate, too little or too much, Also, if
there are requirements not covered in the memorandum the Subcommittee
should be advised of them, FDD can then collate the requirements
with the view of drawing up a report to the FLP Committee. Such a
report would be presented, if possible, at the next meeting of the
Subcommittee for approval.
1?Ir, Lacey asked whether more manpower could mean more reports
of the collation type, since some parts of State Department preferred
this type of reporting, or would more personnel mean more of the same
type of information FDD was now producing, some of which was of
mar nal_interest to the Department.
The.Chairn replied to the first part of the question
that the technique of reporting, whether in the form of collation,
compilation, or summary, should meet the need of the majority of
consumers. As to the second part of the question, if FDD is reporting
information of marginal value we should examine such reporting to
determine if it is necessary, However, what may be of borderline
value to one department, may be important to another. The interest
of the whole intelligence community must be considered, More
personnel would, naturally, permit more flexibility.
11ro Lacey inquired what the result might be if only State
had a requirement for information on Chinese minorities.
The Chairman replied that the Advisory Committee on
Foreign Language Publications would be advised on the total needs of
the intelligence community, but it will not be indicated that a
particular department is sponsoring a specific requirement.
Capt.Rivenbark stated that of the 19 Soviet scientific
periodicals which FDD had undertaken to abstract, apparently only
five were being received. He felt that the 19 periodicals should
be covered before others were considered.
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The Chairman said he would determine exactly what had
been done and provide a list to him.
The Chairman distributed to the members first copies of
the following reports:
Summary No. 566 - "Weekly Information Report
on Continental Southeast Asia," 00-W-31398 - "Military
Information from the Soviet Press, 1 May - 10 Jul 55."
5@ The meeting adjourned at 1530 hours., The next meeting
will be held on Friday, 9 September 1955, in Room 2125 N Building
at )J400 hours. The agenda will be:
a0 Review of requirements not now being met.
b., Transliteration practices.
c. Translation servi"A ri+,+h'g-_
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12 August 1955
STATE