CAPITAL CIRCUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00058R000100140021-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 19, 2000
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: December 11, 1956
• Content Type: NSPR

N:EW Y0199- VAILY -NE WS
DEC 1 1 1956
Approved For Release 2000/06/05 : CIA-RDP70-00058RO001"00140021-2
By MICHAEL O'NEILL
Washington, Dec. 10 a biggest laugh around to7
fliese clays results rom a ran is a or s of the 8upe
secret Central Intelligence Agency to get off the hook fo
the whopping U. S. intelligence failure in the Middle Eas
crisis.
All of a sudden there are
numerous "leaks" to the effect
that the CIA really turned in a
Grade A performance: specific-
ally, that it tipped Ike in advance
to the decision of the British and
French to invade Egypt If it
did, Ike is the only one who
knows it and he has said publicly
his first knowledge of the de-
cision came from the newspapers.
The CIA is understandably
anxious to holster its reputation.
if U. S. intelligence can't find
out what our allies are up to,
what's going to happen if Russia
or somebody else decides to pull
off a sneak attack like Pearl
Harbor! It's a little more em-
barrassing because CIA Director
Allen Dulles is just fixing to
build himself a $47,000,000 spy
nest over in Virginia where al-
most nobody wants it.
Would Like to Know
Why Intelligence Failed
Sen.,Hubert Humphrey, a lead-
ing Democrat on the Senate For-
eign Relations Committee, al;
ready has called for a sweeping
minutes after Eden began hi
speech. Shortly before Eden's an
nouncement U. S. Ambassado
Winthrop W. Aldrich was give
Congressional investigation of the brushoff when he tried t
the Administration's foreign oi- find out what was going on i
ivies. In particular, he said, p the London.
inquiry should find out why U. S. From this and other circum
intelligence failed to catch on to 'stances observers generally con
the Israeli-British-French plans. eluded Ike had no advance inkling
A lot of key Democrats are lin- of the British-French decision
ing up behind the investigation But the "leaks" say this isn't so
idea so right now we're headed These "inspired" reports say
for another one of those "gteat the CIA delivered an ultra secret
debates"-reminiscent perhaps of report to the White House a ful
in 1951 and the Pearl Harbor in-
vestigation in 1945-46.
The current controversy began
at 11:32 A.M. Tuesday, Oct. 30,
when Prime Minister Eden areas
in the House of Commons and
announced the British-French de-
cision to move Into the Suez Canal
zone if Israel and Egypt did not
comply with their quit-fighting
ultimatum.
Told Ike After Eciei .
Had Began to Talk
That same day, at 4:38 P.M.,
White- House Press Secretary.
James C. Hagerty aru.ounced that
the President's "first knowledge"
of the ultimatum had been "ob-
tained through press reports."
America's allies didn't get around
to notifying ',&'b' P8d"bl' release ~6ddYooYt15"ibA-*At' ? oil MitNdl1`db x.41-2
before the British and French In
tervened. The report, the surpria
ingly "well-informed sources" say,
also went to Secretary of State
Dulles, the FBI, and six othe
members of an intelligence ad
visory committee which reports
to the National. Security Council
It Didn't Say When
STATINTL
said, that the document sea t0
the White House was solid-'.not
an "iffy affair at all-and that:'
it represented intelligence, at its,
finest. According to this r1/w,
Hagerty's statement that Ike got
his first report from the press did
not mean he had not learned it
privately beforehand.
Bpt all this doesn't answer the
$64 question raised by Congres-
sional critics: If the United
States knew about the disastrous
British-French decision 48 hours
ahead of time, why didn't it make
any move to break up the plat.
Say We Didn't Send.
Any Private Protests ?~'
Key American diplomatic offi-
cials confided that this govern-
ment did not send any private
protests to London or Paris
against any reported invasion de-
cision. This was confirmed by
British and French sources.
Dulles knew -about a Sues in-
vasion plan the British and
French 'had drafted after Egypt
nationalized the Canal and he
knew about the troop buildup on
Oyprus. But U. S. diplomats said
lie was convinced until the very
moment of Eden's speech, that he
had talked our allies out of going
Into action.
Top officials here, and,
notttoo
privately, expressed itzjtstion
over "poor Intelligence" during
the hectic conferences following
Eden's announcement Although
the CIA disaounted it, reliable
sources also reported that a row
developed on the issue inside the
Administration and that the CIA
ordered its inspection division to
investigate.
Report $750 Million
Is Hidden In Budget
The CIA, whose reported $750,-
000,000 appropriation is hidden
in the budget, is sb hush-hush
even Congress isn't. told every-
report sent to the White' Souse.
But Congressional critics said
there must have been something
wrong with the report-or tea'.'
intelligence system-if It failed to.
prod Administration leaders into
action.
Nor Predict Ultimatum ?" ?"y orein., r