INFORMAL MINUTES OF MEETING OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION, AND CONSULTANTS OCTOBER 9, 1950

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01065A000500120033-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 11, 2001
• Sequence Number: 33
• Content Type: MIN

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INFORMAL MINUTES OF METING OF DIRECTOR, INTERDEPARTMENTAL
FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION, AND CONSULTANTS ON MONDAY,
'OCTOBER 9, IN OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
PRESENT: Department of State - Mr. Barrett, Director
Stone? Executive Secretary M.Tn
Mr. Sargeant
Mr. Hulten
Mr. Oechsner
Mr. Phillips
Mr. MacKnight
Department of Defense - General Magruder
Joint Chiefs of Staff - Admiral Stevens
Department of the Army - General McClure
National Security Resources Board - Mr. Sheppard
Economic Cooperation Administration - Mr. Drummond
Mullen
Central Intelligence Agency -
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With respect to Item I on the agenda, gave
the Chairman copies of an outline of the OFC balloon project
and, under the terms or the decision at the meeting of
September 13, requested a general authorization for OPC t
continue to engage in it.
General Magruder, with agreement by Admiral Stevens,
felt that the decision taken at the meeting of September 13,
making any project for the future employment of balloons
subject to prior authorization by the Board, went toafar.
He felt that policy decisions on such matters were the
propre prerogatiwe of the Department of States but that
such policy decisions should be transmitted to OPC by the
State Department consultant with OPC. It was, of course,
not up to the Board to indicate where policy decisions
should be reached within the State Department. '
Mr. Barrett observed that it would be decided in State
which particular division, board, or other unit was to make
decisions on matters of policy, and what channel was to be
used for notifying other departments and agencies of such
decisions.
Admiral Stevens, with agreement by General McClure,
felt that the Strategy Board's function was to coordinate
between overt and covert matters, bUt not to rule on the
techniques for executing policy decisions; he felt the
present instance to .be such a leaLing on techniques.
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. Mr. Sheppard suggested that the Strategy Board might
make a general decision in such matters as that under dis-
cussions and ask that it thereafter be advised of any major
operating or policy decisions relating to it.
Admiral Stevens propoeed that the Strategy Board.'s
prohibition on the use of balloons without further authori-
zation,. should remain in forces and that the OPC Consultants
Committee should ? review OPC's project in the light of this
prohibition, OP C to show cause .why it Should not come within
the general prohibition.
Mr. Barrett agreed with this proposal and felt that the
findings of the CPC Consultants Committee should be communi-
eated to the Mtrategy :Soards.end that the Strategy Board be
consulted before major new projects and policies in this
field (balloons) be undertaken by any agency.
: thereupon withdrvw hi a paper..
Following general discussion, Mr. Barrett proposed that
balloon projects be reviewed periodically every few weeks,
the next review to be one month hence.
With respect to Item II of the agendas Mr. Sten-6 reported
that IFIS had reviewed existing procedures for ceordination of
information policy guidances at a special Meeting attended
by Mt. Phillips and Mr. Oren Stephens, General agreement
had been reached on the procedures for coordinating each type
of guidance and aehritten statement Was being prepared and would
be circulated to members of the Board.
With respect to agenda Item III s Mr. Stone reported that
the Department of the Army had coordinated and cleared a tele.,
gram to CINCFE on October 5 suggesting certain categories of
intelligence useful to psychological warfare planning in line
with the recommendation of the Board at its last meeting. Mt.
Phillips reported briefly on policy questions regarOing the
public announcement @ th MI resolution on Korea. Ur. Phillips
called attention to a reorientation directive which he under-
stood had been sent to General MacArthur s but had apparently
not been coordinated with the Public Affairs area of the State
Department. General McClure indicated he was aware of the
directive but did not know whether it had been sent. Mr. Phillips
asked whether the Board felt that reorientation and re-education
sections of the directive should come before the Board. Mr.
Barrett indicated thats if a review of the directive made this
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eoc-erna, t)70 Board should consider 1t In this connection
Admiral Stevens asked about the status of the psychological
warfare plan for Korea. Mr. Stone reported that the working
group under Lt. Col. Davis hoped to complete the plan within
the next week or ten days. Mr. Barrett asked that every
effort be made to complete this project by the next meeting.
Turning to Item IV of the agenda, Mr. Sargeant reported
that the Foreign Military Assistance Coordinating Committee,
of which General Lemnitzee is Chairman, had requested the
views of the Board on a ipper relating to information activities
in connection with the expanded military aid program. Mr,
Sargeant stated that the paper, copies of which had been sent
to members of the Board, recommended a new appraisal of public
el'-'01.ne policy in this field and an immediate step-up of infor-
mation activities relating to MDAP and the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization. He Pointed out that the paper raised a
question of policy, with respect to the need for reviefi of
information objectives of IAP and IrT in relation to our
overall foreign policy objectives, and a question of the most
effective coordination of overseas information facilities.
After general discussion, it was agreed that this matter be
placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Board
on October 16, and that the members of the MDAP Public Infor-
mation Committee be invited to attend,
Mr. Barrett referred to the MIT research project and said
that he would report on this subject at the next meeting,
Beerett suggested that it might be useful for members
of the Board to see at first hand some of the current State
Department information operations and asked Mr. Eulten to make
arrangements for a visit to VOA in New York, and other State
Department information activities,'
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