INFORMAL MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION OCTOBER 12, 1950

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01065A000500120035-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2001
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: October 12, 1950
• Content Type: MIN

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SEC1TLPT
D R A 1?
. INFORMAL MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
FOREIGN INFORMATION ORGANIZATION CALLED AT THE REQUEST OF
7 ON THINSDAY OCTOBER 12, 1950, IN OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
PRESENT
Department of State - Mr; Barrett? Director
.Mr. Stone Executive Secretare
Mr. Hulten
Department of Defense - General Magruder
Joint Chiefs of Staff - Admiral Stevens
Central IntEllekence Agency -
Depaetment of the Army - General McClure
Economic Cooperation Administration - Mr. Drummond
The meeting was called at the request of I .to
consider certain foreign information activitis oi tUA in a
category which requires careful coordination vith State
Department an OPC0
stated ithat he Colt it was import for the
Boar GO discuss this pPoblem with Mr. Drummond in order to
assure the most effective coordination of the type of propa-
ganda activity which necessarily involves important policy and
security considerations. He noted that problems in this field
had been discussed with the State Department and that an agree-
ment was being worked out in wriei-
r, activities and
responsibilities in this field0 made it clear that
he was not concerned with cuesti sdictional interests 5X1A
but was solely concerned in reaching an understanding which
would achieve the most workable and efrective coordination.
He outlined several con Ions ender which the disclosure of
the source would be detrimental, because it would (1) cause
grave diplomatic embarrassment, (2) impair the effectiveness
of the project, or (3) prejudice the medium employed?
Mr? Drumeond said that he favored coordination as Long
as it would not hamper getting the job done well. He was not
concerned with jurisdictional issues and would cooperate fully
with the State Department and ECA in seeing that specific
projects were handled by the agency best equipped to do the
job effectively. He pointed out that ECA information operations
in Europe are based on the principle of double de-centralization,
first to OSR in Paris and seconds to the individual country
missions which have considerable latitude in handling local
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projects without having to refer to Washington. Mr-. Drummond
stated that ECA has worked on the principle that the most
effective proeaganda is frequently that conducted by indigenous
organizations or groups. He gave several illustrations of the
type of project which ECA had undertaken in this field:
1. Financial assistance to European -publication, such
as a proposed magazine devoted to European unity,
usually in the form of payment for subscriptions.
2, Assistance to private local organizations or
committees in France and Italy Cor disseminatipn
of posters, printed material, etc.
3. Assistance to labor organization's, usually for
purchase of leaflets or other material supporting
Marshall Plan objectives.
4 Assistance in the production of films usually
by placing orders for prints.
In response to a question by Mr. Drummond
stated that ECA does not always limit its use of local private
organizations to the dissemination of inormation in support
of Marshall Plan objectives. He said that in France and
Italy, ?and perhaps certain other countries, ECA has gone
beyond this in assisting private groups, but he believed that
this vas always done with the knowledge of the Ambassador.
He stressed the fact that ECA always follows State Department
policy guidances on issues like Koreau
stressed the need for effectiee coordination
of projects which involve subsidies or financial aid to
private groups abroad. As a general rule he thought that
the State Department and ECA should handle projects involving
subscriptions to overt publications, purchase of leaflets and
other overt printed materials, motion picture prints and
posters, and that CIA should, in generals not enter this field
or subsidize U. S. publishing rims and motion picture pro-
ducers. On the other hand, he thought that the State Depart-
ment and ECA should not engage in subsidizing foreign groups
or newspapers and should be particularly careful about its
arrangements with organizations in the labor field.
Admiral Stevens said that a good rule Tor agencies
engaged in overt propaganda would be the provision of marketable
products at the market DriCeo
Mr. Barrett, reverting to the question of coordination,
suggested that the agreement worked out by the Central Intel-
ligence nv he State Department should apply equally
to ECA. concurred and Mr. Drummond stated that
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he would welcome an opportunity to go over the agreement
in terms of ECA activities in the field. Further dis-
cwlsion brought out the fact that the ECA office in Paris
does not normally receive reports on projects of this kind,
which are handled in the individual ECA missions in Marshall
Plan countriies0 noted that all projects requiring
policy decisions were referred to Washington by his agency.
Mr. Hulten said that all State Department projects in the
field in this category were likewise referred to Washington
for policy decision
The following proposal by Mr. Barrett was accepted:
1. That the agreement between the State Department
and CIA be referred to ECA for its approval, .
2. That 'will undertake to appoint a
representative in o coordinate projects
in this field with aesignated representatives of
State and ECA, and will consider the possibility
of assigning a man tO coordinate similar projects
in and other' countMes.
Mr. Stone was requested to send a copy of the State
Department-CIA agreement to Mr. Drummond in Paris and lo
Check the Minutes of the meeting with
WTStone:vth
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