RESUME OF OCB LUNCHEON MEETING, 17 DECEMBER 1958

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R002700050003-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 23, 1958
• Content Type: MFR

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23 December 1958
SUBJECT: Resume of OCB Luncheon Meeting, 17 December 1958
PRESENT: Mr. Bradford (USIA), Mr. Dulles, Admiral Foster,
Mr. Gray, Mr. Harr, Mr. Herter, Mr. Quarles, Mr. Smith
Mr. Melbourne
1. Geneva Conference on Surprise Attack
The Board discussed the impending recess of the Surprise Attack
talks at Geneva and the possibilities of obtaining favorable reaction
abroad toward the U.S. position. The group felt that although the
Soviets may be expected to try to make political capital on a large
scale out of this situation, actually it will be very difficult for
them to gain much ground by attacking our position.
Nonetheless, it was agreed that all efforts should be made to
assure adequate presentation of U.S. views. Mr. Herter said that
the State Department has prepared a draft statement on the subject,
for public release.
2. Geneva Conference on Nuclear Tests
The Board agreed that this conference seems to be progressing
more favorably than the one on Surprise Attack, and that indications
are that it has merely adjourned for the Christmas holidays and not
come to a complete halt.
3. Soviet Propaganda on Economic Progress
There was further discussion of the paper prepared oy the
Freers Committee which recommends that the U.S. take certain actions
to counter Soviet propaganda on the USSR's rate of economic progress.
NSC review(s) completed.
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Mr. Harr undertook to bring to the attention of the individuals
responsible for drafting preliminary versions of the State of the
Union message and the President's Economic Report to Congress, the
view of the OCB that these documents might be an appropriate place
for inclusion of certain statements designed to counter extravagant
Soviet claims. Mr. Herter said that he would bring this matter to
the attention of Mr. Dillon so that the latter's office can
investigate further actions which might be taken.
4. Policy toward Communist China
Mr. Harr pointed out that there is no single policy paper on
Communist China and suggested that this fact might be brought to the
attention of the NSC.
In the ensuing discussion the point was developed that although
no single paper exists there is a great deal of policy enunciation
and guidance in a number of existing papers. Mr. Dulles suggested
that it might be worthwhile as a starter to pull together all the
bits and pieces of the existing policy papers which bear on the
Chinese Communist problem.
5. Chinese Communes
Continuing discussion of previous weeks, the group then turned
to the Chinese communes program. It was agreed that this program
provides an extremely good point of departure for U.S. psychological
exploitation on a world-wide basis and that a special ad hoc working
group should be set up within the OCB framework in order to develop
a systematic plan for such exploitation. The DCI said that much
background data is available for the use of such a committee.
6. Report on Action taken by the Soviet Central Committee
Mr. Herter reported that Mr. Cumming had said at that morning's
staff meeting in the State Department that a report which had just
come in on the ticker indicated that the Soviet Central Committee
might be considering agricultural resolutions which seemed to have
implications for the Soviet Union somewhat similar to the Chinese
Commune program.
(Later information clarified this report. It was based on
certain cooperative efforts being proposed in the Soviet Union but-they
do not have implications similar to those. of the Chinese program.)
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7. Invitation to Dr. Bronk
Mr. Gray said that Dr. Detlev Bronk has received an invitation
to join the Russian Academy of Science and that he has requested
guidance as to whether or not to accept the invitation. The
consensus of the meeting was that Dr. Bronk should not be urged to
accept the invitation but that the State Department should investigate
the matter fully before coming to a final decision. Mr. Gray said
that Dr. Bronk would undoubtedly decline unless urged to do otherwise
by the State Department.
8. Mr. Harr's Briefing of the NSC
Mr. Harr referred to a recent meeting of the NSC at which he
had briefed the Council on the OCB progress report for Libya. He
said that unfortunately some of his remarks might have been construed
as being critical of certain members of the OCB.
Mr. Harr requested the advice of the group as to how he should
proceed in similar situations in the future. The Board did not
undertake to give Mr. Harr precise or definitive guidance on this
point, but opinions were expressed that matters of this kind require
delicate handling at the NSC meetings.
9. Proposed AEC Laboratory Demonstrations
Admiral Foster distributed a memorandum giving the background of
a proposed laboratory demonstration of relatively clean nuclear de-
vices which had been planned by the AEC for foreign scientists. He
said that the Department of State had informed the AEC that very
little interest has been shown on the part of the foreign governments
in sending observers to such a demonstration. He said further that
the President's statement of August 22, 1958, concerning a test
moratorium, and the Geneva conference now underway, had changed the
situation to such an extent that the AEC felt that a demonstration would
no longer be in the best interests of the U.S. He recommended that the
proposal be cancelled.
The Board concurred in this recommendation. Mr. Harr said that
he would attempt to secure White House approval of the cancellation.
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