RESUME OF OCB LUNCHEON MEETING, 4 JUNE 1958

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R002700050030-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 18, 2005
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: June 4, 1958
• Content Type: MFR

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SUBJECT: Resume of OCB Luncheon Meeting, 4 June 1958
PRESENT: Mr. Allen, Mr. Cutler, Mr. Dulles, Adm. Foster,
Mr. Gray, Mr. Harr, Mr. Herter, Mr. Scribner,
Mr. Smith, Mr. Sprague, Mr. Staats
1. Foreign Radio Broadcasting
The Board discussed a matter which had been considered at
the National Security Council meeting on June 3, namely the matter
of radio broadcasts to foreign audiences. It was brought out that
there may not have been completely effective coordination between
State and USIA on major aspects of these programs. It was generally
agreed that these faults were attributable to difficulties in interpreting
various aspects of policy, to budget problems, etc. It was concluded
that the fault could not be laid at the door of the OCB.
2. Project PLOWSHARE
Adm. Foster distributed a draft of a proposed announcement
on Project PLOWSHARE--the undertaking to excavate a harbor in
northwest Alaska by means of nuclear explosives. There was
considerable debate as to whether or not a release of this sort should
be made. The Defense, USIA and Treasury representatives expressed
the opinion that no publicity should be given to this project until we
are ready to proceed with it. Messrs. Cutler and Harr took the
opposite view, maintaining that an announcement of this kind would
have great psychological value around the world. Mr. Dulles said
that, apart from any other considerations, the magnitude of the
necessary preparations for an undertaking of this sort would be such
that the existence of the project would be bound to become known,
NSC review(s) completed.
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and therefore an announcement of some sort seemed in order.
However, he did not feel that the proposed announcement, as
drafted, completely met the situation.
Mr. Sprague was skeptical that this project will ever be
carried out. He said that to date there has been no high-level
approval of it in the Pentagon.
The sense of the Board was that the proposed announcement
should be redrafted by AEC and State and should be tied to the
conclusion of a contract to carry out Project PLOWSHARE. It was
reiterated that before any such public announcement is made the
USSR and Canada should be consulted.
3. Antarctica
The discussion then turned to the Soviet reply to the U. S. note
proposing a condominium in Antarctica. Mr. Cutler expressed the
opinion that we have so far missed a worthwhile propaganda story by
not publicizing widely the Soviet agreement to consult on this subject.
Mr. Allen stated that he did not believe there is at this stage a great
deal of opportunity remaining to capitalize on this event through the
press; however, he thought it would be possible to make some use
of it in radio programs, and undertook to explore that possibility
further.
4. Inflatable Satellite
Mr. Sprague reported on progress toward the possible launching
of an inflatable satellite, a project which was endorsed in principle
by the OCB at its meeting of January 8. He said that the launching
of a 12-foot satellite of this type would be possible by October 1958
and that there would be a capability of putting a larger one in orbit
by the Spring of 1959. He said, however, that other programs of
high priority have been in the process of development since last
January and that these would have to be weighed against this particular
suggestion.
The Board agreed that if it were possible to do so the inflatable
satellite should be pushed. It was felt that whatever propaganda value
it might have would be considerably lessened if a launching were
delayed until next year.
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5. Nuclear Weapons Demonstration
Mr. Sprague outlined plans of the Defense Department for a
possible demonstration of a normally-conventional missile equipped
with a nuclear warhead. The specific combination contemplated is
a Nike rocket with a Zeus warhead.
It was pointed out that the normal testing grounds do not lend
themselves, for one reason or another, to a demonstration of this
sort, and that Eglin Air Force Base in Florida seems to be the only
completely feasible location. From Eglin, a weapon of this nature
could be fired over an existing course in the Gulf of Mexico with
maximum safety, particularly in view of the relatively limited range
of the Nike. It was stated that Mr. Farley, Special Assistant to the
Secretary of State for Atomic Energy Matters, is in charge of this
project from the Department's point of view and will work closely
with Defense.
There was some discussion as to whether this particular
project was within the charter of the OCB or was purely a Defense
matter. However, it was agreed that a firing of this kind might
have some effect on the climate of overseas opinion and is thus
properly of interest to the OCB.
Distribution:
Orig - DCI files
1 - DDCI
1 - BA/OCB
3
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