RESUME OF OCB LUNCHEON MEETING, 15 JANUARY 1958

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R002700050050-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 18, 2005
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: January 16, 1958
• Content Type: MFR

/031 7 4 4- 0 1676R002700050050-5
16 January 1958
SUBJECT: Resume of OCB Luncheon Meeting, 15 January 1958
PRESENT: Mr. Allen, Mr. Cutler, Mr. Dearborn, Mr. FitzGerald,
Mr. Gray, Mr. Helms, Mr. Herter, Mr. Sprague,
Mr. Staats
Mr. Herter and Mr. Cutler continued the previous week's
discussion on the status of the air raid shelter program in the Soviet
Union. Both of them spoke rather disparagingly, although informally,
about the CIA report on this subject, Mr. Cutler stating that CIA
had drawn inferences and conclusions which he did not feel were
warranted by the facts. Mr. Helms said that this matter is under
intensive review within the Agency, that we are taking another hard
look at the information we have available, and that we are attempting
to secure additional information from overseas resources.
Mr. Herter said that he had asked the Civil Defense authorities
to study this question with a view toward developing recommendations
for a possible program in the United States. He emphasized that
this request in no way carries an implication that policy clearance
has been given to proceed with any construction or detailed planning.
It was Mr. Herter's opinion that our Civil Defense people had never
really studied the question thoroughly.
2. Joint Chiefs of Staff Representation at OCB Luncheons
and Meetings
Mr. Dearborn reported that he had received a request from
Rear Admiral Triebel, Special Assistant to the JCS for NSC Affairs,
that the JCS have a representative at the OCB luncheons and regular
meetings. His suggestion was that this individual be the Director of
NSC review(s) completed.
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the Joint Staff, Vice Admiral Austin or the Director of the Joint
Strategic Survey Committee, Major General Timberman. Mr.
Sprague said that this was the first he had heard of the proposal and
that he would discuss it with. Mr. Quarles. He added that as far as
he was concerned he was flatly opposed to such representation, at
least at the luncheon meetings. In any case, it was agreed that this
was a question Defense should consider in the first instance.
Mr. Cutler went over in some detail the terms of the Executive
Order which established the OCB and placed it within the NSC
mechanism. In this connection he pointed out that the JCS was not
an independent agency and consequently could only, in the context
of the OCB, be considered as an advisor to the Defense representative.
Mr. Gray supported this view, adding that no single individual could
speak for the JCS and that any representation of that body would have
to be in an observer status.
The consensus of the meeting was that this proposal should be
dropped unless the Defense Department decided to raise it again.
3. Bible Quotation for Vanguard Missile
Mr. Dearborn said that he had just learned that the Chief of
Naval Chaplains had proposed some time ago that the first verse of
the 19th Psalm be pasted on the side of each Vanguard vehicle. (The
verse reads: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
showeth his handywork. ") The intention of this is to provide an answer
to Soviet assertions that their earth satellite was made by man without
the help of God. The idea would be that the existence of this quotation
on the Vanguard vehicle would be announced after a successful orbiting
of the satellite.
It was Mr. Dearborn's understanding that the President had been
apprised of this idea and that the rocket which failed in the December
test did in fact carry this quotation.
The sense of the discussion was that for a number of reasons
the proposal should be rejected and Mr. Sprague was asked to have
the Navy suspend any action in connection with it. He was asked,
however, to defer this action until Mr. Dearborn had had an opportunity
to ascertain whether or not the President had ever expressed any views
on the matter.
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5. Exploitation of Presidential Message
Mr. Herter said that the State Department had failed to capitalize
fully on the President's answer to Bulganin, since the entire text
had not been given to our ambassadors for presentation to foreign
governments. He referred particularly to the fact that Ambassador
Chapin had been forced in discussions with the Shah of Iran to rely
on the text as transmitted by USIA. Even though this represented
a somewhat unofficial version, the Shah's perusal of the text had
caused him to comment favorably on the strength and time of the message.
(cf. Teheran Embassy 1337, 13 January 1958)
Mr. Herter went on to say that he solicited any suggestions
from the members of the OCB that might help the State Department
make maximum use of Presidential or other official pronouncements
on important matters. He said that we must be more prompt and
imaginative in exploiting our positions of strength and whatever
temporarily-favorable circumstances in which we may find ourselves.
In this connection he said that there has been a noticeable improvement
from the point of view of the Soviet government, in its quick and
effective reactions to changing cold war situations. He cited
particularly the speed with which the Russians reacted to that part
of the President's State of the Union message which proposed joint
research by the U. S. and the USSR on cancer and heart disease.
He said that within 36 hours Ambassador Zaroubin had requested
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Mr. Lacy to add a paragraph to the draft paper on Exchanges which
is currently being negotiated, to the effect that the Soviets would
accept this suggestion of the President.
(Mr. Herter added that Mr. Zaroubin made no mention of
malaria and when the Department queried him about this, Zaroubin
said he was personally in favor of including it but would have to refer
the question to Moscow.)
RICHARD HELMS
Acting Deputy Director (Plans)
Distribution:
Orig - DCI files
1 - DDCI
1 - Acting DDP
1 - BA/OCB
1, F111
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DATE
TRANSMITTAL SLIP 17 Jan. 1958
TO: DCI
ROOM NO221 I BUILDING Admin
REMARKS:
I think you should read this.
There are several quite interesting
items.
Dick performed extremely well
at the meeting.
TAP
FROM:
ROOM NO.
BUILDING
EXTENSION
1 FFEB ORM 55 24 I REPLACES FORM 36-8
WHICH MAY BE USED.
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