STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL HOYT S. VANDENBERG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003600060080-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 28, 2003
• Sequence Number: 80
• Content Type: STATEMENT

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' FOR RELEt1SE OI1 D~.~'LIVERX
Statement of
TiZEUTETbr1.NT 0ENER~IX, HOST S. V~A-'UDEN~31~tG
Director of Central. Intell.~.genGe
~3efore The
Ar:::ed Sex?vi.ces Committee
of the
United States Senate
On S. 758,
'~T:~e National. Securi~,~ Act of z9P~7~ .
FOR RELF~ASE ON DEI,I~IE~tY
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i:~r appearance before your Comrdettee trii.s mor:~a.np i,~ in support
of Suction 2C)2 of the proposed 2ational Security Act of. 1917. This
section of the bill would provide the United States, far the first
time in its history, yrith a Central Intelligence .rerv.ce created by
:pct of Congress. Cur present orbanization, the Central. Intelligence
Czroup --~ :7hich I have the privilege of directing ~ has been in exi.s--
tence since January 19~b, by authority of an F,xectitive Directive of
the President.
Since the day that the Central Intelligence Caroup eras established,
t:7e I~i.x?ectors of Central Intelligence --- r,Cy predecessor, Adtnira]_ Sowers,
and I --? have looked forvrard to the time vrhen ;ire could come before the
Congress and request permanent status through legislative enactment.
I sincerely urge adoption of the intelligence prova.sions of this
bill.. Section 2C)2 ~,aill enable us to do' our share in maintaining the
"national security. It vrill form a firm basis on which we can construct.
the finest intelligence service i.n the warl_d.
In ry opinion, a strong inte113.gence system ~_s equally if not
more essential in peace than in ;va.r. Upon us has fal]_en leadership
in vrorld affairs. The oceans have shrunk, until today both Europe
and Asia border the United States almost as do Canada and rdexi.co.
The inte~?ests, intentions and capabilities of the various nations'on
-these land masses must be fully known to our national policy makers..
We must have this intelligence if rre are to be fore;~arned against
possible acts of aggression, and if w~e are to be r-.rmed against
disaster ixa an era of atomic vrarfare.
1 know you gentlemen understand that the nature of some of. the
vrork we are doing makes i.t undesirable --~ from the, security standpoint --
to discuss certain activities with too much freedom. I feel that the
people of this country-, having experienced the disaster` of Pearl ~~arbor
and the appalling consequences of a global vrar, ax?e now sufficiently
informed in their approach to intelligence to understand that an orgy-~
nizatian such as ours -? or the Intelligence Divi.yions of the-Armed
Services, or the F.B.Ie?~?~=~ cannot expose certain of their activities
to public gaze. I therefore ask your indulgence ~~~- and through you -
.the indulgence of the people ~~ to limit my remarks on the record
this morning to a general approach to the subject of a Central
Tntell.igence Agenc;~. .
I think it can be said ~vri,thout successful chr~I.lenge that before
Pearl Harbor vze did nut have an intel]a.gence service in this country
comparable to that of Great Britain, or France, or Russia, or GerMax~y,,
or Japan. tiYe did not have one because the people of the United States
would not accept it. It waa felt that there vwds :~omeths_ng Un-American
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Zn addition to the function, mentioned, it is necessaty for a
Central Intelligence Agency to perform others of conucion concern to tvuo
or more agencieso These are projects which it is believed can be most
efficiently or econor.~i.cally performed centrally. An example of such a
service is the mora.taring of foreign broadcasts. There are many de-
partments of the Government vitally interested in this matter. No one"
department should shoulder the burden of its operation-and expense.
Nor should two or more agencies be duplicating the operation. It should.
rest y~-ith a central agency to operate. such a service for E~11. Similarly,
jointly during the war.
ire have centralized the activities of the various foreign document
branches ~rrhich vrere operated by sone of the services ixadividually ar
important.
It is very difficult to recruit such nen before the will of Congress
is .made known. I do not wish. to belabor this .po~.nt, bu't i~; is mast
reco.-c~rnended by the Congressional, Committee report I cited previously'.
stiJ,l available and might become members of the Central Intelligence.
Agency, should it become possible to insure them that career which was
number of extremely intelligent] vridely experienced, able men. Same 'are
7?us?ing the war, intelligence agencies were able to attract a ~ceat
phere, and with the finest tools this Uovernment can ar.t~orct?
start exercise of its functions in the fields of operations and research