LETTER TO GENERAL WILLIAM J. DONOVAN FROM E. R. STETTINIUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090014-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: December 27, 1944
• Content Type: LETTER

N' \ `l
A roved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090014-6
Transcribed 26 ',ine 1952
by mawh for at, .
December 27, 19101
I have before me your plan for the establishment of
a central intelligence service contained in your memoran-
dum to the President dated November 18, 19LR1., which has
been referred to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for comment
and recommendations.
This is a subject in which the Department of State
has a keen interest. Before your plan came to my notice
I was asked by the President for my comments on the organi-
zation of foreign intelligence. I have expressed my ideas
in a memorandum dated December 15, 1944. I now understand
that the War Department, the Navy Department, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and the Budget Bureau each has a
plan for the organization of an intelligence service. It
occurs to me that it would avoid confusion and make for
an expeditious handling of the matter if all the opera-
tional intelligence agencies concerned would agree on one
plan for discussion with the Department of State. When
we are in receipt of such a plan supported by the various
agencies, I shall be pleased to lay that plan before the
appropriate officers of the Department in an endeavor to
find a way for this Department to be of the ma:mLmum as-
sistance in its realization.
You may be sure that this is a subject which will
receive the most careful consideration of this Depart-
ment, as it will no doubt be most deeply concerned in the
provisions of the plan and its methods of operation.
Sincerely yours,
r/? ~'/'11 HRD
ved For Release 2006/02/07: CIA-RDP83 010t45q.Q029R09$q'Y
C- C C~ SAC
/S/ E. R. Stettinius, Tihis is a TEMPORARY DOCUMENT
only, for the use of DCI/HS.
The record copy has been
General William J. Donovan released to National Archives
under Office Strategic Services, under the HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM.
Washington, n, D. . C.
12,733g
x CIS
x Organization
x Exec.
 Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090014-6
Transcribed 26 "-ine
1952
72,733g
by math for ab..-
OSS
SECRET
i1i1H 1ORA 1DUI""I FOR THE PRESIDIA dT
Subject: The Organization of
?Foreign Intelligence.
I have read with interest Mr. Lubin I s memorandum
of October 25 which you forwarded to me on November 16
and I am keenly aware of the importance of providing
for a permanent !merican Foreign Intelligence Service.
The Department for many months has had this full
subject under careful consideration, and we have d: s-
cussed it at some length with the Bureau of the Budget.
1944
I feel it is of the utmost importance that there
be established an inter-departmental board with re-
sponsibilities for coordinating foreign intelligence
activities among the various departuents and agencies.
As I can conceive it, this board would have the re-
sponsibility for seeing that the requirements of all
federal departments and agencies were effectively ;meet,
and for formulating future policies and programs on
foreign intelligence. I think that the State Depart-
ment representative on this board should act as chairman
inasmuch as we have primary responsibility for the con-
duct of foreign affairs.
I ami consolidating under General Holmes all of the
Depart-,lent I s foreign intelligence work affecting the
security of the United States, and I shall ask him to
make this one of his first assignments.
If, _i_n the meantime, you would like me to discuss
Frith General Donovan the future status of his organiza-
tion and the i eans by which his work might be most
effectively coordinated with ours, I should be happy to
do so.
E. R. STET"1INIUS, JR.
Approved For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP83-01034R000200090014-6
 SECRET (When Filled In)
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Navy I Liaison (intera