VISITOR TO CIA BASE SAYS AGENCY IN BIND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000400440021-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: November 3, 1977
• Content Type: NSPR

c
Editorials - .
Approved For Releasgi 0( fQ ~1i3 - A ff 01315R00040044
3 November 1977
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One of our far-flung correspondents, _ answered. Panelists said they would,
a resident of New Rochelle, N.Y., last answer questions of fact only. - . " .
month traveled to Arlington, Va., in ' "Next on the agenda were tea and
tral Intelligence Agency. Among -300
members of Sigma Delta Chi, national
journalistic society, he visited the agen-
cy's headquarters, the second group, he
understands, to have that opportunity.
His report follows.
"The headquarters is, really, really
plush, all marble,. great big wide corri-
dors, modern works of art on the walls, -
C high ceilings - in all a magnificent
place.
"We were ushered Into a beautiful
auditorium, where a panel of three
.officials: Herbert E. Hetu, retired na-
val officer, assistant to the director of
Central Intelligence for Public Affairs,.
Paul Chretien, senior CIA briefer, and
Dennis Berend, deputy assistant for
public affairs, outlined what the CIA
does. They emphasized that cloak and
dagger stuff plays a very insignificant
role in their agency's affairs. The presi-
dent gets a daily briefing.
"The CIA's chief function Is to supply -
knowledge about foreign situations. It
goes through everything, environmen-
tal, scientific,, engineering, demograph-
ic, political data, everything..No U.S..
citizens are agents,.. foreigners only,
paid or unpaid. Unpaid 'are the most
reliable because they probably side
with us ideologically and are less apt to
be double agents.
"Subsequent to the summary from
the panel, a Q. & A. session was held.
The questioning, as you might expect of
.an audience with a bunch of journalists
price of $1 per head.
"Each person was given an informa-
tional kit. In it was a full-sized, signed
photograph of new director Adm.
Stanfield Turner in uniform in front of
an American flag." .
What did our friend think of his ex-
perience with CIA officials?
"My overall impression," he told us
on the telephone from his office in New
York City, "is that they are in trouble
up to their eyes' and that this public
affairs department is either brand new
or recently greatly expanded."
in it (our friend is-in an allied profes-
sion) was sharp.-They asked about
Helms (the former director). Should he'
be indicted? Did he do wrong? Would
panel members have done what he did?
In the main these questions weren't
response to an invitation from the Cen- cookies in the Rendezvous-Room at a
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000400440021-0
Gazette Mocks CIA"
Editor the Gazette:
Your editorial of Nov. 3 about the
Central Intelligence Agency is probably
factually correct and is interesting as
much for what it reveals about the
Gazette as for what it tells us abput the
CIA. The latter is revealed as. quaking
Visibly because of its supposedly poor
public image and as. feverishly attempt-.
Lag to enhance its public acceptance
with a vigorous public relations effort.
The Gazette's pleasure at finding the
CIA "in trouble up to their eyes can.
scarcely be contained. What an irony!'
For any responsible institution of ci-_
tizen to derive an .iota "of satisfaction',
'from the decline in influence and pres-
.tige of the CIA is not understandable::
This organization of dedicated men and'
women, numbers of..whom have died
.obscure deaths in faraway lands. hasp
been for a generation a mighty bastion
against our foreign enemies...
The Gazette - and ali others 'of that-:
,persuasion. mock it at our peril.: T=:,?r
Tom L. Iiorn, Jr :1r=