CO-OP GROUP GOT C.I.A. CONDUIT AID

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200420003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 12, 1999
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 16, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 1999/b '
MAY 16 1967
STATINTL
CPYRGHT
CO-OP GROUP GOT, .
C.I.A. CONDUIT AID
But Aide Says Its Program
Abroad Was Unfettered
By NEIL SIII:EiIAN
Speeio] to The Nei, York Time
Mal _5
Foundations identified as chan-
nels for funds of the Central
Intelligence Agency have fi-
nanced the development of co-
operatives In a number of coun-
tries.
An examination of tax rec-
ords showed that from the be-
ginning of 1963 through 1965
such foundations contributed
$526,500 to the Fund for Inter-
j national Cooperative Develop
ment.
The fund is technically an
:~ independent organization, but it
has functioned as a subsidiary
of the Cooperative League of
the U.S.A. to help ? finanbe the
league's overseas activities.
The fund's executives are also
officers of the cooperative
league, the largest American
cooperative federation. The
league has 24 state, regional and
national agricultural, insurance
and consumer cooperatives ? as
affiliates.
LStanlc Dreyer, president :.III,
CPYRGHT
he league.and secretary-t.reas-Iers and a number of other
rer of the fund, said in a trle-AAmerican organizations with in-
hone interview from the
eague's headquarters in. Chi-
cago that he had previously as-
sumed the foundations were ob-
ources. jlcague has," Mr. Dreyer glad.
He said, however, that he was, "We're going to continue to
of concerned by recent disclos-;accept money from any source
.
res that the foundations were
lwhatsoever as long as there are slide of 1 46. He is now lac
acting as conduits for the in- Bonin and could not be re_ache
telligence agency. for strings attached:' g,
" r. Dreyer declined to con- for comment on the relatlonshi
We'd be willing to tal:el 14 between the foundations and t
knoney from the devil hi.mself firm or deny that the fund was
Mr. Dreyer said, - ? from these foundations. Mr. Dreyer said, to further de-
He said that the overseas pro- 'Hc 'said, however, that veloprlent of cooperatives in
grams had been designed an([ slightly less than three-quarters Asia. and Latin America and to
administered independently by of the fund's,, current annual conduct surveys on the fcasibil-
the fund and the cooperative budget of approximately $300,- ity of aiding cooperatives in
league and that the foundations 000 was obtained from founda- Africa.
had never attempted to exert tions. The rest is provided One of the largest programs
any, pressure or to ie orfere? M through contributions from in- undertaken by the fund and the
any way. dividuals and cooperatives af- cooperative league is a pilot
tci national aciivities.
"I don't think II've com-
promised my principles, and I
, said did The foundations involved are exactly when the fund has first c Cooperative Uniion. About 4480,-
the Broad-High, Foundation eflbegun receiving contributions 000 was spent on this from
Columbus, Ohio,'the Chesapeakeifr0m the foundations but he be- 1963 through 1965 with funds
Foundation' of Baltlraore,..t.hcllieved the relationship had been provided both by the founda-
Granary Fund of, ? Boston, t.he' established by Murray D. Lin- tions concerned and by other
Hoblitzelle Foundation, of Dal-Icoln, who died last November. sources.
las and the Mldiand-interna-j - Mr. Lincoln, a former insur- Mr. Dreyer said the project
tional Foundation of fndianapo-ante 'executive and a pioneer aimed at establishing seed, fer-
11s. In cooperative work In this tilizer and agricultural credit
All were Identified : recently !country, was. president of the 'cooperatives for farmers. The
as conduits for C.I.A. funds tojc,ooperative league fa .a number
the American Newspaper Guild,,of years. , ' . . .
the' Retail Clerks.-Interdational: Mr.. Lincoln and Jerry..Voor+
Association, ti c?; ;IIntertla.tiona,his,.,;a: former Democratic mem-
Federation of Petrol urn :44 orlc-lbcr of ~he;.'House ' oE' .
!dent of the league until he
tired in January, established t
fund in 1955.
Mr. Voorhis was a promsne
liberal and a controversial fl
ure in the House for 10 year
until his defeat by Richard It .
in the Republican lag
Nixon
provide technical help through
American'?'advisers as well as
money for purchases of seed and
Approved For Release 1999/09/17 : CIA-RDP75-0.01498000200420003-4