THE WELLS PLAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R003000100008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2005
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: February 8, 1954
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2005/04/28 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003000100008-4
OPERATIONS COORDINATING BOARD
Washington 25s D. C.
February 8, 1954
MEMORANDUM FOR THE OPERATIONS COORDINATING BOARD
SUBJECT: The Wells Plan
1. The attached report was prepared., as of February 1,
1954, by the OCB Working Group on NSC 171.L. The Board Assistants
considered it at their meeting on February 5 and., with certain
revisions, accepted it for transmittal to the Board.
2. Attention is5invited to paragraph 7 of the report which
suggests one possibility for using our surplus food position with
friendly countriess particularly those on the periphery of the
Iron Curtain, FOA has been working on several possibilities i
this regard.
Elmer B. Staats
Executive Officer
1 Incl,
Rpt of OCB Working Gp
on the Wells Plan., dtd 2/1/54
NSC review(s) completed.
OCB FILE NO. 16 1
of 1 ppane
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 Approved For Release 2005/04/28 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003000100008-4
OPERATIONS COORDINATING BOARD
Washington 25, D. C.
February 1, 1954
REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE WELLS PLAN
The Working Group has given careful consideration tohWells
so
Plan and concludes that at the present time it is (a) impractical
accomplish and (b) politically inadvisable, for the following reasons=
1, With the exception of West Berlin, the areas of the Soviet
bloc countries bordering on the Free World are so heavily guarded thy.-
they are not susceptible of penetration by the Communist,.dominated
populations acting en masse. While the exact nature of the controls
and barriers may vary,=ypical border area consists of a wide clear?!d
zone guarded by barbed wire, control posts, machine guns, mines;, rockets
and dogs, If a concerted effort were made by the enslaved people tc
penetrate the border areas,, these already considerable controls pre--
sumably would be greatly increased. Moreover, the border areas are
rural, for the most part, and only a limited percentage of the popu r
tion would be affected by the plant
2. We have no evidence that there has been a weakening of pol.ri
type controls in theooviet f the bloc
state bytthespopulationsufficient
env3.sae dtby t
type of open defiance Wells Plan.
3. With the exception again of West Berlin,. all food stations
would have to be established in countries not controlled by the Unit-d
States, and would require the consent of the governments of these co=:!nn-
tries. In view of their proximity to the Soviet threat., it is not
probable that we could obtain the consent of these governments to a
program which would be considered by them as extremely provocative
of the Soviet blc;;
Oy
to the Communi governments*
un#ast limited part countries.
has common
4. We have no evidence that sufficiently serious starvation
conditions exist in the Soviet bloc area which would impel the peooz
to risk their personal security to obtain the wheat parcels.
In the unlikely event that some means were fogrtd to enable!
Curtain country citizens to cross the border for this purpose, the:
personal security would be in serious jeopardy if they desired to
return. We should therefore run the risk of the premature los$ of ;.r to
most anti-Soviet segment of the population,.
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OCB FILE NO.. 16 %.1 eek?
ing voluntary contributions. Thus., it would be almost impossibl to
avoid public controversy on'its desirability and possible consecraen-
ces. The Soviets would certainly attempt to make an international
issue out of it shortly after the national promotion campaign got,
underway*
ll. Adequate facilities for mass packaging of surplus foods in
the volume contemplated by the Wells Plan are not readily available.
FOAts experience in operating the Christmas West project revealed
that the largest available facilities in the East of this type are
located around Philadelphia, and that in processing 3 million package.
of total value of $13,656,000, these facilities. were tied up for somp
time. No doubt other facilities could be inade'available but they
would be scattered around the country and, in total, would probably
not increase capacity more than two or three times that existing
around the Philadelphia area.
OCBA vJQfc 'Release 2005/04/ 82: GIA-RDP80RO1731R003000100008-4
 Approved For Release 2005/04/28 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003000100008-4
12? While it is proposed that this plan be carried out order
voluntar auspices, it would be most difficult to keep the government
from becoming identified with it,
13. In summary, therefore.9 there appears substantial risk that
the net effect of the attempt to carry through such a plan would in.
volve ser3,ous loss by the UrtLted States of its political and prcoaga-.;a
position in relation to the Soviet bloc with very little prospect that.
the plan would be suocessful?
Edward M:`OiConnor
OCB FILE N0: ~+~
Approve or Release 2005104)2&? : CIA-RDP80R01731 R003000100008-4
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