LETTER TO ROGER FERGER ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R000100130142-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 1, 2002
• Sequence Number: 142
• Publication Date: January 17, 1955
• Content Type: LETTER

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17 January 1955
Roger Firs" Esquire
Editor, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati, Ohio
Dear Mr. Ferger:
The Cincinnati Enquirer in an editorial of 25 December 1954
entitled, "Clark and CIA," carried this statement:
The Associated Press tells us that persons in the CIA
and others in the government resent General Clark's
top-to-bottom approach, holding that the workings of
this institution are so secret that even so eminent a
soldier as General Clark should not penetrate the maze.
We are at a loss to understand this attitude.
The article followed with some pleasant references to my past work.
I wish to emphasize that I am not thin-skinned about criticism, and
while I endeavor to do my work with a minimum of publicity -- not
always with complete success - I welcome constructive criticism
and receive my share of it. I believe, however, that your editorial
misinterpreted the Associated Press story and possibly inadvert-
ently my own attitude. Certainly I wish to make it clear that there
is no resentment felt here with regard to the work of General Clark.
As the AP story indicated, I welcomed the survey at the beginning;
I have cooperated with it 100% since it began; and if there are, as
indicated by the AP, some "nervous" intelligence executives, I do
not believe they are in this Agency. I can assure you this is no
place for nervous people.
As you will undoubtedly appreciate, an intelligence organization
must operate with a high degree of secrecy and security, and these
requirements must and can, I believe, be reconciled to a procedure
which will. insure that there is proper control of funds contributed by
the people and appropriated by the Congress.
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This letter is not written for publication but vaerely to insure
that you and the other senior officials of The Enquirer should know
my views of the subject matter of your interesting editorial.
faithfully yours,
Allen W. Dufe s
Director
AWD:meo
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 cc - Col. G
1cc-ER
1 cc - Reading
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the T z1trznnatx 3Ettq1txrer
One of the Worlds Greatest Newspapers
ROGER H,FERGER
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER
February 5, 1955
Mr. Allen W. Dulles,
Director,
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,
Washington 25, D. C.
My apologies for this belated answer to your letter of
17 January regarding an editorial of 25 December 1954
issue of The Enquirer, entitled, "Clark and CIA". I have
been out of the city almost constantly since your letter
was received.
The editorial in question was written by one of our ablest
men, Forrest Davis, who is a staunch friend and admirer
of yours as well as a staunch friend and admirer of General
Clark.
When I talked with him about the editorial, he mentioned
his admiration and friendship for you and General Clark
and stated he had no intention of injuring you in any way
whatever and then he said this was his "ineffectual way to
hold the balance even. "
We at The Enquirer are well aware of the fact that an in-
telligence organization must operate with a high degree of
secrecy and security and all of us here believe that C. C.I.A.
is serving the United States well and frequently under what
must be annoying and irksome circumstances. Please
bear with us. When we can cooperate, I do not believe
you will find us wanting.
b7 ir- *
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14 March 1956
You asked whether a reply had ever come
in to the attached letter. It did come in - and was
in the Week End Reading file so I believe you had
noted it, though perhaps briefly. May we now send
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