MINUTES OF THE EIGHTY-FIFTH MEETING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EXPLOITATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03130A000100050035-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 2001
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: July 26, 1957
• Content Type: MIN

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MINUTES OF THE EIGHTY-FI C 1 TING OF THE SUBCOWETTEE
ON EXPLOITATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS
26 July 1957
Present
25X1A Members: Stanley Wilcox, State
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
Richard Bauer, Ar
NSA
CIA
Acting Chairman
Consultants: Richard Calhoun, State
Max Horlick, State
Gordon Tiger, State
Donald T. Shea, USIA
CIA
CIA
Acting Secretary
1. The 85th meeting of the Exploitation Subcommittee convened at
1400 hours. The minutes of the 84th meeting were approved with the
following amendments and comment:
Referring to page 3, paragraph 1, State requested deletion of
the words "is considered to be more thoroughgoing and," which did not
represent the concensus of State Department opinion.
Amy
Mr. Bauer noted on page 3, last sentence of paragraph 3, a
misinterpretation of Army opinion with regard to FDD coverage of
tactics, training, etc. This sentence reflected the thinking of the
OB analysts who were requesting greater depth of coverage. The technical
analysts, however, desired more data on materiel, preferably presented
in a separate technical section.
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2. The Chairman requested consideration of the first item on
the agenda, which called for discussion of a memorandum sent by the
Chairman on 28 June to members of the Subcommittee regarding the
discontinuation of Selections From the Soviet Press.
State
A memorandum from Mr. J. C. Crichton of State Department was
submitted to the Chairmen. The memorandum was summarized by Mr. Tiger
as follows:
Mr. Crichton, representing the psychological warfare analysts at
State, had stressed that the Selections, the CDSP, and the Survey were
all of value and did not dupl ca a each other but that there was a
difference in their utility. The Selections and Current Digest were
useable as issued, since these pubiioations provided- actual
quotations and full texts required by State analysts. The Survey,
on the other hand, relied heavily on paraphrasing, which was valuable
for giving leads on a series of developments within a field, but still
required an analyst to consult the original text.
Mr. Crichton did, however, applaud the FD) effort to produce a
publication dealing with the recent press, rather than one so old as
to be of only marginal' interest.
Mr. Tiger then spoke for the Soviet Internal Branch, which is
his own. He stated that the Survey is useful to this branch, and
that he considers the paraphr collation, and analysis by FDD
to be helpful. However, the PDD product interposes a stage of
analysis between State analysts and the original source material,
when the primary interest of Soviet Internal Branch is in the full
texts of key articles in the source material. This the Selections
was supplying; at first it is true,.on a somewhat hit-or-miss basis.
However, there has recently been an increase in the selectivity of
this service. The Selections was also just beginning to attempt
coverage of the journals, ch are very important to DRS. A final
advantage of the Selections was that it came to DRS faster than the
Survey - roughly four eweks instead of six weeks. DRS' interests
th ere--lore, can be summarized as follows: full texts of key articles,
coverage of the journals, and faster service.
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Mr. Wilcox asked Mr. Tiger at this point if by full texts he
meant complete translations of key articles or selected and/or
condensed translations of the key portions of the articles. Mr. Tiger
said that the first was preferable, the second acceptable as a minimum.
25X1 A dented that FIB now includes in the Sur sow full texts
of key articles, listed as supplements. Mr. Tiger sve that State
realized this, and that these translations had been of value. Mr. Tiger
then repeated his statement that State appreciates the collation and
analysis effort put forth by FDD into the Surve , and that this has
been quite useful on occasions, but that in the final analysis what
State wants is the full texts of key articles which can be filed,
as the Survey items cannot.
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Army
25X1A
Mr. Bauer noted that to his considerable surprise the Army
Engineers are quite interested in the Survey, and like it very much
as it stands.
Navy - Air
Mr. Bauer, on behalf of Air, said that they had no
additional requirements for the ?2Eve
resulting from discontinuation
of the Selections.
said that NSA has no particular interest in the
Survey.
CIA
25X1A said that CIA has no additional requirements for
the urveyy resUlUng from discontinuance of the Selections, but is
assuming that FDD will continue with work previously one by the
Selections, so that the same coverage will continue to be made available.
USIA
Mr. Shea presented the Chairman with a memorandum summarizing his
Agency's position. He also noted that USIA was very interested in the
Selections and dropped its financial support of that operation solely
due to Pack of funds resulting from the decrease in the USIA budget
this year.
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3. The Subcommittee moved to the second item on the agenda,
with Mr. Calhoun, speaking for State, discussing the problem of
recently received Greek documents. Mr. Calhoun said that in mid-
April, State received a dispatch from the Athens Embassy enclosing
documents received from the Greek Foreign Ministry Charge in Sofia.
The four or five selected documents deal with questions of economic
development and other problems in Bulgaria. There is interest in
this general type of material due to the lack of U. S. diplomatic
representation in Bulgaria.
An IAD meeting was called to discuss the documents and
was attended by representatives of ORR, OCI, PDD, and WS. It was
determined that they were of acme value for intelligence purposes,
but that the sample available was not adequate for full analysis.
Therefore, it was decided that State would request its Athens Embassy
to transmit the balance of the documents on hand, and to continue
sending such documents for a six-month period. Also, arrangements
were made for FDD to check on the originality of the contents of the
documents. Mr. Calhoun then gave a memorandum to the Chairman
summarizing these points.
Mr. Bauer asked to what extent the documents duplicate
information received from the s source, stating that vea
similar documents He
alep ,inquired to what extent the documents duplicated information
received by Fl. A discussion then followed on coordinating
procurement of such information on Bulgaria. FDD agreed to check with
FI to see whether they are receiving similar documents.
1. Completion of Review of USSR Program
The Chairman stated that FDD is taking steps to provide
faster service with regard to the Survey. The main hold-up is in
reproduction. However, reproduction s cooperating in attempts to
obtain more rapid service. It is also planned to expand the report
to include coverage of the journals.
In response to coemnents at the last meeting by members
requesting a more elaborate system of indexing FDD reports, the
Chairman stated that steps are being taken to provide more detailed
tables of contents to these reports.
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AM
Mr. Bauer stated that Armor has no strong feeling pro or con to
the FDD proposal that the Consumer Goods report be discontinued.
CIA.
stated that he had found violent exception taken
in OSR to the FDD proposal to drop the Consumer Goods reports. It
was agreed that coverage of food could be dropped from this report,
but all other subject categories covered by it were still desired.
For exampae, synthetic fibers, a subject not covered in the recent
handbook, Industry of the USSR. Even subject categories covered by
this handbook must kept up -to date, although some modification may
be possible.
The Chairman instructed FDD to conduct liaison with ORR to work
out the details of coverage of this subject.
5. Review of Eastern Europe Program
state
Mr. Horlick said that a survey was made of the several area
desks at State to determine their reaction to FDD reports. The
answers varied according to whether or not the U. S. had diplomatic
representation in a given country, and whether there was a statistical
handbook available for a given country. For example, the recent
publication of a handbook on Rumania makes regional reporting on
that area more important than ever. Also, the lack of representation
in Albania and Bulgaria presentee, general need for analysis of major
speeches and pronouncements for statistical and other information.
More information is needed from specialized journals and the provincial
press, especially trends in the provincial press, Satellite activities
in the free world, e.g., friendship societies, travel, re-defection
campaigns.
All of the area desks at State like the Political-Sociological
reports on the Satellites issued by FDD, but voull 1121 to have more
sociological information on such subjects as population, manpower,
wage scales, public welfare, and health.
The Chairman stated that reports on public health were being
issued by JPRS.
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Mr. Horlick said that the Weekly Economic Report on Eastern
WlEgre Europe was not as significant aster ration is desireda
general satisfaction with the reports mOM on crop progress from local sources.
The Military R art on Eastern Europe is used to some extent,
- r . srr- There is a
i
ng
especially that Patti pants th
need for information on propaganda in the armed forces, by way of
non-military editorials in military newspapers, and a comparison of
such propaganda with that directed toward the civilian population-
Mr. Horlick then reviewed as follows Statebfeelinls on coverage
of the various Satellites.
Poland - There is an interest in the provincial press. As in
-
the Political-Sociolo cal report is excellent;
most o er areas, Polish desk is the
however, it should comer spec c per iods
only one preferring a more frequent report-
ieal report is very useful,
Yugoslavia - The Political-Sociolog
and the good. more informa-
tion coverage of Pa rty a a s is part
tion is needed on religion and personalities in the various religious
groups, radio and TV, press circulation and distribution, the workings
of the government, and economic relations with the Bloc. Section 61+
will be produced within a year and inform
of the NIS3 Manufacturing: . Matter of a general nature,
tion for this section is desired by WS
and not details, is needed- There is also an interest in economic
planning and taxation-
Bulgaria - Reports are desired on crop progress from the
provincial ress, and statistical information of all kinds.
Rumania - The State desk has close contact with FDD. There is a
need `regional. data in ca~ecnoaaaei.c and sociological subjects. for handbook, and information on
Albania - The Political-Sociol cal report is very good. The
Eeonom report is o value but out -os-sate. Information is needed
for in Section 41 of the MIS, P ulatioa, to be published
late next Spring, and on statistical iaforma'~~.on compiled from
speeches, congress reports, etc.
Czechoslovakia -orfor mat~o i~stion from trends ap ech s.~ovincial
press. There is no need
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H There has been a considerable decline in coverage,
particularly on living standards. Information is needed on organiza-
tion and personalities, and much mare sociological information is
desired.
Ar r
Mr. Bauer mentioned that FDD analysts had recently spent two
weeks on duty with ACSI, which he felt would aid them in understanding
Army requirements. An increasing amount of information on Soviet
materiel was appearing in the Satellite press., particularly in the On the
Polish press, but also that of Bulgaria and Czechos va and the
whole, coverage of the Satellite military press adequate selection of items for the Military Report on Eastern Europe is good-
However, More coverage in de s stiU s d. There is no
comparable coverage from any other source. The Yugoslav desk analyst
wants no tampering with the report.
2 5X1A Mr. Bauer raised the question of including military projects in
he stion Was also raised of FDD help in trans-
T
Poland
lating worthwhile French and Italian reports on Bulgaria
transmitted by our military attaches. It is hoped that
moved from Ft. Bragg to Ft. Meade will be able to help
bein
g
MI Group
25X1 C with the work load. There is also a possibility of obtaining eleven
periodicals, while 0-2 USAAEUR believes
that more Czechoslovak military publications may be available soon.
rear. v%jjk Ajrs vuj w A.2D'T/p'4( - , X'P,4d/7#977C/v Z"P'r-VOCT'
Mr. Bauer noted that the Attache in Warsaw was duplicating FM
coverage by employing a full-time translator. However, a list of
work done by him was being forwarded to FM in order to reduce such
d ication.
In commenting on State's use of non-military editorials in
military publications, Mr. Bauer said that perhaps this coverage
should be continued.
Speaking for Air, Mr. Bauer said that the Air Force is satisfied
with the Military Report on Eastern Europe and has no adverse comments
or sugges ons to oer.
25X1 A I suggested that a survey be made of the number of
classified items or which help in translation is desired from FDD,.
so that FDD can make a study of the problem and determine what
portion of it they can handle.
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6. Review of the Eastern Europe program will be continued at
the next meeting of the Subcommittee.
The meeting adjourned at 1545 with the decision to hold the
next meeting in mid-September.
25X1A
Acting Secretary
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