LOGGING AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF CABLES IN THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP57-00042A000100010030-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 27, 1998
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: January 3, 1951
• Content Type: MEMO

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Executive Officer, Office of 3pec1aa Operations
Advisor for Management
Logging and Accountabi
of Cables in the Office of
. Memo-andum from Executive Offler, OO, to Advisor
12 December 1950
y 135l
tions
n , dated
1. An examination of distribution, control and destruction procedures_
employedin the handling of encogn&te4 cables in the Office of
Special Operations was ece by a a?er of my staff during the week
of 18 December 1950. While theconcerned wtth procedures for
handling Agency-originated ,-.1sibles MUCO ems taken of procedures for
haoming non-CIA cables and other intelligence documents when the same or
similar procedures were employed in the control of those intelligence
documents,
2. It was found that each Division and Staff has established and
effects its own procedures, forma, and systems for the control and distri-
bution of cables and documents. Thuo, one cable may be fully logged seven
times if copies of the cable ace sent to seven divisions or staffs of 060.
The number of logs, the nuAber and tvpe of entries, the utilization of the
loin, and the number and kind of cable files varied from division to
division. Also the cable wkluise var;Led considerably. The designation oi
"action" and "information' copies of CIA-originated cables prompted different
handling in some instances. These many variances have resulted in compli-
cated and time-consuming procedures :%tr document acconntability in 060.
It would appear that sUbstential gaily could be achiekred by standardization
of 030 document control predures.
3. Proposals for the simplification and standariiZatioii of procedure.,
for handling CIA?originsted cables rtsulting from thfs att are attached
for your consideration. It Should be noted that sUb
manpower savings
cannot be expected from standardization of only one gent of your document
control procedures. Rovever, the standardization whidh can be achieved ohould
prove of considerable operational value to OM.
4. MO action will be taken regardin other lent control procedures
employed in the Office of Special Operations until you request the study be
undertaken. It should be indicated that a major management study of 030
document control procedures should include a like study of similar procedures
Irtilized by the Office of Policy coordinatioluatAW14.be 1 d to the
document control procedures of other Ajtat offices.'
g
5. A meaber of our staff will be gmailliWe to eomi with you
proposed procedures for handling CIA.iorAgimated cables and to assist
installing the procedure of your .7:hoicei,i Our forms design analyst
render all possible ass: twice in the deSign, of needtd forms.
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AU: Proposals rOn0 _
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1.
Proposals, for Simp ification of Prooedur
DistributionoReceipt, Control end e6tziactior
originated Cables in the Office of Special Open4
IA
ions.
he
Fre ed Cnge
a. The Signal Centtr EnvelopeReceipt IA Perm 7o, 35..1O) be
redesigned to provide additional epee, for log entries sap ie i
attached). With this change, the initial entries of message na: an
"copy nos." by the Signal Center eil:L be subsequently utilized oy the
recipient Divisions and :Mafia.
b. A copy of Form L 35?10 be retained by the ce
recipient division and the additioaai pertinent control
entered on the form for each, item ticted.
C? AA each cable copy f'.15 destnayed or ()the_
division control, such action be recorded on the
2. i ussion
. By use of the txUti.I Si? t.z1ter entry as rt of the log,
ight saving in logging t in racpient divisions.
time required to read time Ci4.1.0, to identify the appropriate e y
cord "log" information would remain unehanged.
b. The ti.saviig 1u4tmted abeAt might be offset by additional
tiz required in eaobiL4 thw -.ecord3 for location inrormation. The
rec Went divisions may be requirea to retain as saw! as ten log sheetz,
per day rather than one sheet; "soli bel as maintained.
c. In divisions, which Aaintain a single cable 1cj for both CIA and
non.CLA cables, a new log woAld have to be established.
3' AntlVfated 9a
a. A slight saving in
desk, probably no more than onek1e hol4- per day.
erk of the
tion be
leaued. rrou
d forra.
ms at each divisic centro
b. Standard procedure let ol
CIA-originated cables.
0S0 for 1 ing f6n4 &is
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PROFOSAL
1. 13,1-9206 Chsanga
a. The Signal Center at time of ':,eadieg the messegefor distribution
prepare a complete identification entry by whicb message can be easily
identified and maintain such entries :Le appropriate cress*indexes.
b. Sigaal Center ;trepan a redesigned Envelope Receipt (CIA Form
NO. 35..10) with entries "Nieces"! Ap! and "Copy otos." completed in sufficient
copies to provide one for the recipient divisioa.
c. Recipient division control clerk retain one copy of envelope
receipt indleating internal routing cppos te each meseage nuMber.
d. At time of destruction or other disposition, division control
clerk enter action opposite entry on Fbrm No. 354.10.
e. Signal Center personnel provide reference sereice for identificae
tion of mesaages ellen "message nunber' is not known.
2. Discussion
a. The logging of cables in :.7ecipient divisione would be reduced
by at least seventyefive per cent. Tae control work or cables would
be redUced by at least fifty per cent. Since the largOr foreiln divisionu.
employ one clerk fulletime on cable aontrol, this 'would reault in one-
half manday saving per foreign division. However, tho ceble control
clerk would be deprived of a writtea record of cable Identification,
other than the. =fiber. Imperieuce has Shown that reopens/Wm clerks
feel they must have complete identifleation at their tingeretips to
perform their job adequately. With such reaction, it Would be virtually
impossible to enforce the above?described procedure.
b. The establishment Of & cross-reference Identification file in
Signal Center would require otout five additional emplOyees to prepare
the index entt provide reference service. go 4islay in transmission need
result as indexing can be completed. after distribution of copies.
3. A*A.C1Vit1old 4a7137,4
a. Reduction of approximatel ariasday of vork in each
foreign division Whieh vould be offset by increased staff in the Signal
Center.
b. Provision of a central IdEntification index.
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PRO Ste+ C
1. Profosedcharte
a. The Sisnal Center distributors at time of reading messages for
distribution prepare the log entry with all respired notations in the
same number of copies at there ere copies of the message. A copy
Of the log entry will be affixed to the message and transmitted to the
recipient with the copy of the message.
b. Sigr1 Center transmit mecsager with attached log entry to foreign
divisions by a simple envelope number control.
c. The recipient division control clerk pill the log entry slip from
the message, indicate internal T.outiag of the copy and file the entry slip.
d. At time of disposition, the control clerk pull the appropriate log
slip and indicate final disposition.
2. Discussi91
a, This procedure presopposes the use of * multiple?copy log
alip, probably 3 by 5" in 31741, gilllar to document control slips of
OCD, The log in each place would be a file of lag entry slips.
b. The divisional control clerk would be relieved of posting all
log entries except for intio-divisional routing. At least one-half manpday
of time per division would be saved. The clerk would retain a complete
ready reference to the mes3age.
c. The Signal Center weuld eu.re about three additional pottion
to permit preparation of the log entries and to affix the entries to
the messages.
d. The transmission of the cables to the div be deleed
if the log entries are prepared concurrent with the Vying and duplication
of the messages.
. A uniform entr-,, vo,tlA exist ohich should pepkt realist reference
Pithe messages. Aloe. Simla Center would have on tiLe a reeay reference
le to messases received -Mich could be eross4referenced to the message
itself.
3. _IWtWP.:121-9.21t2
A. One-half man-day ne tiny par division would be saved.
b. A net saving of two eso.clityc should result when Signal Center
increase& staff is balanced egninst foreign divisions savings.
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c. A uniform procedure and cable reference facility would be provided
OSO vhich should enhance cperaticus ard facilitate identification and tion of of messages. .
PRON$4 -.Minor Changes Pwsible iu ?resent Procedure
1. Design of a standard log farm for use of all cable recirients, which
would limit amount of tnformation ta be -,:.etol-ded, would create some uniformity
and provide a slight saving in t;xe.
2. Direction that only "acttion" be idantifiet by Subject and
area, with all "information" mssagef3 betnc 'Logged by aumbei only might
suffice for reference purpcse3 and, would reduce the time emrloyed in this
procedure.
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