JOURNAL OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL WEDNESDAY - 16 SEPTEMBER 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00682R000200090069-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2006
• Sequence Number: 69
• Publication Date: September 16, 1953
• Content Type: NOTES

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Journal
Office of Legislative Counsel
Wednesday - 16 September 1953
1. Mr. I informed me that Mr. Dulles had
told Congressman Ostertag that he should see "the same things Congress-
man Sikes is seeing", which includes some refugee centers 25X1A
and Radio Free Europe in Munich. Congressman Ostertag called Mr.
Braden before he departed for Europe to remind him of this commitment
and Mr. Braden has alerted NCFE to take the necessary steps. I have
informed Mr. Helms so that he can amend the cable which I had prepared
25X1A informing of Ostertag's arrival. (This is a good example of
what happens when Legislative Counsel is not present at Congressional
meetings involving CIA officials).
2. I informe of the newspaper announcement of 15
September of the formation of a New York State joint legislative committee
to look into charitable religious foundations. The announced purpose of the
investigation includes the study of graft in the receipt of charitable contri-
butions, particularly through overhead expenditures. However, the
committee is sending out several hundred questionnaires to various groups
regarding their expenditures I told 25X1
that if he receives any word in this connection he should let
us know so that we may be of assistance. I have asked Col. White to
bring the clipping to the DCI's attention.
3. Mr, informs me that our proposed
letter to Senator Fulbright regarding the activities of an NCFE employee
who had approached the Senator for a statement on foreign relations was
to be forwarded to NCFE for direct handling between the Chief of NCFE
and Senator Fulbright.
4. Discussed with Col. White the status of a building for CIA,
which he had in turn discussed with the DCI and DDCI on 12 September.
It appears that the DDCI would favor the Langley site and the DCI would
favor the 24th Street site. GSA has given as its opinion that there will be
no present building available which could properly house CIA, that as a
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matter of economy construction would be preferable, and that they would
be willing to support us before Congress. However, we are not yet pre-
pared to make any final decisions.
5. I lunched with Bryce Harlow, formerly Chief Clerk of the
House Armed Services Committee and presently a member of the White
House legislative staff. In the course of discussing the problem of a
Joint Congressional Committee on Intelligence, Mr. Harlow pointed out
his very strong feeling of opposition to such a project as an invasion of
the constitutional powers of the President and as violating the concept
of the separation of powers. In addition, it was his opinion that it pre-
sented a situation comparable to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy
(which he feels to be unconstitutional) where we would have to lay before
the Committee all of our operational plans prior to undertaking. It is
Mr. Harlow's opinion that testimony on CIA should be held to a minimum
and that the President should, if necessary, issue a directive to that effect.
6. Mr. Tracy Augur, of ODM, has invited me to attend a meeting
reactivating the committee which is investigating the problems of dispersing
key Government departments as a defense measure. I informed Mr. Augur
that we would be happy to have a representative at the meeting (10 a. m. ,
17 September, Room 331 Executive Office Building) but that I had been re-
placed as the CIA representative by Mr. who is charged with 25X1A
those responsibilities. I have informed Mr. f the meeting and25X1A
he will plan to attend at least part of the time with Mr, as his 25X1A
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9. Congressman Carroll Reece, Chairman of the House Select
Committee to Investigate Charitable Foundations, said that informal
agreement had been reached on appointing Rene Wormser, New York
attorney, as counsel for the Committee. Wormser is a brother of the
present Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and we have received a
security clearance on him should it be necessary to approach Wormser
in connection with the investigation. Mr. Pforzheimer can also open a
personal channel to Wormser. A second staff position will go to Charles B.
Holstein, former Research Director of the House Special Committee on
Lobbying Activities.
10. Mr. Wayne Brobeck, of the staff of the Joint Congressional
Committee on Atomic Energy, informed me that their investigating group
overseas has left Khartoun for Jidda and will then proceed to Dharan,
Damascus and arrive back at Cairo on 20 September. The Committee is
due to return to the United States on the 27th or 28th, but in all probability
Chairman Cole will remain abroad.
25X1A 11. Mr. saw Senator Bricker, Acting
Chairman of the joint ongressiona ommittee on Atomic Energy, and
presented the latest information on the Soviet atomic developments.
Senator Bricker appeared to be greatly pleased with the service and
quality of the reports he is receiving and appeared to be willing not to 25X1A
press questions of a high security nature. He told Mr that as
Chairman of the Weapons Subcommittee of the Joint Congressional Com-
mittee on Atomic Energy he proposes to suggest that the Government take
a very careful look, together with his Committee, at their weapons pro-
gram to make certain that it is going in the right direction, and that the
money is being wisely spent. The Senator felt that in view of the fact
that Chairman Cole was to return in about 10 days there would be no need
to cable him on latest developments, but in view of the fact that the
Chairman may not return, Mr. will raise this problem again with 25X1A
Senator Bricker when he sees him in a few day s.
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