Office of the Historian

361. Letter From Robert Blum of the Office of the Secretary of Defense to Allen W. Dulles0

Washington, February 7, 1949.

Dear Allen: Since our telephone conversation this morning, I have checked further regarding the procedure being employed in handling the Survey Group Report.

There still seems to be some uncertainty on the subject which will not be clarified at least until after the meeting of the IAC Standing Committee on Wednesday.

Mr. Souers included the following paragraph in his covering memorandum1 when he distributed the Report to the National Security Council and IAC members:

“The Director of Central Intelligence is being requested to submit, for concurrent consideration by the Council, comments on the conclusions and recommendations in the enclosed Report, together with the views, in appropriate matters, of the members of the Intelligence Advisory Committee.”

I am told that General Irwin has stated that he will not agree to having the Director of Central Intelligence coordinate his comments except in those cases where his comments can be reconciled with those of the other agencies. As representative of the Army, he will submit independent comments wherever he feels this is necessary.

I have talked with Park Armstrong who feels very strongly on the subject. He accepts the principle of joint, reconciled comments only insofar as they deal with the IAC. He will insist on submitting separate comments (whether directly to Souers or through Acheson is not yet clear) on the subject of CIA and internal State Department problems. Armstrong’s representative at the Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday will have formal instructions to state this policy and, in general, to try to clarify the entire procedure.

In view of the above, I suggest that you take no further action at least until after the Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday when the situation should become somewhat clearer.

Sincerely yours,

Bob
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 80-M01009A, Box 1, Folder 12. No classification marking. Copies were sent to Jackson and Correa.↩
  2. Souers’ memoranda to the NSC members and to Hillenkoetter, January 24, are in National Archives and Records Administration, RG 273, Records of the National Security Council, NSC 50.↩