Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment

91. Minutes of the Eighth Meeting, Advisory Committee on Intelligence⁰

Washington, December 3, 1946, 4:30–5:30 p.m.

PRESENT

• Mr. Eddy, SA-E (Chairman)
• Mr. Braden, A-Br
• Mr. Russell, A-R
• Mr. Hickerson, (for A-D)
• Mr. Evans, OCL (Executive Secretary)

[Here follow agenda items 1–3 on unrelated matters.]

4. Allocation of Space in the New War Department Building

Mr. Hickerson raised the question of the proper disposition of the geographic research divisions should the geographic offices move to the New War Department Building. He felt that many advantages would result if the research divisions could be located with their geographic offices so as to facilitate close integration of work and plans. Mr. Braden felt that such an arrangement would greatly assist in tieing DRA into the operation of ARA. The Chairman indicated that the intelligence organization appreciated the force of these arguments and had already reported to the Administration that its first priority choice for a new location would be the placing of a major part of the whole organization in the same building with the geographical offices. He pointed out, however, that there were other considerations which must be kept in mind: first, a balance must be preserved between the advantages of closely associating the geographical research divisions with their offices and the necessity for the geographical research divisions to be closely associated with one another and with the coordinating and servicing elements of the intelligence organization. It would seriously diminish the effectiveness of the research divisions if they were to be widely separated from one another, from their reference and collection services, and from the coordinating functions; secondly, current developments were proving beyond dispute that a major effort was in view outside the Department to force the transfer of the intelligence research organization back to CIG. This effort would be greatly helped by any arrangement of the organization which weakened its effectiveness. For these reasons, the organization had proposed that the proper balance be maintained by moving the organization pretty much as a whole into the same building with the geographical offices.

It was AGREED that this matter was of serious importance; that the plans for moving required careful consideration; and that A-R should be requested to call together representatives of the geographic offices and the intelligence organization to explore the best available solution to the problem.

0. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 353, Records of Interdepartmental and Intradepartmental Committees—State Department, Lot File No. 122, Records of the Secretary’s Staff Committee 1944–47, Box 94. Secret.