Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VI, Public Diplomacy, 1961–1963

36. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Bowles) to the Director of the United States Information Agency (Murrow) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (Coombs)¹

Washington, June 20, 1961.

SUBJECT

• Educational and Cultural Representatives Overseas

I am very anxious to see how rapidly we can move to improve the quality of our educational and cultural representatives overseas. It seems to me that the problem is made urgent by the increased demands we anticipate in the near future.

Our Cultural Officers have been required to carry the executive burden of the USIA cultural program, the Department’s educational exchange programs; to demonstrate U.S. letters, art, music, scholarship and other elements of our national culture; and to serve the Ambassador in a variety of ways. I have met a great many of them around the world, and have found them to be dedicated and hard-working public servants. Some have been outstanding, but many lack the professional background essential for a really first-rate job.

I know you both agree with me that however well or poorly we may have done in the past, we must be better prepared to keep up with the pace required for the 1960s. The nation’s international responsibilities have quickened, and we must raise our sights accordingly.

Our officers must really understand our own culture and have the skills to direct an increased and improved cultural program. They must understand the process by which education builds leaders. They should have real professional competence in the field of American education and the ability to apply that competence with great skill to situations and institutions in foreign countries.

Our cultural officers will also have to be more fluent in foreign languages, better grounded in alien cultures and better human communicators. They will have to be better trained in the philosophical bases of our society and articulate enough to compete in the market place of ideas. They will have to develop a much closer association with writers, students, economists, educators, etc. They may have to be assigned at foreign posts for much longer periods of time so we may capitalize on their competence as it develops.

The need and the opportunity are becoming apparent. I believe we should discuss means, and I am prepared to meet with you at an early date to do so.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Plans, General Subject Files, 1949–1970, Entry UD WW 288, Box 130, Cultural Affairs—1961. No classification marking. According to another copy of the memorandum, it was drafted by Bradford on June 13 and retyped by Samuel Lewis (U) on June 17. (National Archives, RG 59, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Subject Files, 1961–1962: Lot 63D135, Entry A1–5072, Box 5, U.S. Information Agency—1961) Payne initialed the top right-hand corner of the copy of the memorandum printed here. Attached to the memorandum is an undated note from Murrow, which reads: “T. Sorensen—I, too, am ready!” Murrow’s response is printed as Document 39.