Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

370. Memorandum From the Chief of the Intelligence Coordinating and Planning Staff (Childs) to Director of Central Intelligence Hillenkoetter0

Washington, February 21, 1949.

1.: ICAPS has given consideration to the above subject and thinks the real problem is in the delay and difficulty in the intelligence agencies’ obtaining promptly within their own Departments information indicating that a crisis is developing.
2.: If this information were in the intelligence offices, the provisions prescribed in NSCID 1, paragraph 8 and the procedures set forth in DCI 1/1, paragraph 2 would cover the expeditious handling of this material, and the calling of an IAC meeting to give it proper attention.
3.: Furthermore, any facts or information of this category coming to the attention of executive departments and agencies outside the IAC, should be transmitted without delay to the DCI who will process the material as outlined in the same directives just mentioned.
4.: We think, therefore, that the NSC should give consideration to this matter so that the Heads of all Federal Departments and agencies, Chiefs of Staff, etc. would be instructed to make available to their intelligence officers, or to the DCI as appropriate, facts or knowledge regarding any potential international crisis affecting the national security.
5.: We suggest, therefore, that you discuss this important problem with the Executive Secretary of the NSC with the objective of issuance by the President of a directive covering this subject adequately.

Prescott Childs 1

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 86–B00269R, Box 5. No classification marking. The source text indicates it was prepared for discussion with Mr. Souers.↩
Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩