89. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Administration (Russell) to Secretary of State Byrnes0
I attach Colonel McCormack’s proposed order on Intelligence.1 It represents no real change in his position with one exception: upon “mutual agreement” the area intelligence groups may be detailed to the [Page 222] geographic offices. This provision, which has been previously understood orally, was added because Colonel Ty Wood states that inevitably the result of this policy of “mutual agreement” will be an organization such as that I recommend, which incidentally Colonel Wood personally recognizes as “theoretically sound”. If the result is to be the administrative set-up I have recommended, why not issue my proposed order and end the Departmental bickering and indecision? Let’s get to the right result now and end the backbiting.
To follow Colonel McCormack’s plan, knowing that ultimately we will reach the result I propose, will bring continued Departmental strife. I believe the adoption of my proposal is the only way to tie the organization together. This is not a question of Intelligence—it is a question of sound Departmental organization.
I am also attaching the proposal submitted by me.2
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research: Lot 58 D 776, Birth of the Intelligence Organization in the Department of State. No classification marking. Also sent to Under Secretary Acheson.↩
- The proposed order 133.20 was sent by Tyler Wood to Matthews, Henderson, and Vincent under cover of a note of April 19. (Ibid.) See the Supplement.↩
- Document 85.↩