Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “United States International Information Agency”

Department of State Departmental Announcement No. 4²

[Washington,] January 16, 1952.

Establishment of the United States International Information Administration (IIA)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this announcement is to establish the United States International Information Administration (IIA) for the conduct of the Department’s international information and educational exchange programs, to describe the functions assigned to this organization and to the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and the functions with respect to IIA programs assigned to other areas of the Department, and to maintain and further strengthen integration of the United States international information and educational exchange programs with the conduct of foreign relations generally.

2. Establishment of United States International Information Administration

There is hereby established within the Department of State the United States International Information Administration. This organization shall be headed by an Administrator who shall be directly accountable to the Secretary and the Under Secretary for the planning and execution of the Department’s programs under the Smith–Mundt Act (Public Law 402, 80th Congress) and related legislation and other foreign information activities for the administration of which the Secretary is responsible.

3. Administrator of the United States International Information Administration

a. Serves as Chairman of the Psychological Operations Coordinating Committee and discharges the responsibility of the Secretary of State for international information and educational exchange programs in the interdepartmental field.

b. Directs the development of international information and educational exchange (IIA) policies designed to implement and strengthen the foreign policies of the United States, with the advice of the regional bureaus and other areas of the Department as appropriate and with the aid of guidance from the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs.

c. Directs the planning of IIA programs, with the advice of the regional bureaus.

d. Directs the execution of all IIA programs at home and abroad, submitting field communications for the advice or review of those areas of the Department having specific advice or review authority with respect to the matters dealt with in such communications.

e. Determines the selection and assignment of personnel to the IIA program, at home and abroad, under the personnel policies and procedures applicable to the IIA program, securing the review of the regional bureaus as to the selection of the chief public affairs officers at posts abroad and their advice as to their principal subordinates.

4. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs

a. Participates in the formulation of policy of the Department from the standpoint of public opinion factors and advises the Secretary, the Under Secretary, and other top staff of the Department on public opinion factors, domestic and foreign, involved in the formulation of departmental policy.

b. Develops policies on public information and directs the execution of programs designed to keep the United States public informed on international affairs and to maintain contact between the Department and the United States public.

c. Provides guidance to the development of international information and educational exchange policies and serves as the staff officer to the Secretary responsible for the approval of major IIA policy guidances.

d. Develops policies for and supervises the conduct of a program of research on American policy, historically considered, for use of the Department and the public, in consultation with other areas of the Department.

e. Develops policies on substantive matters relating to United States participation in UNESCO, subject to review by the Bureau of United Nations Affairs, plans and implements UNESCO’s programs in this country, serves as the channel of communication between the Department arid UNESCO and between the National Commission and UNESCO, and reviews determinations of the Bureau of United Nations Affairs pertaining to UNESCO.

f. Advises the Bureau of United Nations Affairs of obstacles to freedom of information encountered in operations of public affairs programs; assures the maintenance of liaison with American mass communications industries to interpret and to secure advice and support for United States policies and actions related to freedom of information.

5. Regional Bureaus

The responsibility and authority of the regional bureaus with respect to information policy for their areas are not changed. The regional bureaus shall have the following functions with respect to programs of the United States International Information Administration:

*a. State the foreign policies applicable to the region as a basis for the development of international information and exchange policies.

*b. Advise IIA on the development of international information and educational exchange policies applicable to their regions and the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs on policy guidance to IIA.

c. Consider and advise IIA on program plans applicable to their areas, with the right of appeal in the event of differences.

d. As requested by IIA, or upon own initiative, advises IIA on the area suitability of IIA materials and activities.

e. Advise IIA on the total IIA complement to be stationed at each post.

f. Review the IIA selection of the chief public affairs officer for each post and advise on the selection of his principal subordinates.

g. Advise IIA on budgetary provision to be made for administrative support of IIA staff and operations at posts abroad.

6. Departmental Support of IIA Operations

6.1 Adequate services will be provided to IIA by strengthening the central facilities of the Department where required or by establishing special facilities within IIA. It is intended to assure the provision of services in such a manner that the requirements of IIA will be met and the responsibility of the Administrator for the IIA program will not be impaired, at the same time maintaining the necessary uniformity of policy and practice, and retaining centralized facilities where important economies can be effected without impairing service for IIA.

6.2 The basic lines to be followed in providing administrative support for IIA in the immediate future are set forth below. Continuous study shall be given to all phases of administrative support operations and further modifications shall be made where experience proves that they are necessary to provide adequate support for the IIA program.

6.3 Departmental services in the fields of communication, security, building operations and like services will be utilized by IIA.

6.4 Personnel operations will be conducted by the central facilities of the Department, but modifications in existing policies on appointment, promotion, salary, transfer, etc., and special procedural arrangements will be made wherever such adaptations are necessary in the interests of effective operation of the IIA program. In order to assure that full attention is given to the needs and problems of the IIA program, a special IIA unit will be organized within the Office of Personnel.

6.5 IIA will prepare, present and justify its own budget and manage its own financial affairs, subject to such review by the Deputy Under Secretary for administration as is necessary to assure compliance with general departmental budget and fiscal policies.

6.6 A special IIA unit within the Division of Central Services will handle IIA procurement.

7. Administration of IIA Programs at Posts Abroad

7.1 The United States diplomatic mission chief shall continue to be fully responsible for the conduct of IIA programs at his post. The public affairs officer serves as a principal member of his staff with the status of chief of a major section of the mission. Mission chiefs are encouraged to delegate to public affairs officers authority to communicate with the Department in the name of the mission chief on as broad a range of IIA matters as practicable.

7.2 The mission chief will be responsible for assuring that the IIA program works cooperatively with the other operating United States programs within his country and provides information support to such programs.

7.3 The mission chief shall be responsible for seeing that adequate administrative support is provided for IIA programs in accordance with their requirements. Administrative support will normally be provided by the administrative officer of the mission. Other organizational arrangements may, with the approval of the mission chief, be made whenever required to assure efficient support of IIA operations. The name “United States Information Service” will continue to be used to identify the program abroad.

8. Installation of Reorganization

The Deputy Under Secretary for administration shall be responsible for providing leadership in the installation of the new plan of organization set forth in this announcement and in facilitating the transfers of personnel, funds, records and equipment.

9. Personnel Designation

United States International Information Administration

Administrator—Wilson Compton

2. On Jan. 18, 1952, the Department of State publicly announced the establishment of the International Information Administration in Press Release 43 which included a two-page biographical sketch of Dr. Wilson M. Compton, Administrator-designate of the IIA and former president of Washington State College at Pullman, Washington. The press release is printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 28, 1952, p. 151, and a copy is in A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “United States International Information Agency”.
3. The other substantive areas of the Department also discharge these responsibilities with respect to areas of foreign policy for which they are responsible. [Footnote in the source text.]
4. The other substantive areas of the Department also discharge these responsibilities with respect to areas of foreign policy for which they are responsible. [Footnote in the source text.]