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

210. Memorandum From George M. Elsey to the President’s Special Counsel (Clifford)⁰

Washington, March 14, 1947.

SUBJECT

• Central Intelligence Group

1. C.I.G. is up to its old tricks again. It has submitted “informally” the draft of a proposed bill to be submitted to Congress very similar to the two previous drafts which Vandenberg has sent to you in recent months and which you filed without further action.

2. Mr. George Schwarzwalder of Donald Stowe’s group, called to request advice and information on what Budget should tell C.I.G. I suggested that C.I.G. be informed that there was no necessity for such legislation in view of the sections concerning Intelligence which are included in the Unification Bill.

3. The Budget concurs in that position and will inform C.I.G. that it is inappropriate to propose legislation at this time in view of the President’s support of the Unification Bill.

Respectfully,

George M. Elsey ¹

0. Source: Truman Library, Papers of George M. Elsey, Central Intelligence. No classification marking. Elsey was Clifford’s assistant. Also reproduced in CIA Cold War Records: The CIA under Harry Truman, p. 127.
1. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.