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

52. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, September 29, 1961.

PARTICIPANTS

• Messrs. Edward R. Murrow, Philip H. Coombs, Max Isenbergh, Thomas C. Sorensen, and Saxton Bradford

SUBJECT

• Contents of Executive Order to Follow Passage of Fulbright-Hays Act²

It was agreed that in general the various Agencies affected by the Act would continue to carry out those functions provided for in the Act which were being carried out by those Agencies under old legislation. Under the new Act the President is authorized to carry out all of the activities by delegation. It was suggested that new activities authorized by the Act would be expected to come to the Secretary of State unless otherwise provided for in an Executive Order.

It was agreed that after consultation among the various Agencies involved a draft Executive Order, if possible agreeable to all, would go forward to the Bureau of the Budget and the White House. Among the interested Agencies are Commerce, Health, Education and Welfare, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and Internal Revenue. It was pointed out that after the first Executive Order is issued it will be difficult to change the allocations of operating responsibility.

It was agreed that a joint staff would be set up to operate the Cultural Presentations Program. This Program can now come out of the USIA budget and form part of the CU budget. However, formal USIA participation in policy formulation, the laying out of tours, and the like would be highly useful. Mr. Coombs expressed the desire to make the program a much more flexible vehicle. He said he had in mind smaller touring groups able to travel outside of the capitals of foreign countries, particularly among schools and colleges. He said he wanted to recruit more young talent. He felt the Government should not shoulder all of the costs of the more spectacular attractions playing in the capitals, and particularly should not pay big salaries to the stars. Mr. Murrow said that USIA has access to Hollywood talent, and that this talent might be better used if a joint USIA–CU staff were put in operation.

Mr. Murrow said he felt that CU should be responsible for the showing of foreign cultural materials in this country.

It was agreed that a joint Department-USIA staff should be appointed to plan to use the authority in the Act for supporting American studies overseas, and it was agreed that the Executive Order would provide for a sharing of authority between the Department and USIA for financing these studies. Activities in the³ field should respond to a total country plan.

It was agreed that the possibilities of using binational commissions in additional countries and for purposes in addition to academic exchange should be explored jointly by the Department and USIA.

The authority to finance the travel of foreigners to meetings outside the United States but under U.S. auspices should be delegated both to the Department and USIA. It is expected that the PAO in each country will be the joint planner for both the Department and the Agency. The⁴ Executive Order should provide authority for the presentation of books and other materials to educational exchange grantees and group visitors. Both USIA and the Department would be expected to distribute books and educational materials, but for different purposes and to different recipients.⁵

It was agreed that those present would meet again soon to propose names for a new Committee on the Arts. Mr. Coombs said the Act provided an exceptional opportunity to lift the quality of membership of the Committee so that it can perform a more important function.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Director’s Subject Files, 1961, Entry UD WW 142, Box 6, General Counsel (IGC) 1961 (Legal Matters Only). Official Use Only. Drafted by Bradford on October 2. Murrow, Wilson, Harris, and Smith all initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. Harris wrote “10/14” and Smith wrote “10/26” next to their initials. Copies were sent to Murrow, Thomas Sorensen, Coombs, Isenbergh, and Teal. In a September 25 memorandum to Murrow, Coombs recommended that he and Murrow meet to discuss “arrangements for operation under the new statute.” After outlining topics for discussion, Coombs concluded the memorandum by stating: “If this heavy agenda permits it—and if not, as soon as we can arrange some other time—we should like also to put before you some ideas on increasing the effectiveness of the programs within State’s sphere of responsibilities and extending our collaboration with USIA both in the field and here.” (Ibid.)
2. Reference is to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (P.L. 87–256; 75 Stat. 527), which Kennedy signed into law on September 21. Introduced by Fulbright and Hayes, the Act consolidated earlier legislation on cultural and educational exchanges. For the text of the President’s remarks upon signing the Act, see Public Papers: Kennedy, 1961, p. 614.
3. An unknown hand, presumably Bradford’s, changed “this” to “the.”
4. An unknown hand, presumably Bradford’s, placed a partial bracket around “The.”
5. The executive order was not issued until June 25, 1962. See footnote 4, Document 84.