138. Memorandum From the Special Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of the United States Information Agency (Dunlap) to the Deputy Director (Loomis)1
Met with Area Dirs, IOP, IOR, IOA at the weekly Area Directors’ meeting to discuss Hemsings proposal “Worldwide Placement of Inspired Stories.”2
The reaction was almost totally negative to the proposal.
Barbara White noted that in connection with the Church Bill,3 we are on record as saying “all Agency materials are attributable,” and the Hemsing proposal is directly contrary to this.
Lea Squires agreed, adding that such placement is the kind of thing an Ambassador might do occasionally, perhaps at the urging of his PAO, but it is not the kind of thing to formalize and put in the Manual.
Barbara White noted that this is precisely what CIA often does for us.
Bob Haney said such a procedure should not be formalized nor institutionalized.
Sam Gammon said that while all of the negative comments had validity, this device was a very useful tool of the trade. But he expressed doubt, as did others present, that we could find the one or two people to take on such a task here.4
- Source: National Archives, RG 306, Director’s Subject Files, 1968–1972, Entry A1–42, Box 22, FPD—General 1971. Unclassified with Confidential attachment. Loomis initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum and also wrote “FS FYI 6/2.” An unknown hand crossed out this notation.↩
- See Document 135.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 129.↩
- Loomis placed a vertical line in the right-hand margin next to this paragraph and wrote “agree” to the right of it.↩
- Dunlap wrote “(Henry Dunlap)” below his typed initials.↩