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

147. Central Intelligence Group Administrative Order No. 3⁰

Washington, April 19, 1946.

ACTIVATION OF THE CENTRAL REPORTS STAFF

Reference: N.I.A. Directives Nos. 1 and 2¹

1. Pursuant to N.I.A. Directive No. 2, the Central Reports Staff is hereby established, its initial strength to be as authorized in N.I.A. Directive No. 2, Appendix A.²

2. The Chief, Central Reports Staff, shall be responsible to the Director of Central Intelligence for the preparation, substantive content, and appropriate dissemination of all intelligence reports produced by the Central Intelligence Group pursuant to paragraph 3–a of the President’s directive of 22 January 1946 and to N.I.A. directives.

3. One Assistant to the Chief, C.R.S., shall be designated by each permanent member of the Intelligence Advisory Board. In distinction from other C.R.S. personnel, who, in accordance with N.I.A. Directive No.1, shall be assigned to C.I.G. and responsible to the Director of Central Intelligence, these Assistants shall be assigned to the offices of the permanent members of the I.A.B. and responsible to them, although detailed to serve full-time with the Chief, C.R.S. They shall:

a. Represent the interests of their respective members of the Advisory Board in the operations of the Central Reports Staff.

b. Represent the Central Reports Staff in its relations with their respective agencies.

c. Assist the Chief, C.R.S., in:

(1) The formulation of directives to the subdivisions of C.R.S and of requests upon departmental agencies for essential information.

(2) The review of summaries, estimates, and studies prepared by the subdivisions of C.R.S.

(3) The recommendation of appropriate dissemination of such summaries, estimates, and studies.

Although it shall be the endeavor of the Chief, C.R.S., and his Assistants to effect such reconciliation of conflicting departmental estimates as to obviate disagreement at the level of the Intelligence Advisory Board, unanimous concurrence shall not be required, it being the responsibility of the Chief to determine the position to be taken in the C.R.S. report in accordance with the weight of the evidence or of opinion. In all cases of important disagreement, however, the substance of the disagreement shall be reported.

4. On assignment to the Central Intelligence Group and detail to the Central Reports Staff, the remaining personnel authorized in N.I.A. Directive No. 2, Appendix “A”, shall be responsible to the Chief, C.R.S. They shall be selected with a view to obtaining a proper balance of regional and functional specialization. The internal organization of the Central Reports Staff shall be effected in a manner calculated to utilize the resources inherent in this group as a whole in the preparation of both periodical summaries and special estimates. During the period of activation the Chief, C.R.S., is authorized to organize the personnel then present as he may consider most expedient for the accomplishment of the tasks then undertaken, keeping the Director of Central Intelligence informed. When the Staff has been fully activated, he will submit to the Director a formal plan of organization based on experience for approval and publication.

5. The initial task of the Central Reports Staff shall be the production of a daily summary in accordance with paragraph 4–a of N.I.A. Directive No. 2.

Sidney W. Souers ³

0. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–208. Confidential. The source text is dated by hand and carries the handwritten notation “Revised.”
1. Documents 141 and 142.
2. Not printed. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 218, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Leahy Papers) Attached to NIA 2, February 5, in the Supplement.
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.