Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950–1955, The Intelligence Community, 1950–1955

66. Letter From the Chairman of the Interdepartmental Intelligence Conference (Hoover) to Director of Central Intelligence Smith¹

Washington, May 2, 1951.

Dear General Smith:

Your memorandum of April 17, 1951,² concerning the IIC need for specific intelligence and counterintelligence information, has been received and considered by the Interdepartmental Intelligence Conference.

It will not be possible for the IIC agencies to furnish to you on a regular basis information of a confidential nature, or that developed from confidential sources, for use in bartering with foreign intelligence and security organizations. Where there is a specific problem or special circumstances existing, we will, of course, be glad to consider any specific requests or suggestions and, where possible, information in such cases will be made available for your use in this manner.

When the IIC or its Subcommittee is considering a specific problem concerning the coordination of domestic intelligence with foreign intelligence matters, you will, of course, be invited to designate a representative to attend, as contemplated in the IIC Charter. Generally, however, it is felt that the appropriate media for the coordination of the intelligence on Soviet-controlled espionage activities abroad and the intelligence on such activities in this country exists in the Intelligence Advisory Committee and in the close liaison facilities which are maintained with CIA.

The IIC agencies desire to cooperate with you in any manner possible in connection with the obtaining of this vital information, which can for the most part only be obtained in the foreign field. As previously indicated, it is most urgent that this type of information be developed as its receipt could, when considered in the light of domestic problems, possibly be the means of averting serious Communist-controlled Fifth Column or sabotage operations within our borders. It will be appreciated if you will furnish at your earliest convenience any studies or information which you may presently have in connection with the type of information listed in the IIC memorandum of February 28, 1951.³

Sincerely yours,

J. Edgar Hoover

1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Executive Registry, Job 80–B01731R, Box 29. Confidential; Via Liaison. The letter is on FBI stationery.
2. Document 65.
3. Not found.