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

79. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security (Whearty) to the National Security Council Representative on Internal Security (Coyne)¹

NSC 68/17

Washington, July 23, 1951.

SUBJECT

• ICIS Section of Internal Security Annex for Report on Status and Timing of Current U.S. Programs for National Security

In accordance with the memorandum for the Senior NSC Staff by the NSC Executive Secretary, dated July 16, 1951,² attached hereto is the ICIS Section of the Internal Security Annex for the report on this subject. It is noted that the Executive Secretary indicated that the initial drafts of the annexes should be available to the drafting team not later than July 23, 1951. As you know, this report is to be prepared pursuant to the President’s directive to the NSC with respect to the review of the NSC 68 programs.

Raymond P. Whearty

Attachment³

1. Utilizing the personnel and facilities of all Federal agencies concerned, the ICIS is developing a program designed to bring about the highest practicable state of internal security. The program includes the following major elements:

a. Protection of critical governmental, industrial, port and other installations and facilities.

b. Measures designed to afford preventive security against unconventional attack, including atomic, chemical, biological and radiological.

c. To establish more effective controls to prevent the entry into the United States of persons who are actually or potentially dangerous to the national security and the exit of those whose departure would constitute a security threat.

d. To strengthen the controls over the importation and exportation of materials, the entry or exit of which would endanger the national security.

e. Procedures designed to protect classified government information.

f. Procedures for federal advice to state and local authorities and private business in voluntarily restricting the dissemination within the United States of unclassified technological information, the release of which might endanger the national security.

g. Assurance that responsible federal agencies have made adequate plans and preparations for the administration of various internal security programs, the implementation of which is contingent upon a state of war or war-related emergency.

h. Coordinating the provisions of emergency legislation and regulations pertaining to internal security matters.

2. A summary of the progress made to date under items a. to h. above follows:

a. (1) A study, in two parts, covering industrial security, was submitted to the NSC which approved its recommendations. As a consequence thereof, an Industry Evaluation Board and a Facilities Protection Board have been established; the former under the Secretary of Commerce and the latter, while administered by the Department of Commerce, responsible to the ICIS. The functions of these boards are to evaluate industrial plant and related resources; to assign to the appropriate departments and agencies of government the responsibility for preparation and supervision of security programs; to establish overall protection policies; to insure the preparation of detailed plans by each agency in its area of responsibility; and to review and monitor the implementation of such plans.

(2) A plan for the protection of government buildings, prepared by the General Services Administration, is currently awaiting final ICIS approval.

(3) A study on port security submitted to the Treasury Department has resulted in the preparation of a detailed plan for augmenting Coast Guard activities in this respect. The plan has been approved and is currently being implemented.

b. Several studies have been prepared and approved covering possible preventive measures against unconventional attack. Some thirty-five (35) studies by various departments and agencies have been submitted to ICIS covering the vulnerability of their respective areas of responsibility. A study proposing that an overall intelligence evaluation be prepared by CIA, utilizing the IAC agencies, has been submitted to, and is under consideration by, the NSC. Such an evaluation is essential upon which to predicate the degree of implementation not only of protective measures against unconventional attack but also should prove invaluable in the consideration of defense measures against all forms of covert and overt attack.

c. (1) Comprehensive reports covering entry and exit safeguards have been prepared and approved by ICIS. Their provisions and recommendations for strengthening controls have been referred to and are being implemented by the responsible agencies such as the Immigration and Naturalization Service (Justice), Visa and Passport Divisions (State), Customs (Treasury).

(2) The “Wartime Regulations Covering Entry and Exit” have been completely revised and redrafted, and are currently being circulated by State Department to all interested departments and agencies for concurrence.

d. (1) A detailed study covering the means of clandestine introduction of unconventional attack media and other materials. Predicated upon its conclusions, recommendations have been made to the Bureau of Customs and other agencies for the augmentation of already existing machinery for detection and prevention of entry.

(2) The authority to control the export of strategic materials is vested in the Secretary of Commerce. The determination of what materials are strategic or which for reasons of economics, etc., should not, in the interest of national security, be exported is not within the purview of ICIS.

(3) The control of export of unclassified, published technological information to the Soviet bloc has, at the request of the Secretary of Commerce, been actively studied and interim recommendations made. No final solution to this extremely complex problem has been devised. Special emphasis is currently being placed on finding a solution.

e. (1) Regulations establishing “Minimum Standards for the Handling and Transmission of Classified Government Information” have been submitted to, and approved by, the NSC and the President, contingent upon the resolution of the provisions of a single paragraph thereof by the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.

(2) Regulations establishing “Minimum Standards for Security Clearance for Access to Classified Government Information” have been submitted to and approved by the NSC and the President who has directed their publication concurrently with, or immediately following, the publication of the regulations referred to in (1) above.

(3) Regulations prescribing security procedures to determine the eligibility of foreign visitors to have access to classified U.S. Government information have been submitted to the NSC and are currently under consideration by it.

f. A study was prepared by the ICIS which has led to the establishment of an agency in the Department of Commerce to provide advice and guidance in this field to state and local authorities and to private business. Appropriate liaison has been established in all departments and agencies concerned whereby recommendations are made as to the guidance to be given regarding the specific matters coming under their respective jurisdictions. Appropriate publicity has been given this project, and it is now functioning.

g. This is a general problem which is receiving continuing consideration. In applying the principle it is usually determined that specific measures fall under one of the categories listed in a. through f. above and progress thereunder has been discussed previously.

h. This also is a general problem of a continuing and varied nature. In addition to generating such regulations, for example, as shown in e. above, the ICIS reviews proposed regulations and legislation originating in various departments and agencies with a view to evaluating and recommending the resolution of differences pertaining to the interests and requirements of other agencies. Since the various departments and agencies of the executive branch have become more and more cognizant of the coordinative function of ICIS, the effectiveness of its efforts in this area of interest has improved.

3. There has been almost unqualified cooperation by the various departments and agencies in support of ICIS activities. However, many of the programs and projects advocated by the ICIS for implementation by these agencies have met with the obstacle of lack of funds. For example, the Department of Commerce has found it difficult to provide for the essential staff and administrative cost of the Industry Evaluation Board and the Facilities Protection Board. Agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission are finding it difficult to undertake even the planning for physical security of the communications industry. Once such plans are completed the cost of supervision and enforcement of protective measures will be an additional obstacle. As a further example, plans for removing subversives from critical plants and facilities must provide, not only for security checks of employees which is of itself an expensive procedure, but also for the equally important protection of the rights of individuals through hearings and appeals procedures. The latter will doubtless entail the establishment of regional appeals boards across the country, probably under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor. That Department consequently must be provided the funds for their establishment and functioning. Plans are not yet crystalized to the degree that specific costs can be estimated but it is anticipated that impediments and difficulties of this nature will be encountered.

4. The program, as outlined, is considered adequate. Additional specific problems under the broad outline are constantly arising and are being incorporated thereunder for active consideration. The entire program is an immediate one, and the corrective actions determined to be necessary are being implemented on an urgent basis as soon as the requirement is established. Those measures which are earmarked for implementation only in the event of general hostilities nevertheless are envisaged as being equally urgent for determination as those which are required to be implemented currently.

5. Inasmuch as all of its functions are considered to be current and immediate, the target date for readiness is now and not in the future. The ICIS will continue to impart a sense of urgency to all of its deliberations and will endeavor to instill the same in the agencies charged with the responsibility of carrying out agreed upon internal security measures.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 273, Records of the National Security Council Representative on Internal Security, 1947–69, NSC 68 (Internal Security), Box 46. Top Secret.
2. Not found.
3. Secret.