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AC) 7CIA
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January 20, 1959
TRE DIVISION OF CT.n PSIFICATION, U.S.
ENERGY
RESEARCH Av SovPPD? ADMINISTRA
TION, HAS
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TO ITS DUCLASSIFICATION.
MEMORANDUM TO: Dr. James R. Killian, Jr, DEENI He
SUBJECT: Release of Information on ARGUS
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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
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REVIEWED By
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675
DATE
Pursuant to my undertaking to suggest alternative progra ims of
information with respect to the ARGUS shots, Iam submitting the
following suggestions. Because of the sensitive nature of this infor-
mation, the material herein has been cleared only with repres entatives
of State, Defense, the AEC and your office, who were already apprised
of the shots.
There appear to be two contingencies: first, the publish ing of
information about the shots as a result of leaks and, second, 1 Ihe
voluntary release of information by the Government. This me morandum
will not deal with the pros and cons of whether or not any mate trial
should be released.
If the New York Times, or anyone else, breaks a subst intial part
of the story, our alternatives appear to be:
1.
Neither to confirm nor to deny such leaks;
.
To disclose all that we may safely do from a natic
In the latter case, the material released will be the same as fhat which
we would release on a voluntary basis, the only difference bel ng that we
would have lost control over the manner and timing of such rs lease;
therefore, the attached guidelines would be useful in either case.
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If the decision is made to make a voluntary release of information
as to the shot and subsequent to the appropriate administratiy re
determination of the material to be released, the following wpuld appear
to be an optimum procedure:
Step 1. To have appropriate scientists prepare a repo} t on the
effects and detectability comparable in scope and nature to the report
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security point of view.
This degirrent
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