Francesco/who-killed-jfk huggingface dataset:
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 47]
# SECRET10. Question: Have any steps been taken to get the Clemency Board of HICOG to pardon Soviet escapee's sentenced for minor offenses committed in an attempt to survive, thus clearing their records? Do you want us to make any pitch on this?In the past, petitions for clemency have only been presented to the Clemency Board of HICOG when a person was under active consideration for resettlement. The Clemency Board has usually acted swiftly with the best interest of the individual and of the J.S. Government in mind. Recently, however, steps were taken to initiate petitions for clemency on all cases of the types mentioned in Question 10. It is too early at the present time to foresee the result of this operation. However, it is believed that it is not yet necessary for CAS to approach the appropriate officials on this point.11. Question: Is the USEP policy to reduce the numbers who can be helped under the Program? If true, what are the reasons for this policy which appears on the surface to be a step backward from solving the problem?It is not the USEP policy to reduce the numbers who can be helped under the Escapee Program. As a matter of fact, the USEP caseload has continued to increase despite the fact that over 6,000 have been resettled, and many have been dropped for various reasons, including ineligibility, local integration, and death. It is true that the primary purpose of the Program is to resettle eligibles abroad, and to integrate locally those whose resettlement potential is low. This action, of and in itself, does tend to reduce the number of persons who can be subsequently helped under the Program. It is also the policy of the Program to create an atmosphere in which other programs which depend to a certain extent upon the psychological attitude existing in emigre circles can operate successfully. In furthering this particular objective, the Program has recently taken action to declare as eligible those persons who, although having records as minor criminals, are of interest to U.S. agencies, and have broadened the basis to accept any Soviet citizen as eligible if he has in any way been under discipline of the Soviet Government since January 1, 1945.12. Question: What has the Escapee Program accomplished for Soviet escapees?USEP's assistance to escapees is based primarily upon the needs of each individual registered with the Program. These needs are determined through a counselling program under which the voluntary agencies cooperating with USEP are supposed to send case workers to the field to interview each escapee family to determine their particular needs, background, problems, experience, ambitions, and general situation. Based upon this interview the agency is supposed to develop a specific plan ...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 48]
# SECRET-7-...stance for the fully with the basis objoctivo boingtheir event.a. resettlement is a country of inaigration or, if this... re-catablishment within the soonomy of their proecont ۲۱۲۲reettonco. Although the Escapes Frogran Division10.5 perations Mission for Germany has contracts with bothPo..ty Foundation and AFRP to carry out a counselling program forSoviet ..capeos, and has spent approximately $11,000 on each agencyin this connection, to date the agencies have not completely counselled... their cassionde. Accordingly, it is most difficult to make anyBind of analysis of the amount of assistance rendered as compared to theextent of need. On Decoubor 7, representatives of both agoncios voгоadvised by the Kacapoo Program Division, that the counselling progranaust to completed in the near future, and that USEP will be in a muchbetter position to evaluate the program of assistance to Soviet escapoes.Despite the admittedly unsatisfactory situation outlined in theprevious paragraph, certain positive action has been taken by the EPDand the voluntary agencies to provide assistance to Soviet oссареов.Reportedly, AFRP has distributed in the neighborhood of 813,000 insupplemental assistance in the form of food, clothing, lodging, ०१०.,to cacajeea rogistored in their oncoload. The Tolstoy Foundation hasdistributed in the neighborhood of fly,000. In addition, threo specialhousing aid projecto have been established in Germany the FriendshipHouse in Munich with a capacity of 10 peracne, and the conter inKaiserslautern, with a capacity of 36 -- both sponsored by AFR?, andthe Toistoy hose in Karlofeld which has a capacity of 60 to 100. Aword about.oaon of the following installationesThe Friendship House in Munich is saall and is always full. Thelongth of otay varios por individual as ita primary purpose is to furnich topporary housing for Russian escapees who come to Lunich lookingfor work. In cows cause these periods of residence have dragged out.At this home full caro and caintenance is given, as the residents arecoatly ineligible for rollof grants in Bavaria.The Karlafold houso vas opened on September 4 and has accepted 25cscancoo to dato. In addition to the fact tha: each applicant 13acrooned by the agency and than ay a consulate and USEP ropropontativo,the admission process is complicated by the need to trenofor unemploy-cent and rolief bonofito frea other areas. While thio installation tonot count to be a housing project of seat-permanent quarters, the typeof aid nooded by cont porcono selected will probably rooult in a fairlystablo population, once the home is filled. The Kaiserulautern housroported, as of November 15:19 current residenta11 persons covel to privato quartora3 porcons coved to Labor Servico Valta10 persone returned to former residence48 dependente placed in jobsPEORET411 ...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 49]
# SECRET-8-All these people, plus other dependents, passed through the center or were aided by the agency facilities there. (Dependents moved to Kaiserslautern only after private quarters were located.) Of the total, at least forty-three persons had, at one time or another, lived in the house. It must be emphasised that this installation is not regarded as permanent housing but was erected solely to house escapees temporarily for whom jobs had been found and who needed quarters until they could locate permanent billets. Therefore, escapees are referred here only when job opportunities exist and stay only until private housing is located. At one time, consideration was given to filling the house with employment potentials, but the agency demurred for fear the project would be ruined by insoluable morale problems and by the lack of available space to meet quickly employment requirements.To summarize on the question of "housing projects", and apart from housing in the German economy, installations for special purposes are considered and these three subsidized: (1) the benefits derived from the Friendship House in Munich are being evaluated, and will be discussed at the forthcoming conferences; (2) the Karlufold House has recently been opened and filling it is being delayed by a rather cumbersome screening process, but a process required to meet our security requirements and the requirements of the Munich Consulate Generals; and (3) the Kaiserslautern House has been rather effectively used, being limited by the numbers of job opportunities. Until we are convinced, however, that full or almost full benefits are being derived from these houses, USEP is reluctant to establish additional housing projects of a temporary nature and it is contrary to USEP policy to enter into long-term arrangements which would be entailed in provision of permanent housing.Further, escapees generally are eligible for housing within the German economy. A search for this housing is made among that controlled by the Wohnungeant or is earmarked in new refugee housing being built. Escapees are being included in a new FOA program of $15 million which is currently being discussed by FOA and the German Federal Republic (see DEPTEL to Bonn USYOTO 453, December 15, 1953.).Additionally, 50 Soviet children were sent to Switzerland for rehabilitation and a vacation for eight weeks last summer at a cost of $3,907.(a) Question: How many ex-Soviets have received what assistance and how much for Care & Maintenance?As pointed out above, the incomplete and unsatisfactory status of the counselling projects of the agencies, plus inadequate or unavailable files, preclude the possibilities of determining how many Soviets have received that assistance and how much for Care & Maintenance.SECRETHowever, ...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 50]
Text of January 9, 1955, cable. (Confidential)"Local Units are advised that effective inned Soviet defectors who escaped since Jan 1, 1945 may be considered eligible for complete program assistance. Units shld complete registration of this group in each area and advise OFC of numbers registered. Every effort shld be made to create maximum program impact on Sov escapees in each area. It is realized that extension of eligibility to this group may cause some repercussion among other nationality groups and the agencies supporting them. It is pointed out however that great majority Sov defectors are eligible under provisions para 6 & 7 of Provisional Guide #1. Moreover Units shld take all feasible measures to minimize repercussions by exercising utmost discretion in implementation of this instruction e.g. by discussing it primarily only with agencies interested in this group."
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 51]
Text of January 20, 1955, cables (Confidential)"Soviet defectors referred to in Frankfurt tel sent Vienna 83, Rome 87, Athens 102, Trieste 39, Istanbul 43, Geneva 21 for Carson chld be generally interpreted as those Sov citizens or Sov Ukranians who left Military or Govt service since Jan 1945, or their dependents (para 6 of Prov Guide #1). Local Units may also extend assistance to such other post Jan 1945 Sov escapees who qualify under Para 7 of Guide #1, excepting hard core DP's or persons who have been in refugee status prior to World War II."
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 52]
Text of instructions issued to all field units December 1953:"Regardless of his country of origin, any Iron Curtain escapee who, during the period 1945 to the present time, was voluntarily or forcibly repatriated, but who proceeded no further than the Eastern Zones of Germany or Austria, and was detained in the Eastern Zones of Germany or Austria under the discipline of the Soviet occupation forces or was employed in an official, semi-official, or any other capacity, regardless of the nature of his employment, by or for the Soviet occupation forces, and who subsequently defected, fled, escaped, or otherwise returned to the West, for any reason, should be considered eligible for USEP assistance, provided he is otherwise eligible."Your attention is again directed to Section 7 of Guide 1 which authorises you to make exceptions in any individual case, regardless of eligibility criteria.
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 53]
# SECRET ATTACH. "A" 1081. Question: Does USEP plan to exort tighter and constant management control over this project, as against the present system of hands-off until end-audity or is this impossible because of regulations? If the latter is true, who has the power to change the regulations, and is it possible for them to be changed within the context of overall USEP policy?Short of involving itself or its staff in the actual implementa- tion of projects or in voluntary agency operations, USEP maintains a continuing scrutiny and review of every project and contract into which It has entered. Information developed by field officere in the course of this review is passed to the Chief of the Escapee Program Division concerned, who evaluates the material and discusses it, when appropri- ate, with the local agency director. Subsequent to this evaluation and discussion with the agency, the material is forwarded to OFCEP which cakes a second analysis and, if indicated, discusses it with the agancy's European Director. There is no policy of hands-off until the end-audit is made. End-use-audits are an integral part of the review of projects in order to determine whether or not the supplies and services are reaching the escapees.In the light of the preceding paragraph, the latter part of the question becomes academics however, USEP policy in this respect is flexible and can be adapted to any situation warranting a modification of proceduree.2. Question: What is the interpretation of "local settioment"? If a man is earning a distinctly submarginal existence, which means an unhealthy and unhappy existence, is he automatically ruled out? Who caile the shots on this, USEP or the agencies?Local settlement is not predicated solely on economic factors. Rather, local settiomen: doponds upon a variety of conditions obtaining in the case of a particular family. Consideration quet, of neces- sity, be given to the jobs of the principal wago-carners to deteraino whother or not they are working in an occupational area most suitablo to their desires, background and ability; to their wages to deteraine whether or not their earnings are sufficient to moot the needs of their familys to their housing to determine if it is adequate, and other fac- tore which must be considered in connection with a family's fira inte- gration into the local community, including its own attitude toward such integration. It is not the policy of USEP to place a man or a rezily on an ineligible or inactive list as a locally settled case if ho to earning a distinctly submarginal existence. The decision of local settlement is made by the Chief of the Escapee Program Division concerned and only after a careful analysis of the situation obtaining in each particular casa. Usually the Division Chief's decision is dased upon the recommendation of the voluntary agency as analyzed and evaluated by USEP officere in the field.3. Questions...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 54]
# SECRET-2-3. Question: What is planned to eliminate the duplication in caseload of the two agencies?Duplication in caseload between the various voluntary agencies participating in the Escapee Program has been oliminated to an approviable extent. It has existed principally in the cage of two agencies in Germany dealing with the Soviet problem --Tolstoy Foundation and American Friends Dr Russian Freedea. This, however, was resolved on December 7, 1953 at a meeting of the two agoncios with the Chie. Kacapoo Prograa Division/USC at this mooting the Tolotcy Foundation was given principal responsibility for all cases which havo a resectio-cont potential. AFRF was given all casos which had limited or no resettlement potential and cust, of necessity, bo sottled locally ta the Corman .concay. The supplementary care and maintenance was dividad arter a thorough discussion with each agency by mutual agreement. This action resulted in establishing a cavalond in Germany of 79 cases consisting of some 100 peuple for TF, and 102 cases with approximately 200 people for AYRF. Now registranto by withor agency will be reforred to Escapos Program field representatives (in Germany, Munich) for a chock against current card files. After a dossior has been fully developed on the case, a determination as to the appropriate agency vill de cado according to the case's recetticment potential.4. Question: What are the criteria for accepting a Soviet escape as a relief recipient and what office or regulations determine swe?Thore is enclosed the basic provisional guide concerning eligibility, together with subsequent clarifications issued to the field on the Sovieto. This is the criteria under which a person is ostended, and declared eligible for, Progran assistance. Thoes regulations veто adapted frea, a general policy issued by the U.S. Department of Stato. Within the frezowork of those regulations, the Locapos Progrsa conducta a security investigation which establishes a aar'e oligibility fra a security point of view. Simultaneously the man is counnolled in ea offort to determine liia needs from a suciological and economic angio. The results of these investigations determine the course of action upon which the Escapes Program proceeds. However, in the majority of cases, humanitarian assistenco 18 extended to individuale ponding the ccaplote copurity investigation, or until material sufficiently doreza-. tory to deny eligibility to discovered. (Attention should be directed to paragraph 7 of the eligibility guide, watch enables USEP to safer. oligibility on any individual or individuals of interest to other 7.5. agencies, regardless of normal eligibility criteria.)5. Fungsions What is the source of the policy whion maintains that thore must be a loaning-over-backward to avoid the risk of any politicel implication in applying the USEP program?![photo of a stamp that says SECRET]The Escapee ...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 55]
# SECRET-3-The Escape Program was originally outlined in CEPCIRTEL 676, January 29, 1952 (Top Secret) which indicated that the Program would be undertaken through contracts with voluntary agencies to provide certain supplies and services to escapees of recent date. Inasmuch as the largest and most important voluntary agencies operating in Europe are of religious nature and endeavor to stay clear of undertakings which have political implications, it was determined that the Escape Program would suppress to the extent possible the political nature of its operations in order to secure and maintain the "good will" and cooperation of those agencies. In our relationships, however, with certain agencies of ethnic character (e.g. AFCR - American Fund for Czechoslovak Refugees), especially when these agencies are directed by individuals in whom USEP has complete confidence, little, if any, action has been taken to suppress or disguise USEP political implications. There is, however, a tendency on the part of USEP officials to suppress political implications of the Program in their arrangements with several agencies -- due to their lack of confidence in the leadership of those agencies. Mrs. Schaufuso, Tolstoy Foundation, Sheba Goodman, American Friends of Russian Freedon, Max Braude, Organization for Rehabilitation through Training, Anna Matson, International Rescue Committee; and Michael Rodyk, United Ukrainian American Relief Committee; are examples of Directors in whom USEP has little confidence. This lack of confidence arises from the fact that those personalities apparently have their own axes to grind. USEP has revealed, however, and will continue to reveal to a limited extent, the political nature of the Escapes Program to certain selected persons in the voluntary agencies who are subject to the necessary degree of direction, and in whom confidence may be maintained. This course of action to motivated primarily by the fact that political overtones of the Program cannot be wholly hidden from an intelligent person, yet it is not in the Program's best interest to advise officially the religious bodies of the political aspects. Although the major religious agencies undoubtedly are aware of the political aspects of the Program, they choose to ignore them so long as they are not involved directly into any political operations, and so long as they are not advised officially of them.6. Citation: Are there any means through which assistance to deserving members of ZOPE (already on the caseload) can be speeded up?USEP officials throughout the area are continually endeavoring to speed up Program benefits to the ultimate recipients. This is applicable to the entire caseload of all agencies and has not in the past been predicated upon membership in any organization which may or may not be of interest to U.S. Government agencies. In this way, USEP endeavors to extend Program benefits to all those eligible without focusing unnecessary attention upon individual members of a particular organization of interest to agencies of the U.S. Government. Further, USEP officials ...
[104-10171-10138.pdf — page 56]
# SECRET-4-officials have no way of determining whether an escapee is or is not a master of TCOPS. However, if CAU desires to furnish USEP with a list of TCOPS membership, OFC will request the USEP Divisions in each country to confer eligibility on the individuals listed and to pay particular attention that such individuals may receive personal attention in the future.7. Question: Is there any possibility of eliminating Tolstoy and AFRF altogether and doing this job through another agency or agencies?In consideration of this question, USEP has reluctantly decided that it would not be possible to eliminate Tolstoy Foundation, since Tolstoy is an old, established agency with a name known and respected within certain emigre circles. It may be possible, however, for CAS to undertake the elimination, although CAS relationships with TP and its Board of Directors are unknown to this office. Since AFRF is a relatively new organization, and the character of its European leadership is much more undesirable than that of Tolstoy, it is conceivable that AFRF could be eliminated from the Russian field considerably easier than Tolstoy. Moreover, as the Chairman of the Board of the AFRF is a retired U.S. Admiral, he would probably be inclined to go along with the wishes of Government officials if it could be shown that the elimination of AFRF was in the best interest of the U.S. Government. However, the elimination of ethnic type agencies in this respect would, perhaps, compel the Escapee Program to enter into relationships with a religious agency, e.g. the WCC, in their stead and the successful resolution of the Soviet problem would become automatically much more difficult.8. Question: How does an agency qualify for a USEP contract? What are the requirements for qualification?USEP currently has contractual arrangements with 22 voluntary societies representing the major religious bodies (i.e. Catholics, Jews, and Protestants) and the major ethnic groups represented in the population of the United States of America. To qualify for a USEP contract the agency, if it is wholly American in composition and incorporated under the laws of one of the 48 States, or the District of Columbia, must be accredited by what was known as the Department of State's Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid, and which is now a part of FOA. The Executive Director of this Committee is Mr. William H. McCahon, who is also a staff member in the Office of the Assistant Director for Refugees and Migration, FOA. In addition to those agencies which have been incorporated in the U.S., USEP also enters into relationships with other organisations which are international in character and composition- such as the World Council of Churches, the WorldORT ...