Francesco/who-killed-jfk huggingface dataset:
[104-10174-10071.pdf — page 78]
# SECRETRe: KMFUNNY.........and "STALIN" PHOTO-FOOK:SI'S saw MUKSON in his hotel, Dec. 19, 1950Munson leaves for NY this evening. OK to leave messages for him to phone.Re HOKE-BOOK. He mentioned a contemplated pocket size book, collecting anti-CP jokes. I said I would contribute what we had in PB II and add fron time to time. For further details see my folder JOKES.He gave me postcard (St) by Rockport illustrating joke about "Who Owns the Automobiles". (He got this from a 13-yr-old boy in Germany in 1947, and he and an Army man each put $20 of their own into having it xox printed and spread).Re KMFUNY Barnes was to have met him Friday (Dec. 15), but had to go out of town to a funeral.He expects to see Barnes tomorrow (Dec. 20), when Barnes is to deliver about 60 of the photos with his own captions. Munson will then let CHAPPELL look it over for a couple of days. He will then bring it down here and ask Messrs. Eryan. Nadler and Sims look at it. (I told him not to hesitate to leave me out).Barnes has been OK. I said I would check how his clearance is coming. It was requested Nov. 2 and should be ready, says John Shields, about 3½ months from Nov. 2Re "STALIN" PHOTO-FOUR, See Shub's letter to Sins, Dec. 14, in file. Munson also thinks it is coming well, and should be good, if the Life man continues to prove a good collaborator.Munson does not know the name of Shub's Life collaborator: he did not encourage Shub to tell him. / Kunson says he is sure SHEN is still secure, and there is no reason why it shouldn't continue to be, "if everyone in CIA will keep their big mouths shit; too many know about it"). SWEN may be suspected of Government-inspiration, but it should not be blown.Munson has advanced Shub money to pay expenses, and has authorized bin to pay his collaborator not more than $35 a day. The collaborator wil definitely be paid on a fixed fee basis, i.e. per diem, no royalties. SWEN can pick up the tab for Shub's expenses in procuring photos, etc That will appear in Swen's accounts, but, happily, there is no need for KMFUNNY's files to be cluttered up with the details.LUNSON knows of the agreement, re disposition of royalties, which SHUB (HEADLEY) signed with CIA. He has seen it; i.e., presumably has seen the sterilized notes Shub made of it, since Shib retained no copy.LUNSON understands that SHEN will own all rights to the book. I.e., "SWEN will simply step into the place of CIA in the above agreement. I.e., Still, on paper, will be paying Shub standard royalties, but Shub will return them to SHEN.I said that, as far as I could see, this sounded OK, SAEN being 100% a CIA corporation, Lunson said that Joe Kelley had helped draw up the papers setting up SWEN, and was therefore fully cognizant of it and sympathetic to it. Orly an excessively legal-minded bureaucrat would quibble over, having the royalties re-absorbed by SWEN, rather than disposed of accontingSECRETReConBact
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to para. 4 of the above-mentioned agreement (16 Sept. 1950), according to which "You will be required to transfer the gross royalties to CIA..." (This agreement was also drafted by Mr. Kelley). There doesn't seem to be any difficulties of substance there.There has been no decision on the size, format, etc. of the book. I mentioned that I had written Shub, mentioning that Simon & Schuster is able to offer its $3.95 *FOR a Pictorial History* - "260 photos with commentary" - at only $1.50 in cloth.I said Shub had written some time ago that it would be a help to know the approximate number of photos as soon as possible, and Lyle said he of course agreed. He thought Shub and his collaborator should have something to show in, say, 30 days.I mentioned that the "STALIN" PHOTO-BOOK, when written up, which I will do shortly, will merely be a sub Project of KUFUINY, and will therefore require only Mr. Thompson's signature. Lyle queried whether it was necessary to make a formal project of it at all. I said that, for purposes of Status Reports, etc., it would be more or less necessary to have a formal title for it, and he agreed.Shub has about 150 sterilized CIA Graphics photos, which we selected last summer. None of them could actually be printed, published, without a release from CIA Graphics. I therefore urged Munson to urge Shub to work up a good cover story about them, vis-a-vis his collaborator. Munson said he would advise him not to use them at all. (They are run-of-the-mine; they could all be duplicated with ease from agencies).I told Munson that Mrs. Poland, of CIA Graphics (of whom he knows) had personally made an arrangement with Roy Larsen, whereby he supplies them with photos from *Time-Life* files, but not for publication. And that she had told me she is particularly anxious to do nothing that would undermine her relations with Time-Life.We agreed that, if Shub's collaborator gets permission to use photos from Life's files in the book, it will still be a book being prepared for the overt SWEN Company, and that Life will not know the Government is involved. Munson thinks Shub is being very circumspect about all this.
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Dec. 18, 1950Dear Boris,SwallllI've phoned our friend and will be seeing him tomorrow morning.I do hope something or other may bring me to New York - though there's no immediate prospect of it - as it would be great fun to foregather.Incidentally, I expect to be in Boston the 4 days after Xmas, to get the benefit of the two Monday holidays.Incidentally also, re sale on newsstands (which sounds fine) did you notice that 365 are able to offer FDR, *a Pictorial Biography*, which is 360 photos with captions and commentary, and is $9.95 in cloth, at only $1½ in paper?I much pleased too.Best regards,Bill
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December 14, 1950Dear Bill:This is just a brief note to give you the latest on the picture front. I won't fill you in on the details because our mutual friend will be in Washington early next week and will give you all the dope. Suffice it to say that my collaborator is one of the top layout men on *Life*; one of those $25,000 per annum men. For the present he doesn't want his association with the picture book known to his employer for several good and comphaling reasons. (Including the fear that they would plagiarize the idea). But in the final stages he'll have to tell them in order to get their cooperation on digging into their files as well as their official permission for the use of his name as a collaborator. Needless to say, all of the above is a deep dark secret, but then what isn't these days? More important than all of the above is the fact that the gentleman in question, in addition to being a top flight picture man, is deeply interested in the subject and--miraculously--actually knows a great deal about it. I hope nothing happens to make him back down on his decision. Impossible to get anybody nearly as qualified. Our friend will fill you in on the rest: what remains to be done, how to do it, etc. xxx of one thing you may be sure: If my collaborator stays with the project and if no act of God intervenes, the final product will be the picture book of all time. He wants to see it sold on newsstands among other places.Are you planning to visit New York one of these days? If you do, please let me know. Very anxious for a chance to chew the fat in a leisurely fashion. Am losing touch with the mythical world in which you live. Best regards to the gang.BorisP.S. The $.35 edition of *Lenin* is ready. Goes on sale officially on Dec 22, but I notice that Columbia U. Bookstore is already selling it. ("Reuters," *New American Library*)
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SECRETNov. 17, 1950LANSON PHONED FROM NY. 10 a.m.He will phone Shab now. Ferhaps they can lunch together.Munson "definitely wants" the photo book. Is agreeible to whatever size, etc., we think it should be. Told him I had suggested to Shib that he proceed on an estimate of about 150 pages.I forgot to mention Joe's suggestion that Simon & Schuster (which Joe says would be better than Doubleday, probably) might do tha book in the US, with Sten to have the foreign rights. Will tell Lyle about that this weekend.Munson comes to Washington this afternoon or evening. I will give him the KUFUNNY pictures this weekend.WSSSee log-sheet, Nov. 17SECRET
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Letter from Shub to Sins, Nov. 13, '50filed in folder "CHIE, THE CHOICE"See copy of it, above, in Memo of 15 Jan. '51 to LST.
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C-O-P-Y SECRET 1739 N St NWNov. 13, 1950Dear Boris,Many thanks for your excellent letter of the 13th, which I got this evening, and all the good news about "The Choice", which I'll share.I'll try to clarify about our mutual friend / lunson / just as soon as I possibly can. Couldn't reach him all this evening. Maybe I can get him tomorrow morning. all urge him to see you at the earliest and get it all clarified, as that will as you say be a great help. Meanwhile why not go ahead on an estimate of say 150 pp. Hope he can see you by Tuesday or at earliest thereafter..Best regardshastilyP.S.Good about "Lenin2 too.And the Navy!And the dual German edition!and how right Matthew xiii, 57was about prophets.SECRET
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TRANSMITTAL SLIPTO: A'R BRYANDATE: 9 Nov. '50BUILDING:ROOM NO:REMARKS: OKFROM:BUILDING:ROOM NO:EXTENSION:FORM NO. 36-2
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CONF.SECRET9 Nov. 1950I queried Ray about how to send your letter to Shub, and he sterilized it and said it could go as sterilized, I will mail it this evening. Ray changed no matters of substance. (But the sentence about "we are pressed for full weekly reports" had to go out; the sterilized version of it wouldn't do the trick).Re communicating with Shub. Ray says there is no OPC man in NY/00. There may be one *later* letter. That NY/00 are not supposed to know SP details, and that, failing the OPC man there, the only means of regular communication with Shub are:1.  fully sterilized letters thru ordinary mail (letters via 00 would equally have to be sterilized)2.  hand-carried letters3.  personal contactSECRETVSS
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1698 32nd St., N. W.Nov. 9, 1950Dear Boris,We are very anxious to have the photo-book finished as fast as possible. Handled as you alone can do it, this book will be one of the most effective shots that can be fired and we need it quick.My understanding is that you are now engaged full time on it. Is that also your understanding? If so, please let me know (1) that the photo-book is your first concern, and (2) what progress you have made to date.Again let me emphasize the great enthusiasm we have for the photo-book, and our complete confidence that it will have your own brilliant, informed and incisive touch when completed.JoeforBeelP.S.Joe left town (till evening of the 12th) before I could discuss this with him. Please note his new address, as above.
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TRANSMITTAL SP9 Nov '50TO: RayREMARKS:Could this letter,to Shub, signed "the"he sent thru the ordinarymail? I imagine not.Who should I see herere arrangements forFROM: Communicating withBUILDING ShubEXTENSION Carpenter?Dillon?![form 36-8 via NY/00?]
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SECRET9 Nov. 1950We are very anxious to have the photo-book finished as fast as possible.Kindled as you alone can do it, this book will be one of the most effective shots.My understanding is that you are now engaged full time on your present assigned job with the corporation. Is that also your understanding?If so, please let me know (1) that the photo-book is your first concern, and (2) what progress you have made to date.Again, let me emphasize the great enthusiasm we have for the photo-book, and our confidence that it will have your own brilliant, informed and incisive touch when completed.435No OPC man in NY/00 now: trying to get oneRay says only way to handle it is:(1) fully sterilized, as aboveOR(2) hand-carryNY/00 are not supposed to know SP details, so anything sent via 00 [pending getting an OPC man up there] would have to be sterilized anyhow. SECRET
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TRANSMITTAL SLI8 NOV. '50TO: Mr. BryanBUILDING ROOM NO.REMARKS:FFFROM: W3S..BUILDING ROOM NO. EXTENSIONFORM NO 36-8SEP 1946
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8 Nov. 1950TO SHUBvia NY/00, hand-carried; who can keep this and any later letters for Shub to consult from time to time if necessary. He can transmit periodic reports of progress via KY/00. Sterilized ones direct.Dear Boris,Re your book. I went fully into the question of ordering copies, and it is clear that it is not policy anywhere to do anything official to promote the distribution of it. There is just nothing in the charter that would authorize officially promoting a book of that very wide scope, except for limited internal circulation.That leaves it, as I imagine you gathered at lunch the other day with IST that you should work on it only during weekends and other free hours.That in turn leaves the question of the current status of the "Stalin" biography and of the Stalin photo-book.Re the photo-book. On the one hand, (1) Joe is very keen to get the photo-book finished as fast as possible, and (2) the friend who was mentioned to you at lunch the other day / Lunson / is interested in it, and (3) we have already got a good deal of it done, - the some 225 photos already on hand, etc. and (4) perhaps most important: it could be completed in less time than would be required to complete the biography.> ![Shubs' signature]/JBHII: I wrote him yesterday, when sending him the Locke paper, to be particularly careful not to say anything at all to anyone about "the friend who was mentioned to you at lunch (Lunson)./JBHII: Please note the security angle in what follows. Also, the project to have one or both Shubs complete the "Stalin" biography, in re which I have the full file, has been batted around from Olmstead to KelleySECRET
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2to 1ST, and there is or was a contract with Vanguard.First, I was instructed to draw up a project to subsidize David Shub to complete the biography. Later I was told that Boris had been sent to NY, with instructions to complete it himself.1ST, a few days ago, told me he was under the impression that you had worked out arrangements with Boris in re the biography. But you haven't. Neither Has Kolley, nor Kramer, and Bill Rowland (to whom 1st referred me). I know of no one else in OIC from whom Shub should be receiving directives.Therefore, let's take time to get it cleared up, on paper, what is the status of Shub pere et fils re "Stalin".Re "Stalin" biography. On the other hand, we are not clear what is the current status of the biography, (1) do you have any written directives from us about it, and (2) what are your and your father's current obligations to Vanguard as to completing it?An important question is: if you complete the photo-book first, are your obligations to Vanguard such that you would have security difficulty in explaining to them why, and on whose behalf, you were delaying two months (more or less) to finish it, before resuming work on the biography.Since the photo-book and the biography have the same subject-matter,I suppose there is a bare possibility that you could work on the photo-book during "office" hours, while collaborating with your father on the biography evenings and weekends. But that does not seem a happy arrangement. We are called on for weekly Progress Reports, and Vanguard would be wanting to know what gives, and why. Much better to concentrate on one job at a time, and be under obligations to only one crowd at a time.Status of the biography. As far as anyone here knows, you have only oral instructions to complete it. According to my rough notes of a talk we had July 31, you had a contract with Vanguard, July '49, calling for a book "by David & Boris Shub" to be completed March 1, 1950. And as of June 10, your father had had a $900 advance on it.Would the copyright be in your name, or both? I think it would beSECRET
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simplest to have the actual copyright in your name alone (ho couldassign his share to you), so thit any arrangements for foreign publicationcould be riade with the minimum delay over the legal and security aspecte.If I got it right, as of July 31 you had about 100 pages in prettyauch finished form, about 70-80 pages in rougher draft, plus Chapters IV & Vthe typescript of which was circulated höre (and which I mailed back to youOct. 5). Anyway, you thought there would have been an absolute minimumof 3 solid months more k full-time work in it for your father. All in all,if you were working on it whole-time and your father part-time, would aminimum of 3 and maximum of 8 be about the right estimate?(It's so much better, and better reading, than the Doutscher, itought to come out as soon as possible. Incidentally, have you considoredthat the "Atlantic" or "Harper's might print chapters of it in advance?Chapters IV & V are certainly highly readable.)Ro completing photo book. what time do you estimate it would takeyou, whole-time, to do a photo-book worth doing? (Say between 100 and 200photos?). I should think an absolute minimum of a month, and much morelikely 2 or 3 months in actual practico, wouldn't you?You probably noted that "Life's WN II Picture History" occupied thefused talents of Life's entire photographic and editorial staff."But yours would be only 150 or 200 photos, and you have almost all thecaption material in your head or on your desk, so perhaps, with a cooperative publisher and cooper tive photo agencies, 2 or 3 months full-timework would do it?SECRET
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Please give all these details in writing, so we can make a decision. You could leave your carbon with HY/CO for safe-keeping, and arrange with them to consult it when and if necessary. Fully sterilized letters, about details of work-in-progress, we can exchange direct.The friend who was mentioned at lunch said he may be free to come and see you in a week or two. But please be extremely careful about mentioning him to anyone. He'll explain why that's important.Best regards,Billtwo carbonsSECRET
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Bill: This is not what I want. I want Shub to be told that we are paying hi to complete his picture book, but we hear that he is merelym promoting The Choice. What are the facts? When will the picture book be finished? I also want you to devise a system whereby we can check Shub's progress. Lastly, we could never allow a letter like this one to go through the mails. In the wrong hands, it would be TNT.JB3> [Figure] A hand drawn arrow pointing down to a handwritten note that says "*what about Stalin biography?" with the date "8 Now '50" and the word "SECRET" written below. The text "No. NY/00 1635." is also visible.
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DRA-P-T7 Nov. 1950TO SILBnyloo woc/0 LITMUR, who can keep this and subsequent letters in his safe, filed under HEADLEY, for shib to consult from time to time, if necessary. Sterilized letters, dealing with details of his work, I can exchange with him direct.D-R-A-F-TDear Headley (proudonim)Dear Boris,Re "The Choice". I hope the Overseas Press Club panel was a success.Nothing in the My Times" about it, but they don't usually write up those affairs. -I've seen nothing further in the "Post", o since the mention in the ed I sent you; will send you anything I see..I have a complete file, "The Choice", here, with all the reviews, etc. in it. I went fully into the question of ordering copies, and it is clear that it is not policy anywhere to promote the distribution of it (or for that matter, equally clearly, any other book). After all, if the head man himself / Bedell Smith / had written "The Choice", there is nothing in his official charter that would authorize him to promote it in his official capacity; on the contrary. Nothing anywhere against you personally or the book; it's just that there is no policy to promote any book of that wide scope,Therefore, as I imagine you gathered at lunch the other day / with IST/ work in connection with "The Choice" should be düring weekends and other free time.I hope Winchell's mention of it, and the good Y Times" review, etc., will help sales, and that if it hasn't gotten off to a fast start, it will develop as a creeper "sleeper"SECRET
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Re "Stalin" biography and/or Stalin photo-book.That leaves the question whether you are supposed to be working on completion of the "Stalin" biography or on the Stalin photo-book, er on both. what is your own proference?On the one hand,/Joe is arxious to get the photo-book done, and (2) the friend who was mentioned to you at lunch the other day / Winson/ is interested in it, and (3) we have already made a beginning on it, and, perhaps nost important, (4) it could be completed in less time than would be required to complete the biography.(Incidentally, please be particularly careful not to say anything to anybody about the publisher who was mentioned at lunch. (Swen. It could raise a really first-class stirk. 1 inson thinks other publishers, would raise hell if they found out the Government had gone into competition with them. Very important).On the other hand, what are your and your father's current security obligations x to Vanguard, in re the Stalin biography, and would you have difficulty in explaining to Vanguard why and on whose behalf you were taking two months (more or less) to do the photo-book, before resuming work on the biography? If so, that might be an argunent for completing the biography first.Please give me all relevant details as to the current status with Vangard,As far as anyone here knows, you have only oral instructions to complete the biography. According to my rough notes of a talk we had July 31, you had a contract with Vanguard, July '49, calling for a book "by David & Boris Shub" to be completed March 1, 1950. And as of June 10, 1950 your father had had a $900 advance on it.The copyright would be in your name, or in your father's also. I thinkSECRET
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it would be simplest to have them in yours alone from the start (or he could assign his to you), so that arrengoments for foreign publication / perhape by Swen/ could be made with the minimum delay mong cor the legal and security aspects.If I got it right, as of July 31st you had about 100 pages in pretty much finished form, about 70-80 pages in rougher draft, plus Chapters IV &the typescript of which was circulated here (and which I mailed back to you Oct. 5). Anyway, you thought there would have been an absolute minimun of 3 solid months more work in it for your father. All in all ring you were working on it whole-time, would a minimum of 3 and maximin of 8 months be about right? (It's so much better, and so much better reading, than the Deutscher, I think we ought to get it out as soon as possible. Incidentally, have you considered that the "Atlantic" or "Harper's might print chapters of it in advance? Chapters IV & V are certainly highly readable).What time do y ou estimate it would take you, whole-time, to do a photo book worth doing? (Say between 100 and 200 photos?). I should think an absolute minimum of a month, and much more likely 2 or 3 months in actual practice, wouldn't you?) I have bean keeping a file of everything done in the to produce the the 1,000 photos of photo-book line, such as "Life's Picture History of World War II" and "The Life of F.D.R. in Pictures", and note that/the former occupied "the fused talents of Life's entire photographic and editorial staff". Yours would be only 150 or 200 photos, and you have almost all the caption material in your head or on your desk, so perhaps, with a cooperative publisher and cooperative photo agencies, 2 or 3 months hard work would do it?