Evening star., 1946-01-20
IRIS May Become Nucleus
OF New Intelligence Office
State Department Bureau Proposed for Center
of All Information Concerning Foreign
Matters and Espionage
By Constantine Bro,pn

afine Br0Wn
eral hundred members of the now dis
banded OSS tOffice of Strategic Serv-
ices) organized early in the war by Maj.
Gen. William j. Donovan.
Col. Alfred Mccormack, law partner
in The New York firm of the late Paul D.
Cravath, has been placed at the head
of the new ambitious organization.
Col. McCormacks prewar military
knowledge was limited to the essentials
needed for corporal in the swanky
Squadron A of the New York National
Guard. He went to the War Depart
ment at the request of his law partner,
former Assistant Secretary of War John
j. McCloy, and acted for time in a
civilian capacity. Later he was made a
full colonel A number of assistants we're
placed under his orders, to make "esti-
mates" of the overall military situation
on the basis of reports from the profess
sionals in the Military Intelligence Serv-
ice at the Pentagon
The colonel was not particularly lucky
in the analyses he prepared for the
higher-ups including the Secretary of
War, his assistants and Gen. Marshall
and Gen. Eisenhower.
For instance, he reported to his super
iors in September, 1914, in contradiction
to the opinions of the professional INTEL
ligence officers, that the war with Ger
many would be over in 80 days and that
Germany could not stage a counter
thSnn 1fe .Sl l.,
to be wrong. But mistakes in the esti-
mate of country's military capabilities
are sometimes inevitable Some of the
best professional officers made a much
greater mistake when they declared in
July and August of 1941 that the Rus
slams could not hold out against the
Nazis for more than few months.
1t is in the field of political appraisal
which also had to be covered by the
MIS-that Col. Mccormack made his
greatest faux pas. His views were the
more impressive since, as civilian, he
was expected to understand politics bet
ter than the military man. He also had
at his disposal all the reports of Magic"
the machine which cracked all the
| SNN>o oA4N wac d Oh
the Understanding officials of the
| American Government with the most
secret reports picked up from codes
which other nations thought "unbreak-
able"
| In October, 1914, Col. Mccormack
| slapped down on the Red baiters" in
the War Department who on the basis
of the military moves of the Red army
| reported that Russia was following a
| political rather than military strategy
in the Balkans. Col. Mccormack took
strong exception to the reports of his
military colleagues which were based on
factual findings and write his own re-
port for the Secretary of War and the
Chief of Staff, stating emphaticaily
that Russia did not have the slightest
intention of Sovietizing either the
Balkans or Poland.
On many occasions the professional
soldiers held different views from this
New York attorney who came in con-
tact with high-level political and mill
tary problems only four years ago. In
all instances his views prevailed, not
because they were Sounder, but be-
cause the professional men did not
have the political backing Col. McCor-
mack had from his former law partner,
Assistant Secretary McCloy
Soon after the war ended. Col. McCor-
mack envisaged great intelligence Or
ganization. The matter of a unified
intelligence had been discussed for a
long time by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and every man connected with the SER
vices. Col Mccormack became keenly
interested and was convinced that un-
less he headed it, it would not answer
its purposes
Many Newcomers.
He took off his uniform and went to
the State Department, which was being
streamlined for the second time in
IL months. With excellent political
support he was given the job of organ
izing IRIS, whose head he naturally
became
He proceeded to streamline the de-
partment insofar as communications
were concerned. For instance, he in
sisted that all communications from the
heads OF the geographical divisions to
the Secretary of State or the acting
Secretary should be cleared through
IRIS. Several chiefs of divisions OBJ
jected on the basis that IRIS is COM
posed of nearly 1000 newcomers to the
department who have not been required
to go through the usual loyalty tests
and news of some highly confidential
matters might become known to out
| SiderS
These chiefs are supposed to advise
the Secretary on policies concerning
their divisions, and in most cases their
views form the basis of his policies.
Hence, their memoranda must be kept
as top secrets. Col. Mccormack insisted
that he centralize all communications
from inside and outside the Depart
ment. Despite the resistance offered by
several assistant secretaries, when the
matter was taken up with Secretary
Byrnes. Col Mccormack won-at least
temporarily. Mr.. Byrnes decided to
give the new system a four-months
trial.
Old line intelligence officers question
McCormack's discretion. Although mod
ern intelligence does not employ the
methods of Mata Hari or sinister men
wearing false whiskers, it must shun
publicity if it is to be effective.
We know that the United States is fun