MEMO SUBJECT: CONSULTANT FOR CUBA - EDWARD G. TICHBORN (P)
Originator: CIA
From: DAVIS, HORACE; AC/POLITICAL ACTION
To: FOR THE RECORD
Document date: 11/23/1959
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

RETURN TO CIA

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Do Not Reproduce

2'3 juverber 1959

MALDU! FUR THE ROCITO

SiJECT: Consultant for Cuba - Edwärd G. TIchbern (P)

1. Polioving the rocolpt of an affirativo fonte In regarde to ir.

The sena day I contacted Tichborn by phone and arrayed for a neeting in

Los angoles on 13 liovember.

¿. As scheduled, I not with fir. Tichborn at the imbassador Hotel

In ios ingeles an 13 hovember.

We reviowed the situation in Cüba in some

detail and I asked sim 1f he would be available to nake a TDY trip to Cube

to investigate possibilitles of our coalescence of tho non Communist oppostlon

to Fidel Castro Into a political organization. Tichborn stated that he vas

Eus! desirous of going, however, he said that the question cane. at a

particularly unfortunate time as he had just been retained by the lexican

Govercuont to bring a civil suit against those contractors, in the U.S: who

sub-contract tigratory foxlean workers. It would appear that according to

the agreenents resched between the contractors and the labor forces, the

contractors are allowed to deduct the cost of subsistance on a maximm of

$1.75 per day; from the wages paid the laborers. although in most instances

subsistance costs considerably less then $1.75 a day; contractors have been

allaholding the raxtin anount. The lexican Government on behalf of the

laborers are planning to bring suit agrinst the contractors for tho difference

athen actual subsistance costs and the anount withheld.: Tichborn stated

thrs of course this would be a lengthy affair, however, he felt that two to

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to Cube ion us. I also lad Tichborn sign a standard consultants contract

and gave his the cover company to which he should address his overt bille.

I pointed out to him what when he was actually sent outsido the country on

TrY, we would have to negotiate and amend the contract which would call for

parsari for his expenses plus a fee for his services. I asked him to think

about what he would have to charge for his services,

at the sase time I

painted out our pay scale was quite low but that I thought I could get bli

suzething In the neighborhood of 1500 for a month's vork, verdraing bim

that this sun reprosented $i3,010 per year wnich was the top salary for a

sorerrment ufficial.

Tichborn said that he appreciated the difficultios

inkerant in this tipe of thing and that he would need sono time to think over

what he would have to charge without subjecling himself to an undue financial

bardsbip:

I was such impressed with Tichborn's trodiate grasp of the

difficulties Involvod end the typo of operation I proposed for dia to

risiertato.

He issadiately cano forth with one ides which strick ta as quito

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W/KV

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good.

He pointod out that ono of tho first revolutions to taxo placo sa

codern tirus has tha l'exican rovolution of farcho Villn.

'He said that hts

Landly had bean intinately connectri with this revolutiun ant list he found

muny points of almilarity botueen tha aitermath of tho ladiesa Fevolution

nationalisation, agradanitora - ard Castro's present noverats. Ho polotod

out that this ins not a surprising situstion as Castro hirsell spent a

•considuralle anuunt of time in,Cubs and 1t vould bo na'ural tast some

of his actions shoulá follow this pattern.

at any brieflig sossians hold hetween wii and Tichborn. One palat which

particularly isprossed De vas Tichborn's appreciation of the situnttos, also

his early rocogriltion of the fact that one of our prine targets should be

members of the 26 July Moveneit who live bacome disenchanted as a result of

Castro's densgajjo actions.

In onier to save timo and lo allow Tichborn to give the suttor.

onough thought, I intend to propose to it Division tha: Tichbors case oast

next wok for two or thrce days,

to discuss the Cuban situation with

representatives of th.

it the end of this, he will return to los ingolos,

get the case underway and hopefully will be avalleble to so to Cuba right.

after the first of January.

is soon as I have cleared this with Why I

shall have the travel orders written and ask Tichborn to cora east.

Horaco n. Davis

acting Chief

Political dotion Diviston

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