Minutes of the thirty-ninth Meeting of the sub-committee, held in the Secretary's Room, Great George Street, S.W.1. on Tuesday, 3rd August, 1943, at 10.15 am

THE SUB-COMMITTEE:- (i) Thanked Sir Harold Hartley for the excellent report which had been produced: (ii) Invited the M. E. W. to draft a Note to the Deputy Prime Minister to cover the submission of the Report of the Hartley Committee and the report now before the Sub-Committee: (iii) Instructed the Secretary to draft a letter to the British J.I.C. in Washington, asking that the Americans be approached regarding photographic reconnaissance of the East Indies oilfields and refineries. 2. AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE AND COGNATE ACTIVITIES IN INDIA. (Previous Reference: J.I.C.(43) 38th Meeting,Item 1). THE SUB-COMMITTEE had before them Telegram No.63416/I dated 1st August, 1943, from the Commander-in-Chief, India, to the War Office; Minute by the Secretary (JIC/1142/43 dated 1st August, 1943); and draft Memorandum (J.I.C.(43)329(0)) THE CHAIRMAN said that owing to the political factors involved, these were questions to be centralised at the India Office. THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE pointed out that the Directors of Intelligence were responsible for keeping the Chiefs of Staff informed on this subject and that a brief was in fact required now. BRIGADIER SIR STEWART MENZIES said that he had recently met General Donovan, Head of the American O.S.S., and he was satisfied that General Donovan had no intention that his organisation should interfere in Indian affairs. O.S.S. merely wanted a base for operations and were prepared to work in harmony with our authorities. There was no reason why they should not remain independent and carry out their own operations but they must get approval for these from the British authorities. THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE said that the O.S.S. representatives in India had not acted in accordance with General Donovan's statements of his policy. THE CHAIRMAN said that the problems ought to be covered by the directive for the Supreme Commander, South- East Asia. THE SUB-COMMITTEE AGREED:- (i) That these were questions that should be centralised at the India office; (ii) That Service Departments and the Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee should arrange to be represented at meetings on this subject at the India Office: -2-