Telegram from Ambassador Walter Gifford to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State Roger 4 ORMA ION unp. 6112NS Action Control: VR 1618 P Rec' d: September 24, 1952 FROM: London 5:33 p.m. Info TO: Secretary of State EUR FE DECLASSIFIED UNA NO: 1714, September 24, 6 p.m. PROJECT USUN OLI EMBTEL 1620, Sept 19. 51.79 CIA ARMY Germ warfare. AIR NAVY SAM 1. FONOFF has evolved but not (rpt not) yet received approval PSB for program countering germ warfare propaganda. It involves: IFI (A) Raising these allegations at coming GA session as prime IBS example of Commie "hate" propaganda technique. (B) Bringing out White Paper describing BW campaign from start. (C) Obtaining scientific opinions on "scientific commission" report. FONOFF attempting persuade President of Royal Society to establish commission qualified British scientists to examine report. If this fails, it prepared to request journalist to circulate report for individual comments from scientists. 2. Meanwhile FONOFF is encouraging refutation and criticism of report. BBC overseas service is cooperating, and although press has carried little thus far, extensive comment probable following Needham press conference scheduled for a.m. September 26 and statement to Brit-China Friendship Assn same evening. 3. Commenting on "scientific commission" report on September 22, British Charge Lamb at Peiping said he thought it would be better tactics to ignore report. He had impression Chinese Commies dis- appointed at lack serious UK response to earlier efforts of their British stooges, and they would regard it as success if Brits were now (rpt now) drawn into detailed analysis and serious controversy over report. (FONOFF rep communicating above indicated FONOFF disagreed with Lamb on this point, feeling he did not realize effect BW propaganda had had). However, Lamb then suggested following useful points for counter-attack: (A) Report didn' t hide commission's connection with World Peace Congress. (B) Commission's SECURITY INFORMATION REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY, IF CLASSIFIED, IS PROHIBITED 13