54 smithsonian miscellaneous collections vol. i07 



Orientation 



As a byproduct of the information service, the Board was able to 

 assist in the orientation of individuals and agencies, an important 

 function in the Washington confusion. In answering a specific ques- 

 tion it was often possible to point out other agencies or individuals 

 with similar interests. Some of the orientation was even more direct. 

 The Federal Communications Commission was referred to the Office 

 of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs and to the Latin 

 American Division of the Office of Strategic Services for infor- 

 mation on the distribution of Germans and Italians in Latin America. 

 Dr. Collins explained to Navy Intelligence that he had not looked for 

 the book Java from the Air since all the pictures had already been 

 copied by the Navy, Army, and Office of Strategic Services. A man 

 from the Board of Economic Warfare was told where he could find 

 a copy of his own agency's African personnel list. 



The Board was able to eliminate some duplications by timely in- 

 formation. A conference, which allowed examination of the Area 

 Roster, convinced the Department of Commerce to cooperate rather 

 than start a roster of its own. A Naval Training Division lieutenant 

 who inquired about motion picture strips to use in training flyers. 

 was informed of identical work being done by another lieutenant 

 in the same Division. Many agencies were told to consult the Inten- 

 sive Language Program, particularly when they were considering 

 starting one of their own. The Board, on special request, furnished 

 the Joint Editing Board of the U. S. N. and U. S. A. a list of all 

 agencies working on the problem of survival. In one case the Arctic, 

 Desert, Tropic Information Center brought in a list of proposed 

 projects and asked the Board to check it for duplication of effort. 



Individuals were assisted in going about their jobs. A man from 

 the Office of the Coordinator of Inter- American Affairs was told how- 

 to go about getting a permit to allow Army Engineers to make some 

 maps of Costa Rica. One officer, before going to West Africa was 

 not only given pertinent mimeographed materials, but also introduced 

 to several Government employees who knew the particular region. 

 The Director commonly told Army and Navy officers about the ser- 

 vices available to them through their own liaison. 



The Board brought together people with similar interests, and thus 

 stimulated new and useful work. The dinner conferences were most 

 effective in this and important enough as a technique to merit sep- 

 arate description. However, there are other illustrations of this ser- 

 vice. For example, the Board learned of the coordinated manuals 



