/ s-

ALLIED FORCE HEADQUARTERS

Civil Affairs Office

Dr. Fred L. Soper,
c/o Pasteur InsSi-Lute,
Algiers.

Dear Dr. doper, 3r,

  Y'ken.you first arrived in Korth Africa front Cairo we disclussed my
contention that the operations of your group should he ink.y,rzted with
those of ,the CF'R briedical Division.   At that time you ?:ere not of a mind
to formalize such an integration through a "lriemorendum of Und,:rstanding"
which we believed necessary before we,could undertake the responsibilities
incident to procuring or providing government transportation, office
space and office service, mail and airgram service and the importation
or, while awaiting importation, the temporary release of supplies from
2. S. Army medical depots.

$! `q.
        ,L       Today we have received a copy of an airgrem from IO. Cordell liull
  i .f   to the American Consul, Algiers, &ted August 17, which says in part:
J i p  ..J Dr. Fosdick will indicate to his representatives in Xorth Africa the
        necessity for coordinating Rockefeller Foundation activities aith the
,+%

   The ylork you are s&shing and willing to do in Borth Africa is im-
portant and you may make a most important contribution to impending
typhus epidemics here, and in fu-%re fields of operations, through what
you accomplish this winter.

  We have every intentic~ of assisting you, but we are unable to ac-
oept responsibility for full assistance unless in some way you become an
integrated research unit of this Division.   By this itre mean a functional
unit.  Xe do not ask and have no right to seek a scientific or an ac-
counting of funds responsibility.   That is your responsibility to the
Foundation.  Liut we need to participate mith you in all the other
phases of your work from a functional and policy standpoint if we are
to be of maximum service to you.

   A precedent and an illustration of what we are Iroposing is the
integration of the "Friends" into the Kission.   ;heir program is
faoilitated and augmented by this integration but they continue to
aocount for their expenditures and to report on their prograil to the
parent organization in the St;a$es.

   The experience and the results obtained by your investigations
here in North Africa can be most useful in the Gropean countries which
are liberated in the frture end which are assigned as responsibilities
of &neri.oan relief and rehabilitation operations.   Ye shell want to
use your organization there, providis of course, that you wish to be
used, on any typhus control problan that may develop.   But we cannot
bring you fonziard to operate with us as an independent agency.   As an


,Tot Dr. Soper           30 August 1943

Page 2

integrated unit of the Medical Division you can operate with us and,
as a component of the Medical Division of a United States tiission,
you can obtain through us the facilities with which to move and
operate.

  Please give this subject your studied attention and if you wish
to, please draw up a memorandum of understanding of your own for our
studcy.  I oan assure you that if it provides for the principles
covered here it till be acceptable to Mr. Fryer, the Chief of this
Mission.

  Ne repeat that our intention is to help you do a job and to of-
fer you through the ch&rnels set up.here an opportunity for your
maximum effort, but xef~~~ot beoome involved in uncertain relationships
which, as a result, involve uncertain responsibilities.

Respeotfully,
($L4@&$4HL
Dudley A. Reekie, Chief
Medical Division
NAEB