500.C115/411

The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of Labor ( Perkins )

My Dear Miss Perkins: I have read over the memorandum22 of the meeting we had in your office on Tuesday, October 23, which was enclosed with your letter to me of October 24,22 and I find that the [Page 741] memorandum sets forth correctly the agreements we reached on various points in connection with our joining the International Labor Organization.

I feel I should point out, however, that with regard to point No. 4, with reference to channels of communication between this Government and the I. L. O., the method to be followed in carrying on such communications does not exactly include the participation of the Secretary of State in these communications which I had in mind. In my opinion it is important that this Department should be kept closely informed of not only the instructions which are given to the American representatives during the conferences or meetings of the I. L. O. at Geneva, but should be kept informed at all times of matters of policy and of importance, action upon which is contemplated through our participation in the I. L. O. I think you will no doubt recognize that there are times when questions might be considered in the I. L. O. which would seem to have no apparent political aspect, but which, through information which may have come to this Department, we might realize would require a particular treatment in order to avoid any international difficulties on our part. The manner of keeping us informed is something that I feel sure can very easily be worked out between our two departments.

I know from what you said during our meeting the other day that you are as anxious as we are that any action we take in Geneva receive the full support of all of our Departments here, in order to make more effective our participation in the I. L. O., and to assist in obtaining as great a benefit as possible from our association with that Organization. I feel sure that you will understand that my idea in bringing this to your attention is solely to accomplish those purposes.

Sincerely yours,

William Phillips
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