Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General: Economic and Social Matters, Volume II

500C.115 28th Conference/6: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, November 13, 1943—midnight.

7193. In connection with Department’s 7053, November 9; Embassy’s 7767, November 9, and 7809, November 10;¹⁵ and earlier telegrams on the subject of an International Labor Organization Conference, the following is a recapitulation of the views of this Government.

On the assumption that the Soviet Government will be agreeable, this Government believes it desirable to hold an International Labor Organization Conference at the earliest possible time, certainly before the International Trade Union Conference scheduled for June and before August, as suggested by Bevin.¹⁶

As the first step in arranging for this Conference, this Government believes that there should immediately be held a meeting of the Governing Body or the Emergency Committee, preferably the latter. This meeting could be held in London and, as the Embassy has already been informed, Goodrich¹⁷ is prepared to leave at once.

The place of the meeting of the Conference can be determined after decisions have been reached on the time of the meeting of the Emergency Committee and the time for holding the Conference. Immediate determination of these two questions is imperative and you are requested to inform the British Government of the views of this Government and urge an early and favorable response on this subject.

For Confidential Information of Ambassador

Goodrich has gone to Ottawa this weekend at the request of Rive,¹⁸ who has just returned from London, to discuss with him certain problems relating to the International Labor Organization. It is expected that the subject of holding the Conference in Canada and the attitude of the Canadian Government to that proposal will be discussed. Upon Goodrich’s return, the Department will be better informed on the question of the place in which the Conference should be held. This Government still believes it is desirable to hold the Conference in Canada and still attaches great importance to attendance by Green and Murray.¹⁹ If Bevin can attend, that would be desirable, but the Department does not believe that the date of the Conference should be postponed for the sole reason of making this possible.

This whole subject has again been discussed with Lubin²⁰ and Miss Perkins,²¹ and the position set forth above meets with their approval as well as the Department’s.

Hull

15. None printed.
16. Ernest Bevin, British Minister of Labor and National Service.
17. Carter Goodrich, United States Labor Commissioner and Chairman of the Governing Body of the International Labor Organization.
18. Alfred Rive, First Secretary, Canadian Department of External Affairs; Substitute Representative of the Canadian Government on the Governing Body of the International Labor Office.
19. William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor, and Philip Murray, President of the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
20. Isador Lubin, Commissioner of Labor Statistics; on leave during the war to serve on the White House Staff.
21. Miss Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor.