500C.115 28th Conference/57: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State 38
[Received March 9—3:40 p.m.]
762. Re Embassy’s 238, January 25, 9 a.m.39 The Embassy has received a note dated March 7 from the Foreign Office reading in. translation substantially as follows:
The reply of the Soviet Government on the question of the forthcoming Conference of the ILO is transmitted herewith.
The ILO is an institution of the League of Nations and is under the administrative and political direction of the League. In as much as the Soviet Government has maintained no relations with the League for some time, the Soviet Government does not feel that it would be possible for Soviet representatives to participate in a conference convoked by the ILO. In addition it is considered by the Soviet Government that the international organization in question does not possess sufficient authority in order to fulfill successfully the dutiest connected with international collaboration in the field of labor. The Soviet Government also feels that more democratic forms of organization of international collaboration in this field are required under present conditions.