Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The American Republics, Volume IX

710 FEAC/3–1945

Memorandum by the Director, Office of Financial and Development Policy ( Collado ) to the Assistant Secretary of State ( Rockefeller )

[ Washington ,] March 19, 1945.

Subject: Meeting of IFEAC² of March 22, 1945.

Mr. Rockefeller: In addition to any routine agenda, which will be brought separately to your attention, the principal business of meeting should involve a report on the Mexico City Conference,³ its actions re IFEAC, and the forthcoming Technical Conference.

1. Summary of Economic Resolutions of Mexico City—There is attached a memorandum⁴ which I have prepared for Mr. Clayton⁵ on this subject.

2. Effect on IFEAC of the resolution on the Inter-American system—The pertinent paragraph is no. 7:⁶

“7. In place of the emergency organ which now exists and which is known as the Inter-American Financial and Economic Advisory Committee, there is hereby created a permanent Inter-American Economic and Social Council, subsidiary to the Governing Board of the Pan American Union, the members of which shall be designated by the respective Governments, and which shall be empowered:

• “a) To carry out recommendations of the International Conferences of American States;
• “b) To serve as the coordinating agency for all official inter-American economic and social activities;
• “c) To promote the social progress and the raising of the standard of living of all the American peoples;
• “d) To undertake studies and other activities upon its own initiative or upon the request of any American government;
• “e) To collect and prepare reports on economic and social subjects for the use of the American Republics;
• “f) To maintain liaison with the corresponding organ of the general international organization when established and with existing or projected specialized international agencies in the economic and social field.

“The Governing Board of the Pan American Union is authorized to organize provisionally the Inter-American Economic and Social Council. The permanent organization will be provided for by the Ninth International Conference of American States.”⁷

I would interpret this to mean that IFEAC ceases its separate existence at once. I would suggest that you state that you believe it would be desirable for you and the Vice Chairman to be empowered to discuss at once with the Governing Board of the Pan American Union measures by which the present IFEAC may be transformed into the Economic and Social Council, retaining its funds, staff, etc., at least pending the Ninth Conference.

3. Reorganization of IFEAC—I suggest that you recommend that a subcommittee at once study the organization of IFEAC (Economic and Social Council) with a view to meeting the broader responsibilities laid down in the paragraph quoted above, and to meeting the requirements of adequate preparations for the June Technical Conference. For example, a subcommittee on social and labor questions is obviously needed. Some rearrangement of the existing subcommittees will probably be desirable. I would recommend that the Commission on Administration plus your representative (presumably myself) undertake this work.

4. June Technical Conference—The group mentioned above should also lay out the work necessary, in accordance with the various determinations of Mexico City, to prepare adequately for the June Conference. You may wish to mention that the United States will be prepared to furnish technical aid on these many questions.

5. Telegram to the Governments—In accordance with Resolution XVII of the Mexico City Conference, IFEAC must request certain information of the governments. Gardel⁸ has circulated the attached draft telegram⁹ which is satisfactory as a preliminary request and should be approved for transmission. A more complete questionnaire should be compiled quickly, probably by the same group suggested above.

2. Inter-American Financial and Economic Advisory Committee, the predecessor of the Inter-American Social and Economic Council. For documentation on the Committee, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 345 ff., and ibid., 1941, vol. vi, pp. 185 ff.
3. For documentation on this Conference, see pp. 1 ff.
4. Infra.
5. William L. Clayton, Assistant Secretary of State.
6. For text of the Resolution (IX), see Pan American Union, Final Act of the Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace, Mexico City, February–March, 1945 (Washington, 1945), p. 44.
7. This Conference, scheduled to meet in Bogotá in 1946, was actually held from March 30 to May 2, 1948.
8. L. Delgado Gardel, Secretary General of the Inter-American Financial and Economic Advisory Committee.
9. Not printed.