894.5043/3–2846
The Chief of the Division of Japanese and Korean Economic Affairs (Martin) to Colonel J. R. Gilchrist, of the Civil Affairs Division. War Department
Dear Colonel Gilchrist: I enclose copies of two memoranda on the Trade Union Law passed by the Diet in December and recently promulgated. The first was prepared by the Far Eastern desk man in the Division of International Labor. Social and Health Affairs of the Department of State.45 He was largely responsible for the drafting of SWNCC 92/1, the official statement of U.S. policy with respect to “Treatment of Japanese Workers’ Organizations.” The second, which is in part a comment on the first, was prepared by the Assistant Director of the Division of Industrial Relations of the Department of Labor.46
I should like to request that these memoranda be pouched by the War Department to SCAP for the information of the technical personnel in ESS47 working on these problems. They do not constitute either directions for further or corrective action, nor criticism of what SCAP has done to date. The advantage of accepting Japanese initiated [Page 186] legislation, though it may fall short of our objectives at first, over a dictated prompt and full enactment of our views in the letter of the statute is fully appreciated. However, as their political education progresses and is reflected in the Diet and Cabinet, amendments to the Trade Union Law will undoubtedly be considered by the Japanese. These memos should be useful to SCAP in preparing for such further discussions on labor legislation as may take place between SCAP and the Japanese Government. How active a role SCAP may choose to play in such changes is, of course, a tactical matter entirely in his hands.
Sincerely yours,