500.C115 Mexico City/4–1246

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of International Labor, Social, and Health Affairs (Mulliken)

Mr. Ailshie8 stated that he was getting off an airgram as soon as possible but wanted to transmit the following information at this time.

The Panamanian question came up last night. There was a very heated debate and Senator Chavez “stuck to his guns” on the general resolution. It was agreed to appoint the United States Delegation, the Panamanian Delegation and a representative of the ILO to get together and see whether they could work something out.

The resolution calls for:

1.
Appointment of an ILO correspondent in the Republic of Panama and in the Canal Zone.
2.
Set up an investigating committee to go into the Canal Zone.
3.
The ILO to intervene with the Executive and Legislative Branches of the United States Government for action with reference to discrimination in the Canal Zone.

Mr. Ailshie hoped it would be possible to work out a general resolution without naming any countries.

Mr. Mulliken inquired as to whether the antagonism of some of the other groups would be incurred if Senator Chavez were to oppose the resolution.

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Mr. Ailshie said the Senator took the position that it was not fair to any one country and therefore he favored a general resolution, not a specific one.

The Panamanian Delegation had the support of the Mexican workers delegation and the Peruvian workers delegation.

Mr. Ailshie stated that Mr. Phelan9 and the ILO group had been very cooperative.

  1. William K. Ailshie, Labor Attaché and Second Secretary of Embassy in Mexico.
  2. Edward J. Phelan, Secretary General of the Third Conference of American States Members of the International Labor Organization.