740.5 MAP/3–250: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom 1
955. Att ECC. Urtel 900 Feb 16.2 Opinion here agrees with you that vigorous counteraction by non-Commie labor major element for producing Commie defeat in expected arms shipment strikes and considers ITF potentially most important internatl labor body in this [Page 273] connection. Dept notes with special interest actions and statements by European non-Commies, such as vote of Ital seamen and portworkers favoring unloading described Rome tel 598, Feb 14.3
While fol policy of no direct US Govt intervention in arms strike question Dept has been discreetly in touch with AFL and CIO and finds full weight of Amer labor support being given publicly to MDAP. Curran4 Pres. CIO Maritime Union and Ryan5 Pres. AFL longshoremen’s Assoc have issued statements supporting MDAP. CIO Exec Board last week reaffirmed support of NAT. Green AFL will make supporting statement at time he considers appropriate. Similar statements may be expected from other labor leaders. Lyon,6 US member ITF Exec, states he is actively engaged in raising funds from labor sources for ITF Vigilance Comite activities.
- This telegram was drafted by William N. Fraleigh of the Office of European Regional Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, and was concurred in by H. F. Arthur Schoenfeld of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. This telegram was repeated to the missions in Rome, Paris, Brussels, The Hague, Oslo, Copenhagen, Luxembourg, Frankfort, and Heidelberg.↩
- Ante, p. 269.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Joseph E. Curran, President of the National Maritime Union, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations.↩
- Joseph P. Ryan, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association, affiliated with the American Federation of Labor.↩
- Arlon E. Lyon, member of the Executive Committee, International Transport Workers’ Federation.↩