Office of the Historian

29. Memorandum From Marshall Wright of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, December 17, 1970.

SUBJECT

  • ILO and UNESCO Studies

I had lunch today with Jay Lovestone and George Hildebrand, who is chairing the ILO study.

Lovestone, for reasons which never became clear despite extensive discussion, made it obvious that he is distressed at the way in which the ILO and UNESCO studies are being conducted. As nearly as I could understand, Lovestone thought that you personally would chair the studies and that the bureaucracy (notably including State Department) would not be given a chance to express its views or water down the studies. I tried, I do not think with success, to explain that the integrity of the studies is enhanced by the participation of all those that have an interest, and that we have no intention of permitting the studies to deteriorate into whitewash.

Both to Hildebrand’s and my great surprise, Jay does not think that the AFL/CIO should express its views regarding the ILO. I am at a loss to explain this, unless he feels that he and Mr. Meany have gotten considerably out in front of what their organization will approve. In that connection, Jay was quite outspoken in expressing the view that the United States should not get out of the ILO, should not refuse to pay its assessment, but should, rather, go ahead and pay the dues but work with greater vigor to serve our own interests within the ILO. That is hardly a revolutionary position, and would not require the kind of thorough-going review which Lovestone stimulated in the first place.

We are of course going ahead with the review in any event and despite the moderate position which Jay is now taking, I have learned enough about the ILO to know that the study is thoroughly needed and long overdue.

Incidentally, the UNESCO study is now moving along nicely. Retired Ambassador Bob Woodward has been hired by State to honshu the whole operation and this should insure that it has the kind of consistent and authoritative leadership required.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 300, Agency Files, USUN, Vol. VI. Confidential. Sent for information.↩