800.5043 F.T.U.I./5–1249: Circular instruction
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Offices 1
The Secretary of State refers to the recent split in the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), to the moves of the WFTU since the split, and to the preparations for formation of a democratic anti-Communist international labor federation, which are of importance to United States foreign policy interests, and encloses a paper, “International Labor Movements after the WFTU Split”, analyzing these developments.2
In addition to the general suggestions to the Officers in Charge in the Summary and Recommendations section of the attached paper, the Department requests the Officers in Charge to keep it informed of any significant developments in this field. The Department believes that discreet conversations with known non-Communist labor leaders—provided satisfactory relationships with them have already been established—might be useful in (1) obtaining information on [Page 828] the plans of the WFTU and its present affiliates, and on the plans and attitudes of labor organizations never affiliated with the WFTU, in (2) making known the reasons for the split in the WFTU and the plans—if and when positive plans are forthcoming—for a new democratic international labor federation, and in (3) making known abroad the attitudes of the democratic labor organizations of the United States. It is the Department’s belief that the activities of the major United States labor organizations can be of importance in furthering United States policy aims, and in countering Communist attempts to infiltrate and subvert labor organizations.
Since the enclosed paper was written, the American Federation of Labor (AF of L) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) have reached agreement to have the British Trades Union Congress call a preliminary meeting, in Geneva, June 25 and 26, to lay the basis for a new international labor body. This meeting will probably appoint a provisional committee to draft the statutes of an international, for consideration at a full-fledged conference of democratic labor organizations. The prestige relations between the two American organizations are resolved by provision for affiliation by the AF of L on the basis of 7¼-7½ million members, the CIO on the basis of 6 million, with each to have a vice-president if the new organization’s structure provides for such officers. Although differences of opinion naturally remain, and frictions are likely to recur, the way is now open for the creation of a democratic international labor federation by the end of 1949.