Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, J. H. Oldenbroek, Secretary General, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, and Mr. Cleon O. Swayzee

s/s 9045 DEPARTMENT OF STATE ARCHIVES NATIONAL SERVICE* RECORDS AND n19 99 Memorandum of Conversation DATE: March 31, 1950 SUBJECT: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary J. H. Oldenbroek, Secretary General, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Cleon o. Swaysee - Labor Adviser, Office of Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs COPIES TO: s/s E - Mr. Thorp ARA - Mr. Fishburn NSA - Mr. Handley FE - Mr. Sullivan EUR/RA - Nr. Tobin GFA - Mr. Wiesner 1-1493 The Secretary congratulated Mr. Oldenbroek on his election as Secretary General of the newly organized International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and indicated that he appreciated the responsibility and magnitude of the problems involved. The Secretary further exprossed the Department's sympathetic interest in the develop- ment and program of the new organization. Mr. Oldenbroek expressed the belief that the Communist threat, though still serious, was on the wane, with France and Italy remaining the nost difficult countries. He expressed the belief that most French workers, though not Communist, had no basic organizational loyalty con- sciousness and presented a more diffieult problem than Italian workers. He said further that his own problens were nore diffieult because the Fronch Government would take no action against the Communist dominated French General Confederation of labor. Mr. Oldenbroek reported that the Communists were concentrating their efforts among maritime workers and dockers and reviewed the counter came paign organized by the International Transportworkers Federation. Mr. Oldenbroek indicated that the ICFTU had supported most U.S. foreign policy, noting especially ERP, NAP, Point IV, and economic inte- gration. In this latter connection he pointed to difficulties growing out of his belief that Europeans are no longer adventurers; that job security uppermost in their mimis and that they resisted changes which might impair present security. ECLASSIFIER Mr. Oldenbroek E.O. 10501