Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Representatives of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), Representatives of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), Representatives of the United Mine Workers (UMW), and Others

S - Miss Asbjornson 678 DEPARTMENT OF STATE ARCHIVES AND NATIONAL SERVICE" RECORDS Memorandum of Conversation 1038 DATEJanuary 6, 1950 SUBJECT: Neeting with AFL, GIO and UMN Representatives, January 4, 1950 Secretary Acheson; Assistant Secretaries Perkins, Butterworth, NcGhee and Miller; lir. Cleon o. Swayzee, E/L. PARTICIPANTS: AFL - President Groen, Mr, Neany, lir. Woll, Mr. NcGowan, Mr. Doherty, lfr. Harrison and Lovestone. 010 - Mr. Carey, Mr. Haywood, Mr. Kyne United Mine Workers - Mr. P. Reed (All delegates returned from the organization meeting of the ICFTU held in London, November 28, 1949) COPIES TO: S/S EUR - Mr. Perkins EUR/RA - Mr. Tobin NEA - Mr. MeGhee ARA - Mr. Fishburn FE - Mr. Butterworth NEA - lir. Handley ARA - Mr. Miller FE - Mr. Sulliven E - Mr. Thorp GPA - Mr. Wiesner PL - Mrs. Carter 1--1493 The Secretary opened the meeting by congratulating the labor repre- sentatives on their notable achievement in London and indicated the Department's strong sympathetic interest in the new international democratic Confederation. He indicated, moreover, that the Departme nt recognized its own limitations in this connection. It did want to en- courage the development of the new organization in any appropriate Way possible. At that point he asked the labor representatives for their own impressions of the London meeting. President Green opened his remarke by stressing the complete AFL- CIO harmony at the London meeting. lie indicated that not a move had been made by either without the elosest consultation with the other. He pointed to the general unanimity on the part of all delegations present in their desire to thwart the growth of Communism,in every way possible. In this connection he stressed the fact that nothing in the Constitution of the new organization remotely suggested Marxism class struggle influence - that the new organization was completely non-Socialist in character. He reaarked further upon the broad interests of the new organization as indicated in the Manifesto of Economic and Social demands adopted at the conference. Each of the other labor representatives who spoke concurred in Mr. Green's remarka and ave special emphasis to the AFL-CIO harmony which had been achieved. In this connection there were even overtones of harmony over a wider area even extending to dorestic policies. Messra.