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{
    "localId": "470155002",
    "label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Review of the World Situation as it Relates to the Security of the United States, Report 5",
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    "id": "470155002",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Review of the World Situation as it Relates to the Security of the United States, Report 5",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/470155002",
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        "President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 12,
            "logicalDate": "1948-02-12",
            "month": 2,
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{
    "seq": 7,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875437/875437-02-007.tif",
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    "ocrText": "SECRET\n3. INTERNATIONAL LABOR.\nThe conflict between the Communist and non-Communist elements in the World\nFederation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is rapidly approaching a climax over the issue\nof the European recovery program. The British Trade Union Congress (TUC), until\nrecently reluctant to force the Communists' hand, has now issued an ultimatum to the\nWFTU stating that if the Executive Bureau does not proceed immediately with the long-\ndiscussed meeting to consider its position on the European recovery program, the TUC\nwill participate in the separate labor conference of the 16 ERP countries called by the\nBelgium Confederation of Labor. This ultimatum has been rejected by the WFTU.\nThe Communist leadership of the WFTU has been trying to evade the issue in order to\nprevent the disruption of an organization which afforded the Communists an oppor-\ntunity for influencing and infiltrating labor movements throughout the world. The\ndisruption of the WFTU now seems inevitable.\nTHE SITUATION IN EUROPE\n4. THE UNITED KINGDOM.\nBevin's proposals for a union of Western European powers and the genuinely\nforthright attitude of the UK Government toward the USSR reflect the disillusionment\nof all but the insignificant group of fellow-travelling back-benchers of the Labor Party\nwith the possibility of cooperation with the USSR or of following a middle-of-the-road\npolicy vis-a-vis the US and the USSR. As long as Soviet intransigence continues,\nBevin should have no further difficulties in aligning UK foreign policy with that of\nthe US.\nAlthough industrial production figures continue favorable, UK official circles are\nincreasingly concerned over the dollar amount of the European recovery program and\nthe timing of its implementation. UK economic plans are based upon the assump-\ntion that US assistance will commence before UK's expendable gold and dollar reserves\nare depleted. The drain on UK gold and dollar reserves continues at an alarming\nrate, which may be accelerated by the recent devaluation of the French franc. Any\nsubstantial delay beyond 1 April in the US Congressional vote, or a serious reduction\nin the amount of aid, will leave the UK little choice but to initiate further retrench-\nments which would have seriously adverse effects on both the domestic and interna-\ntional position of the UK.\n5. FRANCE.\nThe program of the Schuman Government for the devaluation of the franc and the\nestablishment of a \"free\" gold market has brought to the surface the latent antagonisms\nbetween the economic policies of the Socialists and of the \"liberals\" in the Cabinet.\nThe Cabinet probably survived the devaluation crisis only because neither the Socialists\nnor the Gaullists were prepared to face the consequences of an overthrow of the present\nGovernment. Under these circumstances, the life of the Schuman Government is\npeculiarly dependent upon the success of its financial measures and upon the timely\npassage by the US Congress of the European recovery program. The Communists still\nDECLASSIFIED\nE. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E)\nSECRET\n5\nC.I.A. OSD letter, 31.77\nBy NLT- He , NARS Date 4.18.37"
}