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SECRET 25 atives of the industries or occupations con- munists to undermine the Labor Government cerned. and ultimately the United Kingdom; and the The unions have been the strongest single educational campaign of the union leaders force in the growth of the Labor Party. The and the Labor Party to convince the rank- TUC speaks for organized labor, which pro- and-file of the facts about Communism and vides the bulk of the finance and represents the USSR. Communists in the labor move- about five-sixths of the voting membership of ment have never had great influence over or- the Labor Party. The General Council is ganized labor but they have had a persistent continuously consulted regarding all legisla- nuisance value. This limited capability has tive measures and important policies pro- steadily declined over the past two years. posed by the Labor Government and its recom- TUC pressure on unions to eliminate Com- mendations have an important influence on munist officers has been moderately success- the positions taken by the government. It ful and is expected to continue so. Although cannot be said that either the Labor Party Communists still hold on to leading positions or the TUC exerts dominant control over the in several unions, they are effectively re- other. One indication of this from the TUC strained by the fear of repudiation from using point of view is the decline of trade union their influence for political ends and they must members among the Labor members of Parlia- act with great caution even on economic ment from 86 percent in 1918 to 30 percent in issues. 1945. Most Government and Labor Party ac- The TUC was the moving force in the estab- tion is the result of agreement or compromise lishment after World War II of the World between the TUC General Council and Labor Federation of Trade Unions. Having recently Party leaders. withdrawn from that body after failing to pre- The British trade union movement is essen- vent its exploitation by the USSR for political tially moderate, conservative, nationalistic, ends, the TUC is expected to be a moving and relatively mature in outlook. There is a force, together with US labor, in the organi- considerable element within the TUC, particu- zation of a new non-Communist international larly its officers, which realizes that if the labor organization. The TUC is also the trade union movement is to retain its present major influence in the OEEC's Trade Union powerful political position in the United King- Advisory Committee, and has long been re- dom, if the Labor Party is to continue to hold garded as a leader by non-Communist national the confidence of the country, and if the TUC labor organizations in Europe. is to remain a leader of the international labor b. The Co-operative Union. movement, it must wean the labor rank-and- The Co-operative Union, established in 1844, file away from their traditional preoccupation is an association of societies in the co-operative with the employer-employee struggle and pro- movement. The Union, whose current mem- mote a sense of responsibility for the national bership numbers about nine million, is en- good. The leaders have been acting to this tirely voluntary and has no legal compulsions, end for some time now, with moderately en- financial obligations, or supervisory control. couraging results. Individual co-operative societies enjoy com- Traditionally tolerant of Communists and plete autonomy. The function of the Union impressed by a romantic picture of the Rus- is to promote, defend, and extend cooperation sian revolution, and more recently imbued as a national service. Its Central Board, with a sense of comradeship flowing from the elected through constituent societies, guides common cause in World War II, the trade the policy of the movement-not only its trad- union movement has only become anti-Soviet ing and economic policy, but also its social, and anti-Communist during the past year or educational, and political outlook-subject two. This attitude has resulted from three in- always to the Co-operative Congress, the an- fluences: a realization of the expansionist and nual delegate gathering. It has its own Par- totalitarian nature of Soviet Communism; the liamentary committee and secures direct rep- increasingly transparent goal of British Com- resentation in Parliament through one of

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    "ocrText": "SECRET\n25\natives of the industries or occupations con-\nmunists to undermine the Labor Government\ncerned.\nand ultimately the United Kingdom; and the\nThe unions have been the strongest single\neducational campaign of the union leaders\nforce in the growth of the Labor Party. The\nand the Labor Party to convince the rank-\nTUC speaks for organized labor, which pro-\nand-file of the facts about Communism and\nvides the bulk of the finance and represents\nthe USSR. Communists in the labor move-\nabout five-sixths of the voting membership of\nment have never had great influence over or-\nthe Labor Party. The General Council is\nganized labor but they have had a persistent\ncontinuously consulted regarding all legisla-\nnuisance value. This limited capability has\ntive measures and important policies pro-\nsteadily declined over the past two years.\nposed by the Labor Government and its recom-\nTUC pressure on unions to eliminate Com-\nmendations have an important influence on\nmunist officers has been moderately success-\nthe positions taken by the government. It\nful and is expected to continue so. Although\ncannot be said that either the Labor Party\nCommunists still hold on to leading positions\nor the TUC exerts dominant control over the\nin several unions, they are effectively re-\nother. One indication of this from the TUC\nstrained by the fear of repudiation from using\npoint of view is the decline of trade union\ntheir influence for political ends and they must\nmembers among the Labor members of Parlia-\nact with great caution even on economic\nment from 86 percent in 1918 to 30 percent in\nissues.\n1945. Most Government and Labor Party ac-\nThe TUC was the moving force in the estab-\ntion is the result of agreement or compromise\nlishment after World War II of the World\nbetween the TUC General Council and Labor\nFederation of Trade Unions. Having recently\nParty leaders.\nwithdrawn from that body after failing to pre-\nThe British trade union movement is essen-\nvent its exploitation by the USSR for political\ntially moderate, conservative, nationalistic,\nends, the TUC is expected to be a moving\nand relatively mature in outlook. There is a\nforce, together with US labor, in the organi-\nconsiderable element within the TUC, particu-\nzation of a new non-Communist international\nlarly its officers, which realizes that if the\nlabor organization. The TUC is also the\ntrade union movement is to retain its present\nmajor influence in the OEEC's Trade Union\npowerful political position in the United King-\nAdvisory Committee, and has long been re-\ndom, if the Labor Party is to continue to hold\ngarded as a leader by non-Communist national\nthe confidence of the country, and if the TUC\nlabor organizations in Europe.\nis to remain a leader of the international labor\nb. The Co-operative Union.\nmovement, it must wean the labor rank-and-\nThe Co-operative Union, established in 1844,\nfile away from their traditional preoccupation\nis an association of societies in the co-operative\nwith the employer-employee struggle and pro-\nmovement. The Union, whose current mem-\nmote a sense of responsibility for the national\nbership numbers about nine million, is en-\ngood. The leaders have been acting to this\ntirely voluntary and has no legal compulsions,\nend for some time now, with moderately en-\nfinancial obligations, or supervisory control.\ncouraging results.\nIndividual co-operative societies enjoy com-\nTraditionally tolerant of Communists and\nplete autonomy. The function of the Union\nimpressed by a romantic picture of the Rus-\nis to promote, defend, and extend cooperation\nsian revolution, and more recently imbued\nas a national service. Its Central Board,\nwith a sense of comradeship flowing from the\nelected through constituent societies, guides\ncommon cause in World War II, the trade\nthe policy of the movement-not only its trad-\nunion movement has only become anti-Soviet\ning and economic policy, but also its social,\nand anti-Communist during the past year or\neducational, and political outlook-subject\ntwo. This attitude has resulted from three in-\nalways to the Co-operative Congress, the an-\nfluences: a realization of the expansionist and\nnual delegate gathering. It has its own Par-\ntotalitarian nature of Soviet Communism; the\nliamentary committee and secures direct rep-\nincreasingly transparent goal of British Com-\nresentation in Parliament through one of"
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