<--PREV Doc #1854  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1856 Document #1855; April 27, 1956 To John Foster Dulles Series: EM, AWF, Dulles-Herter Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVI - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part IX: "Concerning my political intentions"; December 1955 to April 1956 Chapter 19: The goal: A "durable peace"   Dear Foster: I have been reading in the papers something of the argument about the ILO condemnation of forced labor. I am a bit hazy on exactly what is intended. Particularly I am puzzled as to the propriety of this country making itself a party to an international treaty that would purport to govern internal affairs of any nation.1 However, and most important, the American opposition to forced labor must be so clearly stated that there can be no impression anywhere that we condone or support this type of thing anywhere in the world. I think that our statements from here and the statements of our representative at the ILO in June should be carefully worked out to show that we join in the readiness to condemn such practices and merely abstain from becoming a party to a treaty because of our own Constitution and our understanding of the UN Charter.2 (Incidentally, I do not believe even Bricker could find any objection to our participation in a treaty condemning forced labor, because such a treaty would completely conform to our Constitution.)3 I understand that we are to have a meeting on this whole subject Monday, but meantime I thought I would send you this note.4 As ever 1 The International Labor Organization was a specialized agency of the United Nations that sought to improve the economic well-being of workers throughout the world. On April 25 the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee had debated a resolution, submitted by Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey, stating that the United States should exercise leadership in the ILO "to develop and adopt an international convention to effectively outlaw forced labor." A State Department spokesman had supported the purpose of the resolution but commented that the treaty-making power outlined in the Constitution was not designed to protect the citizens of other countries against their governments (Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, vol. XIV, May 4, 1956, 506-7; see also Congressional Quarterly Almanac, vol. XII, 1956, p. 488; State, Foreign Relations, 1955-1957, vol. XI, United Nations and General International Matters, p. 71; and New York Times, Apr. 20, 26, 1956). 2 Charles Henry Smith, Jr., an Ohio manufacturer, and George Philip Delaney, international representative of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, would head the United States delegation to the conference beginning on June 6 in Geneva. 3 For background on Ohio Senator John W. Bricker's attempts to amend the treaty-making powers of the Executive Branch see no. 118. 4 "You hit the nail on the head" by questioning the propriety of such a convention, Dulles would tell Eisenhower on this same day. Implicitly, treaties should deal only "with the normal subject of treaty making, namely, the advancement of the interests of the United States and its citizens by contract with other nations." The State Department was opposing ILO conventions that were "not properly within our treaty-making power," Dulles said. "We are, however, advocating declarations, resolutions, and the like, designed to throw our influence against the practice of forced labor and similar reprehensible practices throughout the world" (AWF/D-H). Eisenhower would express similar opinions at his May 9 news conference (see Public Papers of the Presidents: Eisenhower, 1956, pp. 475-76; see also New York Times, May 9, 1956). In addition to the President and Secretary Dulles, Attorney General Brownell and Labor Secretary Mitchell would attend the meeting on April 30. For developments see no. 1859. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To John Foster Dulles, 27 April 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1855. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1855.cfm <--PREV Doc #1854  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1856

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission 1629 K Street, NW Suite 801 Washington DC 20006 Phone: 202.296.0004    Fax: 202.296.6464