and minimised.
this doctrine.
The British Government could not entirely support The British Government was reluctant to appear to be attempting to influence the views of British employers' and workers' representatives because of the tripartite structure of the ILO but the situation now created by the United States was exceptionally serious and there was an obvious need to compare notes with CBI and TUC representatives. Although this liaison took place to some extent at ILO meetings in Geneva, a need seemed to exist for an exchange of views in London. Today's meeting might be a suitable opportunity to consider the implications of a longer term possibility, viz that the British Government as a result of structural change might ultimately lose its permanent seat on the Governing Body.
24. Mr Jones said that the TUC would not object to discussing with the Government their views on I10 matters. Contact would still be desirable even if there was no such major issue as the threat of US withdrawal. The TUC wanted the United States to remain in membership of the ILO and would help in any way it could to secure US support for the Organisation. The TUC also wanted British influence to be maintained and strengthened in the Governing Body. Mr Parry added that it was easy to sympathise with the aim of the United States to limit or eliminate political arguments at ILO meetings. His personal experience in the Conference Resolutions Committee had convinced him of the need to limit political discussions
25. Mr Coates agreed that the CBI would welcome close liaison with the Government and the TUC. This should be a continuing process as already appeared to be the case between representatives of Western governments. It was difficult to see what could be done to encourage the United States to retain its membership in the event of their being defeated this year on an issue of major importance to them. If this happened, American public opinion would force with- drawal. US employers appeared to the CBI to have little regard for the ILO and to be unwilling to quarrel with the AFL-CIO on the membership issue. The US position was :: inflexible that it seemed unlikely that their objectives could be easily satisfied. British employers could not entirely agree with all the objections raised by the Americans against the 110. The CBI shared the view expressed by the TUC that the position of the British Government in the IIO and its Governing Body should not be weakened.
26. Mr Forward emphasised that the British Government supported the need to limit political discussion in the ILO but there was a danger that the amendments put forward by the Americans to Article 17 of the Conference Standing Orders could be represented as procedurally unworkable and as an attempt by the Americans to abolish the Resolutions Committee. The British Government would examine whether the American amendments can be modified to improve the chances of their acceptance. In discussion it was pointed out that, fortunately, the three major international trade union organisations (ICFTU, WCL and WPTU) all wanted the United States to remain a member and were possibly developing a strategy to achieve this.
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