INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AIRCRAFT & AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA—UAW

WALTER P. REUTHER . . . PRESIDENT
EMIL MAZEY . . . SECRETARY-TREASURER

RICHARD GOSSER . . . VICE-PRESIDENT
NORMAN MATTHEWS . VICE-PRESIDENT

LEONARD WOODCOCK . VICE-PRESIDENT
PAT GREATHOUSE . . . VICE-PRESIDENT

IN REPLY REFER TO
WALTER P. REUTHER
INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
1126 SIXTEENTH STREET, N. W.
WASHINGTON 6, D. C.
EXECUTIVE 3-7761

March 25, 1958

Miss Louise Crane
Iberica Publishing Company
112 East 19th Street
New York 3, New York

Dear Miss Crane:

This is in response to your March 20th letter concerning a direct appeal to the Senate and House committees concerning the protest for increased funds for Franco Spain. First, I believe it would be proper to make a presentation before both the Senate and House committee, the Senate committee, of course, being the more important. I believe William Kemsley, the New York representative of the ICFTU, could be helpful to you in incorporating in your statement information regarding the official position of the ICFTU. I believe, further, that an official letter should be directed to President George Meany of the AFL-CIO and George Harrison, Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the AFL-CIO, indicating that you are making this submission to the committee, stressing the position of the ICFTU and urging AFL-CIO supporting statements before these committees.

VGR:my
oeiu2aflcio

February 16, 1961

Mr. Victor Reuther
United Automobile Workers of America
1126 16 St., NW
Washington 6, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reuther:

When Miss Kent and I were in Washington last week we called
your office on the off chance that you might be able to see
us. We did not accept your invitation to meet with your as-
sociate because there was no urgency about our mission.

We wish to tell you that, because of changing circumstan-
ces and also because communist and fellow travelling elemen'ts
seem to be trying to exploit the Spanish issue again, we have
decided that the time has come to implement an idea which we
have had for some time: namely, to form an association which
will endeavor to wield some influence in this area. We con-
ceive such an association as being an amplification of the
"Iberica Advisory Board," The Executive Board will consist
of those members of the Advisory Board who reside here in
New York, plus Miss Kent and myself, plus two professors,
William Ebenstein of Princeton and Arthur Whitaker of the
University of Pennsylvania, who are authorities on the sub-
ject of Spanish affairs and both of whom have spent a good
deal of time in Spain recently. We did not assume that you
would care to be on the Executive Committee because your
time is so very much taken, however should you care to be
on it we would of course be delighted. In any case we hope
that these plans will meet with your approval, and that you
will at least continue your sponsorship of IBERICA.

We would be most appreciative of any suggestions that you
might care to make, both as to procedure and names of per-
sons whom we should try to enlist on our Committee from
the labor world.

With many thanks for your cooperation,

March 20, 1958

Mr. Victor G. Reuther
United Automobile Workers of America
1126 Sixteenth St., N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reuther:

First of all, we wish to thank you very much for the confidence in
Ibérica that you demonstrated by agreeing to sign our telegram to
Eisenhower. You will have read of the results of this protest, how-
ever for your convenience I enclose relevant clippings from Ibérica.

You will have noted in today's *N.Y.Times* the probable reason for
the Franco Government's sensitivity to our protest: a request for
a minimum of $250,000,000 annually, including $120,000,000 for the
present fiscal year.

I have just been talking to Mr. Thomas and Miss Kent about this.
We are wondering if it would be a good idea to follow up our Feb. 11
protest with some new move. For instance, would you consider it ad-
visable for us to request the Senate (and House) Committee on Fo-
reign Relations to let us submit a report or even witnesses when the
question of aid to Spain comes up? At this point I think that we
could present some pretty convincing material on the dangers of Amer-
ican identification with the Franco regime, and perhaps you would
have access to I.C.F.T.U. information, etc., that we might not have.

The question is, would you advise our taking such a step, and
would you be able to cooperate with us on it? Better yet, would the
AFL-CIO on its own take some initiative in this matter?

I am sure that you will agree that now the time is ripe for a
more aggressive attitude with respect to U.S. support of Spain.
And as "Telmo Lorenzo" has pointed out, a little genuine interest
in Spain's welfare on the part of Americans goes a very long way
in counter-acting anti-Americanism in that country.

Any suggestions that you might care to make would be most appreci-
ated.

30 JOURS ONT PASSÉ...

365 JOURS

* 1957 : année historique ? Certes oui, si l'on pense au Spoutnik, et aussi au Marché commun et à l'Euratom. Mais on ne le saura que lorsque l'on verra ce que les responsables feront des espoirs de tant de millions d'Européens.

* On peut imputer à l'actif de cette année qui vient de s'écouler : les progrès généraux de la science, la prise de conscience de l'importance du problème de l'Afrique (projets d'Eurafrique — Congrès de Bamakò) la volonté de réexaminer les rapports entre l'Est et l'Ouest, qui se traduit par un sérieux espoir de détente. On peut mettre à son passif : les problèmes qui restent en suspens, les conflits coloniaux en cours (Algérie, Chypre, etc.), les centaines de millions d'êtres qui ont toujours faim et soif et qui, faute d'obtenir une aide, restent une proie facile à toutes les tentations.

* **En 1957, le mythe de la supériorité militaire de l'Occident sur l'U.R.S.S., s'est effondré, fait qui, pour la première fois, oblige les responsables et l'opinion publique à regarder la réalité en face.**

* En 1957 l'hégémonie indiscutable des Etats-Unis sur ses alliés s'est tempérée, se heurtant à la première manifestation d'une volonté embryonnaire d'affirmation des pays européens.

* Enfin si en 1957 les événements politiques ont été généralement d'une importance secondaire, on a pu assister par contre à une véritable réorientation des perspectives humaines dont les conséquences à long terme sont incalculables.

O. T. A. N.

* Les 15 têtes ainsi que le secrétaire général « de la plus formidable des alliances » se sont rencontrés à Paris. Le public s'est émerveillé de voir Ike, chef du monde libre, prononcer sans peine ses allocutions. Moins populaire et plus discret, un autre chef souffrant (Adenauer) s'est taillé un beau succès politique.

* Si cette conférence n'a pas résolu les problèmes atlantiques, elle a du moins révélé l'existence de deux facteurs souvent insoupçonnés : le désir des pays européens de s'affirmer comme un ensemble et le souhait de tous (sauf peut-être de M. Foster Dulles et de ses proches) de tenter une négociation avec l'U.R.S.S.

* Impression d'ensemble : la détente gagne du terrain. Entre temps on insiste du côté russe pour une super-négociation à deux, considérée comme seule perspective réaliste.

POLOGNE

* Le ministre des Affaires étrangères de Varsovie a relancé le plan polonais pour la création d'une zone désatomisée en Europe. Acte de propagande ? Peut-être, **mais aussi autre chose** : un espoir d'en sortir (voir page 17).

FRANCE

* On prépare une loi-cadre pour la France (réforme de la constitution).

* **Jean Monnet plie bagages pour remplir une mission aux U.S.A. But : obtenir enfin l'emprunt de 430 millions de dollars.**

* Pendant le mois de décembre, F. Gaillard était froid avec Macmillan (livraison d'armes à la Tunisie, et chaleureux avec Eisenhower.

U. S. A.

* L'opinion publique est inquiète : la prospérité est menacée, le chômage augmente et les entrepreneurs sont pessimistes. **Récession ou dépression ?** Cette question (importante) de terminologie économique n'est pas encore réglée.

* Un syndicaliste avait prévu et proposé des mesures spectaculaires pour enrayer l'inflation. Il n'a pas été suivi, mais son initiative ne sera pas sans lendemain, car elle met en cause toute une conception du syndicalisme et des responsabilités patronales (voir pages 4 et 5).

CONTACTS

* La revue polonaise de Cracovie « Tygodnik Powszechny » publie, dans son numéro du 29 décembre 1957, un long article de Jersy Lukaszewski sur le « Forum Européen ». Ce Forum se réunit tous les ans, depuis 1945, à Alpbach, village tyrolien, et groupe des centaines de savants, d'intellectuels et de politiciens européens. L'auteur du susdit article fait l'historique de ce Forum de la culture européenne et analyse particulièrement la dernière rencontre au cours de laquelle le problème de la petite et de la grande Europe a été discuté entre autres.

* Lukaszewski note que les participants de la Pologne ont assisté pour la première fois à ce Forum et souligne l'accueil très chaleureux qui leur a été réservé.

EUROPE

* **Six personnages en quête de capitale pour l'Europe** n'ont pu arriver, après deux conférences et plusieurs semaines de marchandages, qu'à un compromis provisoire : renvoyer l'examen de la question à juin prochain. (Ce sont de gauche à droite sur la photo ci-dessus : MM. Pineau (France), Luns (Pays-Bas), Larock (Belgique), von Brentano (Allemagne), Bech (Luxembourg) et Pella (Italie).

* Par contre les six ministres des Affaires étrangères se sont mis d'accord sur le choix des présidents de l'Euratom (Louis Armand), du Marché commun (Walter Hollstein) et de la C.E.C.A. (Paul Finet). **Ce choix dans l'ensemble, est satisfaisant.** Signalons enfin la nomination de S. L. MANSHOLT à la vice-présidence de la Commission européenne de la Communauté Economique Européenne, de Robert MARJOLIN à la vice présidence de la Commission européenne de la Communauté Économique Européenne, de Michel RASQUIN à la Commission européenne de la Communauté Economique Européenne, et de Roger RAYNAUD à la Commission européenne de la C. E. C. A.

* Mais le choix de la politique économique à suivre reste encore incertain. A cet égard on note que **les syndicats exigent d'être représentés aussi au sein des organismes directeurs des nouvelles institutions européennes.**

3

["Labor in Franco's Spain", "Your Oct. 13 tabloid supplement, \"Spain Speaks,\" seems to me to breach the responsibility of a free press. The people of Spain are not free to speak out in their own defense. This fact imposes on all those who speak of them the moral obligation not to add further to their plight by giving wider distribution to the false propaganda of their opressors.", "Your editorial introduction offered the supplement as reliable information, not as the Franco propaganda which most of it was. Much of it, including an article on Spanish labor, was presented as pure reading matter, not labeled advertising (as was the blurb on Co-operatives").", "You took direct responsibility for telling your readers that Franco Spain has made \"tremendous economic progress in the past 15 years.\"", "Progress for whom? The International 'Confederation of Free Trade Unions' cites Franco's own statistical yearbook to show that the Spanish workers' purchasing power is less than it was during the years of the Spanish Republic.", "The ICFTU Fifth World Congress held in Tunis last July found that the situation in Franco Spain has not changed substantially since September, 1956, when Pasqual Tomas, General Secretary of the General Union of Spanish Workers (in exile), said in a report published by the ICFTU:", "\"At the present time, the purchasing power of the Spanish workers' wages is less than it was in the years 1931-1936. This statement is confirmed by the statistical yearbook for Spain published by the Franco government...\"", "In \"Spain Speaks,\" under the heading \"Labor Syndicates Powerful,\" Jose Solis Ruiz, Minister Secretary-General of the National Move-", "ment and National Delegate of the Syndicates, stated free labor's indictment of Franco's labor front in order to try to explain and justify the substitution of the corporate-syndicalist state for democratic government and free democratic unions:", "\"The Spanish syndicates are not organs of the state but have been granted the status of legal corporations and given a role in the conduct of national affairs far more important than our predecessors could have dreamed of.\"", "Note the words emphasized—granted and given. Each is an unconscious admission that the syndicates are creatures of the Franco dictatorship.", "I appeal to you to give space for Senor Tomas, speaking outside Spain because he could not speak these words inside Spain:", "\"Social legislation is something more than the mere letter of the law. Its value lies in the interpretation and application given to it. As there exist no free trade unions in Spain, the Franco social laws have no value.", "\"For example, the legal working day of 8 hours does not exist — it has been done away with. Over 90 per cent of the workers, salaried employes and civil servants are obliged to work from 12 to 14 hours a day in order to cope with their terrible economic situation.", "\"The right to strike, respected throughout the civilized world, is considered by the Franco regime as an act endangering the security of the state and is punishable with 12 years imprisonment...\"", "I hope you will agree that Senor Tomas should be allowed to speak in your columns.", "VICTOR G. REUTHER,", "Director International Affairs Department United Auto Workers, AFL-CIO.", "Washington,", "October 22, 1957", "Washington Post"]

GREETINGS: To Friends of Democracy and Trade Unionists Inside Spain

by

Victor G. Reuther

When the history of the two generations since the first World War is written
as it will be remembered through time to come, there is one event which will remain
as a monument of this era: that is the tenacious heroism and dedication of the
Spanish people.

Today, I am sure, more people appreciate how deeply indebted all of us in the
world are to the Spanish people, the men, women, and children who took their vows
to keep freedom alive, underground in Spain, or above ground in the terrible
alienation of the exile. Your perseverance in this cause has not been an act of
national egoism, has not been a grandiose Spanish gesture, it has been lonely but
brave, unrelenting sacrifice on behalf of all the world demonstrating that tyranny
is a transient unstable thing which will inevitably find its end in the refuse
heap of history.

The Spanish workers, by their strikes, boycotts, and protests, lighted signals
to workers under a similar oppression in East Germany, in Poland, in Hungary, and
to still other workers who, even now, are preparing their appearance.

Those of us who accept responsibilities in the international labor movement
know the present and historic mission of the efforts of Spanish workers. We
appreciate the truth that the casualties in Spain was blood spilled in defense
of our liberties wherever we live and work.

As the moment approaches for the glorious climax when you finally fetum
home from your exile or rise from your underground to repossess your freedom,
to unite the Spanish people at last with their magnificent aspiration, many
people will deeply regret their failure to make a greater commitment to you.
If at times this generation has seemed ungrateful, be assured that so long as
human greatness and the human spirit are honored, what you are doing will be
treasured.

Victor G. Reuther
Director, International Affairs Department,
UAW (United Automobile, Aircraft and
Agricultural Implement Workers of
America)

Congress of Industrial Organizations

718 Jackson Place, N. W. Washington 6, D. C.

EXECUTIVE 3-5581

Cable Address "CIOLABOR"

April 9, 1954

Mr. Norman Thomas
Care Iberica
112 East 19th Street
New York, N. Y.

Dear Norman:

Enclosed please find copy of CIO statement which has been sent to Stassen. You might be interested in hearing that I have just learned that 14 of the 17 Basques were convicted with sentences running as high as 14 years and five months.

With best regards,

Encl.

DB/mej
liu 1695 cio

December 7, 1953

Mr. Victor Reuther
Congress of Industrial Organizations
718 Jackson Place, N.W.
Washington 6, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reuther:

I can not tell you how encouraged we all
were by your letter of acceptance to be on the Iberica Ad-
visory Board. It indicated not only a belief in our objectives,
but also a confidence in those of us who are actively in-
volved in this project which I hope you will find to have been
justified.

In your capacity as member of the Advisory
Board, I should give you a short report on the developements.
As far as the Adv BOARD is concerned, this will have to be short
as the membership is strong on quality, but not on quantity, -
so far it includes besides yourself, the following: Robert
Alexander, Roger Baldwin, Frances Grant and Serafino Romualdi.
As you can see it is weak, to say the least, on CHURCH repre-
sentation, but I hope to remedy that situation before long. If
you have any suggestions as to anyone whom it would be suitable
and advisable to ask in addition to yourselves, I would be glad
to know about them.

The first Iberica will come out on Jan.15, in
Spanish and English editions, as we hope to build up a Latin
American circulation. We have been fortunate, I think, in ob-
taining an agreement with Jean Creach, the reporter of Le Monde
who was recently ejected from Spain for writing "tendencious"
articles, to write us some "tendencious" articles describing
his experiences, etc., in that country where he stayed for seven
years. We also have received articles from de Madariaga, and
from other lesser known Spanish writers, and we will be able to
list quite a few of the better-known names among French writers
as well as Spaniards, in our first issue as future contributors.

Miss Kent has asked me to convey to you her
thanks and deep appreciation to you for your help to Spain. She
also joins me in saying that if at any time you should have the
time and the urge to write anything for Iberica, it would of
course be very gratefully received.

I will endeavor not to impose on your time any
more now, except to say that suggestions and advice, literally
speaking, will always be most welcome.

Very Sincerely yours,

Louise Crane

To President Eisenhower

(Copy to be Released to Press)

In the name of American labor we urge that the request to be made by Spain's Minister of Commerce, who is due here on April 4, (or who has arrived here) for a large increase in economic aid for Spain in 1955, be refused unless the Spanish Government will provide ample guarantees of a liberalization of its policy with respect to labor.

Spanish labor is denied the elemental rights of organization and collective bargaining, and is persecuted for any efforts to exert these rights. American labor has been shocked by recent reports of sentences unjustly imposed on groups of members of former free trade unions in Spain, and by the long imprisonment without benefit of trial of union members charged with attempting to organize strikes. We therefore protest the appropriation of the earnings of American labor for the purpose of sustaining a government which denies our Spanish brethren the minimum rights of organized labor.

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1953
Iberica Publishing Co.
112 East 19 St.
New York, 3, N.Y.

Mr. Victor Reuther
c/o C.I.O.
718 Jackson Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reuther:

I was happy to have had the opportunity to meet you last week after the Memorial Meeting for Mayor Reuter (which, as we said, was unfortunately not for Franco, nor, for that matter, for a few other people I can think of) and I was encouraged by your interest in the project that I spoke to you about. I am, accordingly, sending you a brief outline of the new "Iberica" plans, as well as some copies of earlier numbers.

As I believe I mentioned to you, both Salvador de Madariaga and Norman Thomas have very kindly agreed to accept the position of Honorary Chairmen for Iberica. Mr. de Madariaga has sent us a statement to be published in the first issue, and has offered to write for Iberica whenever its Editor, Victoria Kent, should request him to do so. He has, in short, offered her his complete confidence and moral support.

Miss Kent, who will be Editor, is a person who is ideally equipped for this responsibility. She was a very distinguished personage during the Spanish Republic, Spain's first woman lawyer and first woman member of the Cortes, and she served as Minister of Justice in charge of the Spanish prison system, which she entirely reformed and modernized. Her's is a name which stands for absolute integrity and sagacity to the entire Spanish speaking world.

Miss Kent and Mr. de Madariaga's names will probably be the only Spanish names to appear on the masthead, as Iberica is primarily an American sponsored publication for the transmission of Spanish liberal thought to an English reading public. Its objective is really two-fold: to inform the American (and English) public as to the nature of the Spanish dictatorship, and to serve as an American gesture of friendship towards those elements

of Spanish liberal ( and, of course, anti-communist)
thought who may someday be reinstated in the political
life of their own country.

Our remaining problem, as far as the masthead is
concerned, is in obtaining a few more key names for the
Advisory Board. There are so few people who have retained
any interest in Spanish affairs (except for the wrong ones,
of course) that this, as you can imagine, is not an easy
task.

I do hope, however, that we may count on the invaluable
assistance of the CIO in this matter, in the form of a
personal representation on this board,-- such as your own
name, for instance ? This carries no responsibility of
any sort, in as much as it is, in name, an Advisory Board.
However any advice or suggestions would always be very
gratefully received.

As I told you I would be glad to come to Washington
to see you, or to meet you here if that should be more con-
venient for you. I understand, however, that this could not
be possible until December.

I have written in such detail in order to possibly
save your time, in case you could give me an answer by mail
without having to take time to see me. We plan to publish
the new Iberica in January, so I am, of course, anxiously
trying to get the question of our masthead set as soon as
possible.

In case you should decide that for some reason it
would be inconvenient for you to give your own name, I
would still appreciate an opportunity to talk to you about
these matters sometime in the future.

<table><tr><td>CLASS OF SERVICE</td></tr><tr><td>This is a fast message unless its deferred character is indicated by the proper symbol.</td></tr></table>

WESTERN UNION
TELEGRAM

W. P. MARSHALL, PRESIDENT

<table><tr><td>SYMBOLS</td></tr><tr><td>DL= Day Letter</td></tr><tr><td>NL= Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>LT= International Letter Telegram</td></tr></table>

1201

The filing time shown in the date line on domestic telegrams is STANDARD TIME at point of origin. Time of receipt is STANDARD TIME at point of destination

1958 FEB 6 PM 4 00

(56)

<table><tr><td>NBP098</td><td>PDF</td><td>FAX</td><td>WASHINGTON DC 6 325PME=</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">LOUISE CRANE, IBERICA</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">112 EAST 19 ST</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">OKAY TO SIGN MY NAME TO TELEGRAM TO PRESIDENT RE APPEAL</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">FROM SPAIN=</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">VICTOR REUTHER=</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">IBERICA=</td></tr></table>

THE COMPANY WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

President George Meany
AFL-CIO
815 - 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C.

Dear President Meany:

We sponsors of IBERICA have just received a telegram from
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, inviting us to
appear on Wednesday, April 2, at 10:00 A.M. This telegram
comes in reply to a recent letter requesting that we be
permitted to send a witness to testify as to why we con-
side increased U.S. aid to Spain detrimental to future rela-
tions with Spain. American interests.

In our statement to the Committee we plan to urge that
the requests made by the Spanish Government for a substan-
tial increase in economic aid be refused. We will point out that by contributing to the support of a
tyrannical government guilty of brutal repressions against
the Spanish people, who are becoming increasingly restive,
we are in fact placing ourselves in the position of being
accomplices of such repression. We plan to stress the recent
manifesto on Spain adopted by the ICFTU and to cite reports
from ICFTU representatives and other reliable sources showing
that U.S. support of and identification with the Franco Go-
vernment is only helping to prolong a situation which is ren-
dering Spain increasingly vulnerable to communist and anti-
American propaganda.

In accordance with recommendations from Mr. Victor Reuther
we had planned to write you and Mr. George Harrison a formal
letter urging that the AFL-CIO submit supporting statements
to the Committee. Now in view of the time limitation we hope

Mr. Victor Reuther
International President
UAW
1126 Sixteenth St., N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Reuther:

We have just received a telegram from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advising us that we are scheduled to appear on Wednesday morning, April 2, at 10:00 A.M. We had not yet followed your recommendation of writing President Meany however now in view of time element have sent him a telegram urging that he wire us a statement on the FXXAFL-CIO position on increased aid to Spain. Encouragement to President Meany that we have sent Paragraph 2, Meany telegram.

We would greatly appreciate it if you could telephone or wire us any further suggestions that you might care to make.

Sincerely yours,