Cablegram 240 [1] CANBERRA, 15 September 1944
SECRET
Conference on employment.
In order to follow up the recommendation made to Governments by the I.L.O. that a conference be held on domestic policies of employment [2] we wish again to suggest the necessity of holding at an early date the conference in relation to employment as agreed to by the resolution of the I.L.O. or a conference with substantially the same objectives.
2. As the Government which sponsored the recommendation at the I.L.O. Conference, we would be prepared to take the initiative in approaching the United States Government. However, we see considerable advantages in the approach to the United States being made by the United Kingdom -Government in conjunction with Australian, New Zealand and other Governments you may suggest.
3. We should be glad to have your approval of these plans as we believe the opportunity, if lost now, may be very difficult to regain.
4. As you know, the employment approach to economic policy has been adopted by Australia, and the attitude of Parliament to international economic proposals contemplated, especially to monetary plans, may be greatly affected by acceptance of an international obligation in relation to employment and we should at any rate leave no stone unturned to secure such an agreement.
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1 Repeated to the N.Z. Prime Minister as no. 206.
2 See Document 117, note 3, and Document 145.
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[AA:A989, 44/735/58/7]