Letter (copy) : Refugees - contact with workers' organisations in England

              Secretary's. 
HVT/FC/EK/1046.
27th April, 1939
STRICTLY PERSONAL.
Miss Ethel Mannin, 
C/o S.I.A., 
21, Frith Street, 
Shaftesbury Avenue, 
London, W.1.
Dear Miss Mannin,
REFUGEES - CONTACT WITH WORKERS' ORGANISATIONS IN ENGLAND.
We have received a letter from a number of prominent people in the National Confederation of Labour of Spain (C.N.T.) expressing their desire to establish fraternal relations with workers' organisations in England. The names heading the list are Jose Gonzalez S. Barbera, Manuel Gonzalez Marin and Avelino G. Entrialgo.
A rather difficult position arises. The C.N.T. is not, of course, associated with the International Federation of Trade Unions, but there are certain technical difficulties, apart from the great pressure of time which we are experiencing throughout the Trade Union Movement, in affording the persons concerned the facilities which they desire. I do not desire to reply turning down their request as this would appear to be unsympathetic, but at the same time I feel that as refugees there is just the possibility that there might be some misunderstanding on the part of the Government if any general attempt were made for them to establish communications with organisations in England, even though they might be only on a quite informal basis.