WORLD’S LABOR PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 17316, 1 April 1920, Page 3

WORLD’S LABOR PARLIAMENT

A NEW CHARTER. The first International Labor Conference held under tho provisions of the Treaty of Versailles has concluded, and the delegates of 40 nations have gone back to their respective ends of the world, writes the New York correspondent of the ‘Daily Chronicle.’ In tho quietude of the marble palace of the Pan-American building in Washington a work has been accomplished which will extensively, and perhaps deeply, if not rapidly, affect the future life of the world. The economic branch of the League of Nations is established as a going concern, while tho political and judicial branches are still struggling to get upon their feet. Briefly, the conference had a double aim; to found an organisation and to draft a first code for the betterment of labor conditions in all lands. Thanks to a remarkable spirit of good will and patience among the delegates of Governments, employers and workers alike, this has been achieved, with some few reservations and protests, but no serious dispute. 4 The conference will meet again, probably late next year, at the scat of the League of Nations. ; ‘Meanwhile a Labor office, probably installed in London, with the French Socialist leader, M. Albert Thomas, as di-rerrtor-general, will carry on under the, supervision of a governing body, which will meet every two months. This board will consist of -24 members, half of the.se representing the Governments, a quarter the workers, and a quarter the employers of the associated nations. The Governmental representatives will for the present bo named by Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina, Canada, Poland, and—pending the ratification of the treaty by the United States— Denmark. Tho delegates of Latin America and South Africa made a strong protest again«t the allocation of 20 out of 24 seats to Europeans; doubtless this distribution will bo changed. On the other ’band, Germany is given a Government, but not an employers’ or a Labor scat. Save for one Japanese place, Asia is not represented at all, nor are Australasia and Africa. It goes without saying that this International Labor League are not a superGovernment, that they can take no direct action to change industrial conditions. Their findings are, however, something more than pious recommendations, for by Article 18 of the charter the States have, undertaken that they will, “within the period of one year at from the end of the meeting of tho conference, bring the recommendations or draft conventions before the authority or authorities within whose competence the matter lies for the enactment of legislation or other action.” Six draft conventions received the necessary two-thirds vote of the conference, and were ‘so adopted, for reference to thcnational Parliaments. They are as follow : ■ Hours of Work.—Providing for a maximum eight-hour day and 48-honr week, with special provisions for Japan and other Eastern countries and some minor exceptions. Unemployment.—Providing for abolition of private and establishment of Government agencies, maintenance of an effective system of unemployment insurance, and prohibition of labor recruiting in one country for another except by special agreement. Worryuvs Night Labor.—Prohibiting it except,. in family workshops. Child Labor.—Prohibiting it under 14 years of age, except in Japan, wbere tbs limit is put at 12 years, and in some other less-developed countries, whoso conditions are being studied. Night Work 8f “Young Persons."—Prohibiting it. Maternity Protection.—Six weeks’ leave of absence to bo granted before and the same period after birth of a child; payment for time lost to .be made either' by the State cr by some form of insurance This is to apply to women employed “in any place where articles are sold or where commerce is carried on—” a venturesome demand, which the official delegates opposed.