A.—sc.

The deputy members elected for this group were as follows : — Mr. Schurch (Switzerland). Mr. Nemeeek (Czechoslovakia). Mr. Jensen (Denmark). Mr. Zulawski (Poland). Mr. Crofts (Australia). Mr. Krekitch (Yugoslavia). Mr. Kupers (Netherlands). Mr. Draper (Canada). As substitute deputy members, the following were appointed : — Mr. Chu Hsueh-Fan (China). Mr. Cerutti (Argentine Republic). Mr. Downes (Union of South Africa). Mr. Hindahl (Norway). Mr. Krier (Luxemburg). Mr. Peyer (Hungary). Mr. Roberts (New Zealand). Mr. Toledano (Mexico). The President announced that the new Governing Body would take office at the next autumn session. CREDENTIALS. The Credentials Committee, which is elected at each Conference under Article 7 (c) of the Standing Orders of the Conference, and is composed of a Government delegate, an employers' delegate, and a workers' delegate, reviews the credentials of delegates. The Committee this year consisted of Mr. Paal Berg (Chairman), Government delegate, Norway ; Mr. Curcin, employers' delegate, Yugoslavia ; and Mr. Jouhaux, workers' delegate, France. Normally the work of the Committee is a fairly formal proceeding, but an interesting situation has arisen recently concerning the validity of non-Government delegates from countries in which the once universal condition of there being three distinct bodies consisting of the State, employers, and workers has been wholly or partly superseded through the creation of new forms of Government. The wording of the constitution requires Governments to select non-Government delegates from representative organizations of workers and employers respectively. In some cases, objections are being lodged by the workers' group against workers' delegates on the ground that the Governments of the countries concerned have dissolved workers' organizations. In others the objections are lodged by the employers' group against employers' delegates on the ground that the Governments concerned have abolished the employing class. Apart from the technicality involved in the question of credentials it is difficult to see what purpose is served by these proceedings, since it is obvious that they are initiated not so much with the object of preserving the status of the Conference as of securing the exclusion of countries whose form of Government is not approved by the group lodging the complaint. Due to changes which have occurred in their systems of Government since the Treaty of Versailles was written, Russia, Germany, and Italy, three most important industrial countries, could probably be held technically to be ineligible for admission to the Conference. Germany is not now a member of the organization, Italy was not represented this year, and the credentials of the Russian employers delegate are in question. These three countries are illustrations of the fact that systems of Government have not the unchangeable quality of pre-war days, and emphasize that there is no assurance that the German and Italian, or the Russian system, or some system different from all of them will not be adopted in countries which at present retain conventional forms of Government. The spread of any such changes will increase rather than diminish the need, for international co-operation towards social justice ; and, as full international representation at the Conference is the object most be be desired, it seems that more useful purpose would be served by taking steps to infuse greater flexibility into the constitution of the International Labour Organization than by arguing technicalities under an obsolete provision. In the meantime the Conference adopted this year a recommendation contained in the seventh report of the Credentials Committee that the correspondence relating to the objection against the Russian employers' delegate be referred to the Governing Body " in order that it may examine thoroughly the problem raised by the creation of a new economic system which the authors of the constitution could not foresee, and may adopt any measures which it considers necessary or appropriate for the settlement of this problem." OBSERVATIONS. Any gathering of some five hundred persons from practically all countries of the earth, who have met for a common purpose, inevitably creates about itself an atmosphere reflecting the predominant trend of international thought. Those attending the International Labour Conference at Geneva are all chosen in their own lands for their professional, political, or expert concern with the social problems of industry. Politics do not enter into the discussions of the Conference, but the subjects discussed are generally of such a nature that most of them are liable to be brought into the arena of local politics. The attitude generally of Government and employers' delegates is accordingly tempered by their knowledge of ruling policies in their own countries. The impression clearly emerged that the policy of laissez-faire died of the results of the last depression.

4—A. 50.

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