Page image

A.—7

The second Resolution was one concerning measures for the protection of transferred foreign workers and of foreign workers' and employers' organizations. After discussing this draft resolution clause by clause, the sub-committee proceeded to consider the terms in which it should be referred to the full Committee. The British Government member suggested that the present Conference was not the proper place at which a Resolution concerning action to be taken by the United Nations in respect of a problem that would arise when our military Forces occupied German territory should lie formally adopted, and also pointed out that one of the most important United Nations (the U.S.S.R.) was not represented at Philadelphia. He accordingly proposed that the text as amended by the sub-committee should be referred to the Governing Body along with the minutes of the discussion in the same manner as the proposed resolution concerning the government and administration by the United Nations of Germany and other totalitarian countries in Europe. On a vote being taken, it was decided, however, to submit the text of the proposed Resolution to the full Committee with a view to its adoption by the Conference The Resolution was finally so adopted. Among other things, it recommends that precautions should be taken to ensure the preservation of administrative machinery set up by enemy occupying Powers for handling questions connected with the utilization of foreign labour, together with all relevant reports and documents. It recommends also that the repatriation of foreign workers should be carried out with the greatest possible speed, the competent occupation authorities of the United Nations taking appropriate action to ensure that such workers are adequately fed and housed, that necessary medical care is made available, and that their safety and welfare is protected. Proposals submitted by the Office for the appointment of a United Nations Labour Commissioner were not accepted by the sub-committee. The view held was that any suggestions which the Conference might wish to formulate concerning the provision to be made for foreign workers, pending their repatriation, should be phrased in the widest and most generous manner possible. The relevant clauses of the Office text were accordingly redrafted to take account of these arguments. Other major points of the Resolution in question related to the abolition of all discriminatory treatment and to the restitution of funds or property confiscated in Getmany or elsewhere from international and foreign trade-unions, co-operatives, and employers' organizations. ECONOMIC POLICIES The sub-committee appointed to make recommendations concerning economic policy for the attainment of social objectives had one of the most important tasks of all the sub-committees concerned with item II of the Agenda (Recommendations to the United Nations for Present and Post-war Social Policy). Its decisions were embodied in two Resolutions ; the first, setting out the major objectives of national as well as international economic policy which in the opinion of the Committee and of the Conference should be kept consistently in view if the United Nations are to give effect to the promises proclaimed in the Atlantic Charter ; the second, requesting the Governing Body to examine problems involved in the incorporation of provisions concerning welfare and working conditions in the terms under which any international developmental works are to be carried out. It seems desirable, in view of the far-reaching implications of the recommendations made by the Economic Sub-committee, that they should be considered against the background ol the Committee discussions. These discussions are usefully summarized in the sub-committee's report, which, after stating that time and again the dependence of international economic policies upon political arrangements was pointed out, observed that in reaching their conclusions it was generally assumed by members of the Committee that adequate political arrangements will be worked out whereby the world s resources may be devoted primarily to raising Jiving standards. Subject, however, to this assumption, it was felt that the particular measures advocated would in themselves tremendously facilitate the major task of ensuring world peace. " Finally, to picture the background against which these resolutions were adopted, we must visualize the diversity of the problems that will be faced by the nations of the world when victory over the Axis has been achieved. In the first place, there are countries whose economy rests fundamentally upon export trade —countries, in other words, whose prosperity depends upon the prosperity of other nations and the policies they adopt. The need of such countries for co-ordination of national and international programmes to achieve full employment is referred to in the Resolution. In contrast to these countries are those which are more nearly able within their own national framework to develop rising standards of living. The essential conclusions to be drawn from the discussion of the problems of these groups are two : (1) there is a general desire at this period in the world's history, when we are preparing the peace, to develop co-ordinated international and national programmes that will ensure full employment and rising standards of living throughout the world ; (2) the international measures necessary to achieve the greatest volume of production and the highest standard of living can certainly be taken in conjunction with appropriate national measures which in combination assure full employment, but it should not be assumed that such international arrangements would survive a serious failure to maintain full employment. " The second pair of contrasting situations was oven more apparent. At one extreme are those countries whose productive resources, the heritage of generations of labour, have been laid waste as a result of Axis aggression. At the other are countries whose physical resources have been developed to a higher level than at any time in history, albeit certain parts of the equipment are useful oidy for the production of munitions of war ... " While the recommendations for national action have not dealt with many of the specific problems of countries whose resources have been destroyed, the problems of reconversion to peacetime production will be a significant one in every country. An international interest attaches to the accomplishment of this task in those countries in which this problem is of paramount importance, for the use of their productive .resources is necessary not only to maintaining the standard of living of their people but also to the rebuilding ol productive plant and equipment in other countries." The Committee in presenting the Resolution on economic policies proceeded from the basis that the fundamental objective for present and post-war social policy was the achievement of full employment, social security, and rising standards of living. In considering more specifically the measures

11