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during this interval to prohibit the establishment of any new agencies of this character, and to subject such agencies already in existence to the public supervision of the competent authority, which is instructed to regulate the scale of fees and expenses of the agencies. Article 3, paragraph 4 (d), of the Convention provides that every fee charging employment agency conducted with a view to profit which is allowed to continue operations shall " only place or recruit workers abroad if authorized so to do by its licence and if its operations are conducted under an agreement between the countries concerned. , ' A similar provision is contained in Article 4 (c) relating to fee charging employment agencies not conducted with a view to profit. The Swedish Government, which is one of the countries that has ratified the Convention, is experiencing difficulty in complying with its provisions. In Sweden authority has been granted under the Convention for fee charging employment agencies conducted with a view to profit to place Swedish musicians and artists abroad and to recruit musicians and artists abroad for employment in Sweden. As most of the countries from which the artists might be recruited or in which Swedish artists might be placed had not ratified the Convention, and did not appear to have sufficient interest in the conclusion of agreements which were necessary to comply with the terms of the Convention, the Swedish Government found itself in a more unfavourable position by reason of having ratified the Convention than those other countries which had failed to ratify. The proposed amendments would overcome the difficulty referred to, but as the whole Convention is due for review under the ten-yearly review procedure it was decided by Conference to place the whole matter on the Agenda of its next General Session. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS This subject was considered following the request of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations which had been called upon during February-March last on representations from the World Federation of Trade Unions and the American Federation of Labour to consider the question " of guarantees for the exercise and development of trade union rights." It appears that these representations were made because of attacks in various countries on trade-union rights. The Council also referred the subject to the Commission on Human Rights. " Recognition of the principle of freedom of association " was declared in the Treaty of Versailles and in the preamble to the Constitution of the International Labour Organization to be one of the means of improving the conditions of the workers and of securing peace. The Declaration of Philadelphia (1944) reaffirmed as a fundamental principle that " freedom of expression and of association are essential to sustained progress." The Declaration also affirmed that the International Labour Organization has a solemn obligation to further " the effective recognition of the right of collective bargaining, the co-operation of management and labour in the continuous improvement of productive efficiency, and the collaboration of workers and employers in the preparation and application of social and economic measures." Thus the Conference was asked to consider a subject upon which very definite pronouncements had previously been made both by Conferences of the Organization and by other gatherings of the nations of the world. As a basis for discussion the Committee had placed before it a special report covering the history of the problem, a survey of legislation and practice, also a proposed Resolution concerning (1) freedom of association, (2) protection of the right to organize and to bargain collectively, (3) collective agreements, (4) conciliation and arbitration, and (5) co-operation between the public authorities and employers' and workers' organizations, as well as a list of points covering headings one to four. During the interchange of views there were many amendments and sub-amendments, the voting at times showing a substantial feeling against particular texts. The conclusions submitted to the Conference were thus reported as " a clear reflection of the opinions of the majority of the Committee."

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