A—7a

The lines on which the central problem of raising productivity should be tackled were then outlined : What is needed is a resolute attack on several fronts at once. A great increase in the output o food and other agricultural products is urgently necessary, but there must also be concurrent development of industry and transport. The mechanisms of trade and finance must be improved. None of this is possible without simultaneously taking steps to raise the levels of health and education, toimprove conditions of work, and to provide basic social security. The details of a programme designed to increase production without endangering living standards were then discussed. Encouraging features of the over-all picture were given in a chapter on trends in social policy, which showed, among other things, the improvements that are being effected by Asian Governments in such fields as social security, hours of work and holidays, and protection of children and women. In the discussion on the report the spokesman for the Asian countries laid before the Conference the problems troubling them. Unanimous praise was given to the report for its accuracy and straightforwardness. Apart from the domestic issues mentioned, various speakers welcomed the proposed technical assistance programme of United Nations, especially the part that the 1.L.0. would play in its reinforcement. Other points emphasized were the fact that the region contains 50 per cent, of the world's population, and therefore adequate representation of Asia in the Councils of the 1.L.0. was necessary ; the difficulty of providing social services with the limited resources available to Asian countries ; the pressing nature of the housing problem, accentuated in India and Pakistan by the refugee question ; the urgency of increasing food production, especially that of rice ; the effect on the Asian worker of the knowledge of the better conditions of work in non-Asian countries. The population problem was discussed, and a Ceylon Government representative felt that the question was important enough to justify the 1.L.0. setting up a special Committee to study it. In his reply to the discussion the Director-General pointed out that since the war Asia has emerged as a new, influential, and independent factor in the world. He went on to say : It is a source of encouragement that this emergence and the present transition have been accompanied by relatively little international disorder. It is to the credit of all concerned, especially to the masses of the people of Asia, that they have proceeded with dignity and understanding to reach their goal of political independence. This is of particular significance since all of this, every bit of this, has occurred against a background of abject poverty, disease, malnutrition, illiteracy, and inhumanly low standards of living ; and also in the absence of a tradition of mass civic responsibility. I described all of this bluntly and cruelly in my report to this Conference. The debate, to my full satisfaction, has disclosed that Asians do not care to hide these facts or their misery, but rather that they insist upon emphasizing the issues so that something may be done about them. This Conference in Nuwara Eliya is proof of the fact that Asia desires to meet her problems in a democratic way and through the democratic process, and to join as a full and equal partner with her brothers in other parts of the world in achieving humane and decent standards of living and in promoting world peace. It is imperative that you do not come to 1.L.0. meetings and simply say or ask, " What can the 1.L.0. do about raising the standards of living of the people ?" but rather that you come as responsible members of the organization and direct the line that the 1.L.0. should take in achieving its objectives. This Conference is not an end in itself. It is but a step —albeit an important step —in a long process. We in the 1.L.0. shall go back to carry out our share in this vast programme. But we count on you to do likewise. We need your help as you may need ours. It is you—each of you —who have the direct responsibility for leadership in the social and labour field on the national plane—who must provide the driving force for this great co-operative enterprise in your own countries. This means that parallel action by States members must keep pace with international action. The balance between the two and the co-ordination of the efforts of the two is essential to success.

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