THE BERLIN LABOUR CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 5, 30 May 1890, Page 13

THE BERLIN LABOUR CONFERENCE.

(From the Nation )

The Berlin Libour Conference has ended its deliberatione and published its recommeuiati)ns. Oj Saturlaythe delegates cumluied their work in what, till an hour later, wis Prince Bismarck's palaca. As they left, the crowds were beginning to gather to give the founder of Garman nnity a more than royal farewell The coincidence was not without meaning. The two events were the conjoined beginnings of a perioi durine which a policy of conciliation instead of a policy of coerciOT is to be foilowel in the eff >rt to solve the social problems. All the Governments of Europe have now before them the recommendations of the Conference as to ttie proper measures for the solution of the more glaring social eviU. Those recommendations were limited by the scopu of tho original programme. They are not ainud at the establishment of an ideal condition for the labourers ; they do not do more than answer the question of how industry is to be Cirried on if the industrial classes are not to be debilitate 1, demoralise!, and physic illy ruined. The question of the distribution of Dr<'fit3 is not touched, nor is there even a remote suggestion of any improvement in the present rough and injurious method of determining the shares of capitalist anl labourer. In his valedictory speech, indeed, the president of the Conference, Baron von Berl -psch, is reported to have declared that there is only one limit to what the laws and castoms of sny country should grant to the working classes — namely, the continued existence and prosperity of industry itself, on wbich the welfare of the working class is dependent. That declaration will be readily accepted by all parties ia the social contest : but it will not advance them one whit nearer to agreement. More definite, however, are the answers to the questions originally proposed t) the Conference. They deal practically and definitely with the regulation of the labour of children, youthß, women, miners, and with the problem of the day of rest. With regard to the labour of children, the Conference recommends that the employment of children under twelve should be prohibited in all industries whatsoever. The Conference, however, admitted the exceptional case of the southern countries, where, it was contended, children arrived at maturity more rapidly, and suggested ten as the limit in those countries. From this suggestion of an exception the English delegates dissented. With regard to the employment of children between the ages of twelve and fourteen the preliminary compliance with an educa. lonal standard is advised, and it is stated to be desirable that such children should not be employed either at night or on Sunday, that the length of their working day should not exceed six hours, and th it their employment in unhealthy or dangerous occupations should be absolutely piohibuei. Humanity i<se!f demands compliance with these suggestions. As to youihs, the Conference thioks thit they should be aff irded the protection of the law until they have attained the age of eighteen ; it is desirable that between fourteen and sixteen they should not be employed at night or on Sunday, nor for more than ten hours ; while between sixteen and eighteen special regulitions should rule their employment as far as regards tue maximum day's work, night \vor<c, work on Sundays, and work at peculiarly dangerotn or unhealthy trades. Nj more impor-t-mt question engaged the a'teution oi the C mtjrence than the question ot female labour. The present system of employing wome" has, in m-iny countries, absolutely destroyed the domestic life of the industrial classes, and in aomj cases is simply ruiuous to their physical condition. As fir as they go the proportions of the Conference are welcome, but they do no go rearly far enough. It is desirable, the Report says, " that girls and women above sixtten years of age should nut work either at night or on Sundays; that the total number ot woikmg houis Bhould not exceed eleven daily, with intervals amounting to at least an hour and a half ; that exceptions should be admissible for cemin branches of mdustiy ; that restrictions should be imposed in the case of occupations especially unhealthy and dangerous ; and that mothers should only be allowed to return to woik four weeks alter their confinement. Ona can easily imagine what the condition of the worker's life is iv those countries where it requires a law to compel thes" principles to bo adopte 1. The code that still admits the e-nploymeDt of women from beven iv the morning until half-past seven in the evening, with a half-hour's rest for breakfast and aa hour's rest for dinner, is scarcely one at which legislation on this point is to 3tand. When could a woman so employed fulfil theduuesof a Christian mother? She should be absent from " home " for thirteei hours out ot the twenty-four ; she would requite eight for rest, and her maternal duties arc to be dischargei in throe. Can the society tb.it permits such work bj cilled a Christian Hociety 1 Undeiground work in mines shouH be altogether forbidden for females, the Conference thinks. Children should be excluded until they reich the age of fourteen. Even in the case of men the duration of shifts should be limited either by statute or administrative regulation or voluntary agreement. The importance of the miner's work receives international recognition. A regular supply of coal is essential to the c-irrying on of all industry, and the Conference suggests that an eff )rt should be madn to obviate sirtkes. The principle ot arbmation icceives a new sanction. " Experience shows," says the lieport, " that the best meaus of preventing strikes is for masars ;iud men, in all cases where their difference cannot be adjusted by direct negotiation, to agree to invoke the decision of an arbiter.' The revolutionarus who delivered the workers from the " tbraldom" of the religion that ordained the Sunday's rest, receive their bolemu condemnation from the Conference. It is recommended that Sunday worK should be prohibited in the ca*e of children, youths, and women, and th it one day of rest should be " allowed " to alt woikmen where the industry does not require continuous work. The representatives of France alone dissented from the recommendation that the day of rest should .n all cases where practicable be Sunday. Their dissent waa a lamentably significant fact ; but, of course, the suggestion was a condemnation of one article of the creed of the infallible Revolution, and it had to be resisted,

The real test of the value of the Conference is to come, however. The delegates could only discuss ; they could not pledge their Governments, Are the deliberations and the discussioDs to belabour in vain? There is no compelling force in toe sugg. j-*ionaj -*iona of the Conference ; but we believe thit pub.ic opinion — international as well aa national— is strong enough to compel legislatioi in the directions indicated. The one obstacle to the adoption of the principles commended would be the suspicion that th*ir aioDtion would lead to the loss of advantage in the competitive battle. To do LTd Sa.isburv and the Times justice they hive done what they could to spread that suspicion. The former not long since declare 1 that Great Britain is placed at a disadvantage by the observance of Sunday ; the Berlin correspondent of the latter declares that England may expect to benefit byjthe restrictions on thelabourof children ard women, rf s nctions nearly all of which are in force here, and the a-'upium of which mother countries will reduce their industrial output. A. pernicious fallacy underlies both statements. The truth is, the countries whoseindustrial system is based in inhuman principles have everything to gain by the recognition of human requirements. Only by so doing will the maximum efficiency of their workers be reached, and the maximum profit from their labours aa well. Experience will teach that truth to the Continental nat'ons, and wtun it has been learned, the way will be cleared for a new advance.