Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-06-03
A BIG LABOR BUREAU
INTERNATIONAL IN SCOPE, WITH
HEADQUARTERS IN SWITZERLAND.

the scheme Has the Backing of
Itrominent Men In the Countries of
Continental Europe.
The international labor bureau open
ed for business in Basel, Switzerland,
May l. in the same country where the
central office of the Red Cross society,
the international telegraph bureau, the
bureau for the regulation of interna-
tonal freight tariffs, the Latin None
tary union and the International Post
al union are In operation. Most of
these institutions are the real organs
of the associated governments of the
world, the Red Cross society and the
Postal union embracing all the civil
lized nations of the four quarters of the
globe.
The director of the labor bureau Is
Professor Stephen Bauer Of the Uni
versity Of Basel, once professor of
political economy in the University of
Chicago who has just compiled an ac-
count of the origin and purpose of the
bureau, from which George Clifford,
American consul at Basel, has made
report to this government. 1t Is al
ready recognized by several govern
mentS.
The scheme was first suggested in
1876 by Colonel Emil Frey. Swiss
statesman, known in America as a vol
unteer in our civil war, afterward as
Swiss minister In Washington, and
finally as president of the Swiss repub-
lie.
He suggested that international con-
ventions establish uniform conditions
of labor in all industrial communities,
since the danger resulting from foreign
competition Is n great obstacle in the
way of isolated social reform. But
when, five years later, the Swiss ma
tional council unanimously voted to be-
gin negotiations with other countries
for this purpose, the answers were all
unfavorable
The idea did not cease to make prog
ress, however. 1t was a second time
recommended in 1883, and in 1890 the
German emperor called an information
al conference at Berlin. Here all the
propositions in regard to regulating
hours of labor, the work of women and
children and Sunday labor were reject
ed by the delegates of the different
countries.
In 1897 Switzerland again took up the
question, and the answers, though not
so distinctly adverse as on the first oc-
casion, We're again unfavorable. Only
four states gave the scheme some pla-
tonic support.
The workingmen, however, did not
abandon the idea of an International
understanding. The Swiss working
mems society called an international
congress at Zurich in September, 1897,
to which they invited as guests govern
ment labor officials, factory inspectors
and economists, and it was here that
the project of an international labor
bureau of semiprivate character took
definite form.
A congress held soon afterward at
Brussels appointed committee to
make proposals for carrying out the
plan. To this committee and to the
parallel action of a meeting at Ber-
lin In 1899 is due the foundation of the
International Union For the Legal Pro
lection of Workingmen. This associa-
tion Is designed to organize the efforts
for social reform in every country as
well as to serve as a financial basis
for an international labor office. The
committees which pursued this aim
met at the international congress for
the protection of workingmen, which
was held at Paris in July, 1900, where
CT ttttn Of tt,a ,t..,. At.
were approved.
The Swiss national council, on mo-
tion of the government council, has
voted an annual contribution of 5000
francs ($1,544) toward the foundation
of the International labor office and
1000 francs to the Swiss section. The
other governments are disposed to as
sist the office in a similar way.
1t will publish first code of exist
ing labor laws in the English, French
and German languages; second, an in
ternation bulletin, and, third, an in
ternational annual of labor.
The international code will contain
the texts as well as the motives and
the Interpretation of the existing legls-
latlon. The international labor office
hopes to enjoy the cooperation of ex-
perts of every country for this scien-
tlfic work, who will be appointed as
correspondents. The work of transla-
tion will be done by the office itself
The bulletin will contain current leg
islative and administrative matter, ex-
tracts from parliamentary debates and
from reports of commissions of inquiry
concerning social reform, survey of
strikes and lockouts, photography of |
official documents concerning labor leg
islation.
The annual will contain the annual
report of the association, the proceed |
ings of the congress for labor protec-
tion and the current supplement of the |
international code.
Governments, industrial and labor or |
aS well as privotn NOM