Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-04
LABOR DISSATISFIED
At REPRESENTATION
IN WORLD CONGRESS

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-Dissatis-
fled with the present basis of rep
resentation in the international labor
conference, the labor group delegates
decided today to make an effort to
throw out the votes of all countries
which have not sent worker delegates
and are represented only by govern
mental appointees.
More than ten Latin American
countries, as well as China, Rumania
and Siam, have not sent labor dele
gates, and are represented by dfplo-
matte officers stationed in this coun-
try and OF qualified to represent
them.
The grievance goes back to the
provisions of the Versailles treaty,
which gave the government two dele
gates, employers one and labor one.
At the Amsterdam meeting of the in
ternational federation of trade unions
which will hold it's second session
here on the arrival of the German
and Austrian representatives, the
demand was made that the govern
ment delegation in each case also be
reduced to one.
The raising of this issue blocked
the program of the conference to take
up Monday the question of an eight
hour day and forty eight hour week.
The commission of selection, which is
the conference steering committee,
was unable to agree on procedure to
handle the problems and the entire
matter probably will come before
no dele
gates favored referring the question
of representation to a committee to
prepare a plan for reorganization OF
the conference.
Labor delegates sought this delay
in the program for the further pur-
pose of preventing action prior to
the arrival of the German and Austri-
ans, it was said, as they are expect
ed to be almost solidly in sympathy
with the workers. By eliminating
the votes of governmental delegates
from countries without labor repre-
sentation, and through the support
of the governmental appointees, OF
Germany. Austria and other coun-
tries believed to side with labor as
against capital, the labor group lead
ers hope, it was said, to create a
block strong enough to prevent the
conference from taking any action
unfavorable to it. A two-thirds vote
is REQUIRED on all conclusions of the
conference.
The government delegates of
Czecho-Slovakia and probably Of Hol-
land and Belgium would take the
part of the workers on all issues in
cluded in the agenda of the confer
ence, one foreign delegate said.
The German and Austrian dele
gates sailed from Amsterdam on
October "a and should be here by
Wednesday, according to w. A. APP
pleton of England, president of the
International Federation of Trade
Unions. 1t was frankly admitted
that their presence might produce an
awkward situation. The eleven
men from each of the two central
powers will be placed on quasi
diplomatic status, 1t was said, and
may be housed in the old German
embassy, which now flies the Swiss
flag. They would take their seats at
the conference in alphabetical order,
in accordance with present seating
arrangements. er
The conference hall was given an
international aspect by identifying
each country's place at the long Ia
bles with the flag of that nation, but
the German and Austrian designs
will be excluded, due to legislation
prohibiting the display of enemy