Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-13
AGREEMENT BY
WORLD LABOR
is WELCOMED
Acceptance Removes
Chief Obstacle in
League Plan.

| Paris, Feb. 13.-The agreement
by the commission on international
labor legislation of the peace con-
ference yesterday to accept article
" of the British draft oc the plan
to settle the future status Of inter
national labor. marks the passing
over safely of an obstacle which
the labor leaders expected would
provoke a bitter contest, for the
reason that it is the most radical
of the projects organized labor is
seeking to graft upon the consti-
tuition of the society of nations.
This article provides that at the
proposed international labor con-
ference, the representatives of the
nations, the employers and work
ing people, shall be entitled to
speak and vote independently
without regard to the views ex-
pressed by the other representa-
tives OF their nation and to have
power TO draw up conventions
binding on the nations represented.
The rapid progress made upon
the balance of the British draft
into which will be incorporated
certain features Of tho French
labor plan, appears to warrant the
belief that the essential aims Of
the delegates OF both nations will
be accepted in their entirety by the
commission.
Covers Wide Field.
The British draft covers a wide
field, including the following pro-
visions:
Uniformity of the rights of
workmen employed abroad.
Prevention of unemployment
through distribution of orders for
public works.
Opportunities to unemployed
young workers for the continuance
of their education.
The protection of children.
youths and women by limitation
of the working shift for young per-
sons.
Recognition of the rights Of
working men to combine. and the
right to peaceful picketing.
Recognition of the right of work
ingmen to combine politically, and
the rights of trades unions to par
ticIpate in politics.
Working hours to be fixed with
an international standard as the
minimum.
The regulation of home work in
small workshops, or in sweatshops
to be attended to by each state.
In international code regulating
IaI ~,
marine under every flag to be
worked out by a special maritime
committee of the league of nations
in continuous session to take up
new points.
Provides Hygiene Measures.
The measures of hygiene, insur-
ance and the regulation of the
work of children, it is also con-
tended, ought to apply to native
AsiatiC labor The British plan
also contemplates the creation OF
a permanent international commits
sion to fix minimum wages accord
ing to the conditions in the various
regions and to make q special
study of native labor problems.
II is proposed to include in the
league of nations plan the consti-
tuition of an international parlia-
ment composed of delegates from
the existing national parliaments
to suggest labor legislation to the
society of nations. The abolition
of military training in schools and
in the universities is also proposed.
Bars Child Labor.
The French labor proposals in
clude the recruiting of labor of
children under II years of age, /
prohibition of night work by
women, and a maximum eight-hour
working day in factories where the |
furnaces are always lighted to-
gether with laws regarding hy-
giene and the safety of the work