New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
Henderson to Ask
international olicv
Tow ard " orkmen
British Labor Leader Plans
to Merge Socialist Bodies
OF World at Conference
Likely TO Be Held Feb. 3
.Ne1u Yorl; Tribune
NlLc...ri EnLin Gnr....,

Special Cable Se5r,ce
''opsrsht iala New York Tribune Inc
PARIS, Jan. 26-Arthur Henderson
The British labor leader, who has JUS
returned from Berne. where he ha:
been organizing the International So
clallst Labor Conference, which is cX
pected to open February 5. IS di cussinG
with Nicoll Barnes and other member.
OF the Peace Conference Committee or
international Labor Legislation variou:
proposals for procuring an interna
tlonal standard of conditions for labor
Henderson's attitude has disappointed
American labor leaders,
Discussing various points which NJ
sald would be considered at the BernC
meeting, he said:
Our programme is both wide and
important 1t will embrace such qucs
,lons as the league Of nations, disarma
ment, conscriDton and an international
labor charter. Russia no doubt viii
come under cons liberation also.
THE establishment of a permanent
international organization of a polit-
lcai and industrial character is the OBJ
Ject OF the international, Socialist La
Dor Congress. 1t viii federate all So
sialIst and labor organizations of the
respective countries. with the view Of
taxing action for the raising Of the
standard of social and economic life
ana bringing combined influence to bear
Tor the maintenance Of peace.
Hopes for Labor Charter
zone of the chief obstacles to prog
ress toward n higher standard always
has been the conditions prevailing in
low-wage countries. Up to now. al
though conferences have been held, res
buttons passed and conventions set up.
there has been no power OF enforce
ment. We are hoping for a labor char
ter TO be agreed to which would be
administered under the authority Of
the league Of nations by a permanent
world labor council, whose business it
would be to collect statistics and in
formation, and which would see that
the conditions of the treaty of peace
on labor questions were observed, fail
ing which it would report any delin-
Qucnt nation to the full league for i'm
mediate action
was expressing only his own views
Referring to the opinion recently
expressed by ". A. Appleton that pres
cnt industrial unrest is psychological
rather than economic, Mr.. Henderson
remarked:
81 think it may be psychological, hut
should also hold that it is largely
economic and Influenced very greatly
by expectations that have been created
during the war of new world in which
workers would live if by their patriot
ism, devotion and sacrifice they were
prepared to assist in delivering their
country from the menace of autocracy
and militarism.
Changes Determined Upon
"The war has undoubtedly produced
a tremendous change in the minds of
vast numbers of workers. more par
ticularly those who have been in the
trenches, and they are not satisfied
with the present indication that many
promises are going to be honored and
that they are going to have a larger
share of those things of mind and
spirit which they regarded as the
monopoly of the POSSESSING classes in
days gone by.
"They are therefore determined thai
such changes must be brought about
as will secure a much higher minimum
of the standards OF existence than
those which obtained before 1914.
Equity and justice are the bases Of
their demands. Surely they have the
right to an equal share in that for
which they fought and which. without
their aid, would not have been won"
With respect to the attitude Of for
eign countries toward his proposed
congress, Mr.. Henderson stated that
the labor and Socialist organizations
of seventeen or eighteen nations had
intimated their intention to send dele
gates to Berne. In addition to the
great states, most, if not ALL the
smaller nations, he said. would be rep
resented.
Regrets Gompers' Abstention
Different small nntionalities. like
the Georgians in Russia, will be rep
resented-' Mr.. Henderson declared
Also the revolutionary Socialists of
Russia. but not the Bo!shevists. Italv
and Spain are expected to send dele
gates, as we'll as the scandinavian
countries, Denmark and Greece.
There Is some passports difficulty
about Bulgaria. which desires to be
represented. The German and Aus
TRAN delegates are coming.
Neither China nor Japan is likely
TO send delegates, and the United
States. am very sorry to say. viii
not take any part. ! am at a loss to
explain the reason.
At the last international conference
IN London | understood that MIR. Com
pcrs had accepted a position ON the
committee Of four-Albert Thomas.
Nanderveldc, Gompers and myself-ap
pointed TO organize the international
conference. Why he has not done 50
do nos know but regret exceeding
~ his abstention and the abstentiou
Of the United States. Ny regret is
shared by others.
"Personally J have ondcavored to
give effect to every mandate Of the
London conference. I am most anxi-
Gus to render every assistance in my
power to those who will discuss laho,
questions here, for ! am convinced
Jhat international relations IN the
future cannot be satisfactory until the
spirit upon which tho league o. nat
tons can alone be successfui is in
troduced into our relations even with
nose VINO were recently at war with
US '.''