New-York tribune., 1919-10-30
Opens
Parley Under.
World League
Continued from page 1
much further, through the action o.
Congress.
German Issue Important
More than mere participation IN

Congress.
German Issue Important
More than mere participation In this
conference hinges on the decision as
to whether German delegates are to
be admitted. Provisions in the peace
treaty stipulate that there shall be
an international secretariat in contin-
uous operation, and that there shall
be a governing board to which mem
hers must be elected representing the
eight principal industrial nations. If
Germany is admitted to this confer
ence Germany will be given member
ship on the governing board AS rated
now the nine principal industrial ma
tions are America, Grea; Britain
France. Germany, Belgium. Japan
Switzerland and Spain. Whether Spair
gets a place on the governing board
depends on the decision as to Germany
1t was reported to the conference
that Canada, Sweden and Poland had
protested against being omitted from
the list of eight leading nations, but
the conference had no power to make
any change in that respect The
supreme court of the league Of nations
alone has that power, and no decision
can be made to affect the governing
board to be selected this year.
DIItlSn DcIeKate Ill
The illness Of George Nicoll Barnes
brought the only touch OF gloom to
the opening session of the conference.
Mr.. Barnes, member of the British
War Cabinet, is Great Brtain's gov
ernment delegate 1t was reported
that he expected to take his seat with
in two or three days. The conference
extended to Mr.. Barnes its sympathy
and hope for speedy recovery.
Composition of the conference is
much like that of the recent National
Industrial Conference summoned by
President Wilson. 1t is composed of
three sets of delegates. However. in
this conference governments are repre-
sented instead of the public in its alb
stract sense All delegates are ap-
labor and employers delegates must be
named in accordance with the wishes
Of the organizations most representa-
tive of employers and workers. That
means that every labor delegate has
the approval of the labor organization
in the country from which he comes
The same is true of the employer dele
gates. Each government is entitled to
two presentatives, while workers and
employers are entitled to one each
Because of this manner of makeup the
ference Though it is officially desg-
mated labor conference it would be
called more appropriately an industrial
conference.
Definite Schedule Prepared
There is an agenda, or definite sched-
ule Of questions, for consideration. The
conference may not act on questions
not included in the ngenda, which for
this initial meeting was prepared in
Paris by the mission on interna-
tional legislation and approved by the
peace conference. For future confer
ences the agenda will be prepared by
the governing board, it being manda-
tory for the board to include any sub
ject presented in proper time by any
nation.
Decisions of the conference may be
communicated to the nations for ac-
ton either in the form of draft con-
ventions or recommendations. It is
deemed unlikely that any action taken
by this conference will have any ma
terial effect upon either the industries
OF the countr or the individual work
ers of the country. No draft conven-
ton can be presented to this country
covering any subject not under juris-
diction of the Federal government.
Special provision was made i'll the
treaty TO that effect bp the American
abor representatives in Paris.