New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-09-14
Allied Lands
Stunned, View
OF DIR. Eaton
Generation to Pass Before
France, Belgium and
England Become Normal,
Asserts u. S. Investigator
Labor May Rule England
DR.. J. B. Andrews, Back From
Europe, Forecasts Work
of the Labor Conference

France, Belgium and England arc SUI
FERN gfrom shock, the people are tired
and spent as result of the war. and
it will be at least a generation before
these countries approach anything like
normal conditions, according TO Dr.
Charles A. Eaton, Baptist minister
who during the war was head OF the
National Service Section Of the United
States Shipping Board, who arrived
here yesterday on the Aquitania
Dr.. Eaton left America to study in
dustrial conditions in France, Belgium
and England on July 26. Yesterday he
was accompanied by Mrs. Eaton, but
his daughter remained abroad. Be
sides studying industrial conditions.
DR.. Eaton made tour of the battle
fields in Belgium and France.
Americans ought to thank God three
times a day that they live in America"
said DR.. Eaton.
America Escapes Suffering
We've been spared frightful suffer
ing and ruin such as the world has
never seen, and it is up to every Amer
lean to take care of his country"
When DR.. Eaton arrived in England,
three months ago, industrial conditions
were acute. There were dock, police
bakers and almost every imaginable
sort of strike in progress. The triple
alliance, composed Of the miners, the
railway operatives and the railway
material handlers, were threatening di-
rect action in order to make the gov
eminent nationalize the coal mines
But just before he left England the
situation, he said, had improved great
~, and the tension had been practically
removed
There is new spirit in England
now" DR.. Eaton explained, "and the
working people have arrived at a posi-
ton they had never hoped TO attain.
The supreme test Of the labor parties
and the labor organizations Of England
is now at hand, because there is every
Indication that they may constitute the
/ next government Of England. The test
will be their ability to change their
line OF thought from the class TO the
nation. The class movement which now
exists will have to become a national
movement.
Industry Slowly Reviving
In the non devastated regions Of
France and Belgium, where raw ma
terials can be obtained, industry is
slowly beginning to take on a normal
appearance again, Dr. Eaton said. There
is still. however, great deal OF recon-
struction to be done. and the process
will be very slow one. The one prob
lem not alone of these countries. but
of Europe in general. as Dr. Eaton
sees it, is for the people 10 get to
work again and to begin to produce
as they did before the war.
DR.. John B. Andrews, secretary OF
the American Association for labor
Legislation. who has been in France
ard England for the last two months
as technical adviser from the United
States TO the internati onal commission
Of arrangements for the international
Labor Conference, which the United
States, at the re guest Of the Allied
governments. has invited TO convene III
Washington on October %, also arrived
yesterday on the Aquitania. He was
accompanied by II. B. Butler, secre-
tary of the conference and one Of Great
Britain's representatives.
Tell of Labor Conference
The conference will bring TO this
country the representatives of all the
princiDal countries of the world who
are authorities on the subject OF labor
legislation, said DR.. Andrews Ac-
cording to Mr.. Butler, the conference
IS in the nature Of an experiment and
is the outcome OF the Labor Commis-
sion of the peace conference, of which
Samuel Gompers was president.
In joint statement explaining the
work Of the Labor Commission. DR.. An
drews and Mr.. Baker said:
The commission brings the govern
ments, the workers and the employers
into one conference. 1t will thus com
bine the administrative and legisla-
tive experience OF the official eio-
ment with the driving power Of the
-ill. n no on
ployers. The conference, which VIII be
held in Washington Will not assemble
simplv to pass pious resolutions, but
to make international agreement which
are intended to have legal effect in
every country. OF course they can
only obtain legal effect when the legis-
latures in the several countries have
adopted them.
Conference Called Timely
Sin the United States the decisions
Of the conference viii &c before Con
gress as recommendations, which they
Will be free TO adopt OF reject. The
international conference at Washington
az the end Of October Will meet at
critical time in the industrial and SO
cial history OF ali countries and fol
that reason the meeting will be par
ticularly timely and may well become
historic"
Draft agreements have been drawn
ID to provide bases of discussion q
!, the conference. The points TO be con
sidered are enumerated in the peace
treaty and include the forty light hour
week unemployment and various ques-
tons such as the employment of WON
en- and children in industry, the pay
ment of maternity benefit and the
minimum age for the employment o.
, children. 1t is expected that repre-
= sentatives from at least thirty-foul
countries Will atterd the conference.