The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-13
CONFERENCE WILL
Be HELD OCT. e
Secretary of Labor VIII
son Announces His In
tention of Sticking to
Original Date.
By JUSTIN M'G2ATH.

Washington, Oct. 12.-Secretary of
Labor Wilson today Informed Secre-
tary Of State Lansing Of his intention
to officially open the international
labor conference in Washington on
October 30, in pursuance of the call
for the conference issued by the
president.
In his letter 10 Secretary Lansing
announcing his intention. Secretary
Wilson said
In view OF the uncertainty as TO
Just wheA the peace treaty will be-
come effective and as to how many
nations, If any, will be members of
the league of nations by October 2J.
the day set for the converting OF the
International labor conference, beg
20 announce that the following peiicy
has been determined upon:
1.-The secretary of labor. in ac-
cordance with the call issued by the
president. will open the conference
at the time specified in the call and
reserve the credentials of the dele
gates, IL any are there presented.
'f2-Tf at the date Of the opening
of the conference. the treaty has be-
come effective through ratification
by the requisite numb Der of powers
ence and properly authorized repre-
sentatives of any mem bers of such
league are present at the time of the
opening of the conference the secre-
tary of Ia Dor will proceed 10 call such
conference to order and to organize
1t. II viii then be within the PROV
ince and power of the duly qualified
representatives then and there pres
ent 70 tate such adjournment II any.
as they may deem wise in order that,
before proceeding with the Agenda,
more complete membership of the
league may be secured.
''3-Tf the treaty has not become
effective by October %, or. II II ha.
no qualified representatives of MEM
hers present. the government of the
United, States will adjourn further
steps in the organization of the con-
ference until date when 1t NAV be
expected that sufficient duly qualified
representatives of members can be
present so that the organization OF
the conference may be perfected.
The foregoing policy is based
upon the following considerations;
There is TO provision in rho
treaty under the authority Of which
any government Or any -bod1- af rAt4a-
resentatiyes of any government can
postpone the conference or authorize
its convocation other than in the
month Of October If the conference
Is not convened in October 1t cannot
be convened at Az without an
amendment 10 the treaty.
Under the treaty. the conference
has complete power to determine its
own mode OF procedure. II. there
fore. thera are any duly aualifled
members Of the conferences present
when it is convened. they have un-
questionable authority to provide for
such adjournment as they may deem
advisable. Under ordinary parlia-
mentary procedure less than a
quorum may adjourn meeting from
time to time until quorum is pres
emit
Under the tre1'v the govern
rrent Gf the Emitted .sss1ses liz given
authority not only to make arrange
,nents for conveninc hur also for
the organization of the conference.
The conference has been duly call
ed for a date whiting the month of
October The power 10 organize the
conference implicitly and necessar-
lily carries with it the power to hold
the conference open until such later
date as it may be possible to fully
organize it While The power to
convene ends with the convocation
of the conference HIGH must under
the treaty take place in October, the
power to organize is a continuing
power which is not specifically linn
tied In tho treatv ard necessarily
must last until such time as the
conference is sufficiently organized
with qualified members TO be able