New Britain herald., 1919-08-22
GLOOMY PICTURE
 0F LABOR PAINTED
Senator Thomas Declares Treaty
 Fails to Cope With Situation

Washington. Aug. 22.--The labor provisions of the peace treaty fail to cope with threatening labor evils and point toward a program which may disturb the domestic peace of the United States. Senator Thomas, dem ocrat, Colorado, declared today in the senate. He expressed grave doubt whether that section of the treaty could be accepted under the constitu- ton.
 Important Integral Part.
 The international labor conference to be set up he declared, would be an important integral part of the league of nations, though the provisions creating it are not included in the league covenant.
 'In as much as organized labor correctly speaks of itself as class" he said, it is entirely apparent to say that by including this program in the treaty distinct recognition and separate organization are given to a class To enthrone a class whether by revolution or by treaty is but to estrange other classes.
 Goal of Uniformity.
 "It may be possible to reach the goal of uniformity in the conditions of labor but I question whether it can be done otherwise than by making the standard the lowest, and 1evelling down to it. Strict uniformity in world labor conditions can be attained only at the expense of the American wage earner I cannot avoid the question that these articles designed for his physical and spiritual inn provement may make him the equiva- lent of the continental wage earner." Referring to the provision that the credentials of delegates to the inter- national conferences may be passed on by the conference itself, he con- tinued:
 Not in Favor of Covenant. Personally I do not like the covenant which subjects the selection of high officials by the government of the United States for the discharge of l important international functions to 1 review and possible rejection by an ] external authority. The treaty thus l makes the conference a substitute for or supplement to the president and 1 the senate.
 Extension Of Power. | For some time I entertained a l doubt whether article 405 did not in | vest this conference with species of l legislative or treaty making power. l And proposals for the extension of l this power will probably soon follow 1 the establishme ent of the permanent 1 organization if I correctly apprehend 1 the purport of the official introduce l tion.
 [ T do not look for the early advent l of the stupendous upheaval which l must come to the structure of the | American government before it can 1 constitutonally assent to such a dele- l gation of power but I can well ina - 1 zine how efforts to secure it would l profoundly disturb our domestic 1 peace; for the labor program points l that way"
 He also said he could not avoid the l conclusion that certain judicial rights
 vested by the constitution in Ameri-
 can courts would be delegated to the
 tribunals set up by the labor section. Paints Gloomy Picture. I Painting a gloomy picture of labor 1 conditions in this country and declar- i ing that organized labor was employ l ing methods which threaten the na- | tion's political and social existence,
 he declared these were the real mat 1 ters that should concern legislators
 Yet here are conditions" he con- l tinued, (which the labor section of
 the treaty neither provides against nor
 catalogues among those requiring
 correction by international covenant
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