The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-29
Will Participate Unofficially in
World Labor Meet.
First Convention of Kind Con-
yenes in Washington Today.
SECRETARY WILSON IN CHAIR
Is Concerted Effort To Consider
Labor Problems.
Employers, Labor and "WOrld
Public" Are Represented.


tives of labor and capital in the United
States will participate unofficially in
the International Labor conference
the first of its kind in history-which
began its sessions here today, and Sec
rotary Wilson of the labor department,
who called the conference to order.
will be named president.
Speaking ION behalf of the people
of the United States and in the name
of President Wilson," Secretary of
Labor Wilson declared that the con-
ference represented the first con-
certed effort in history to deal with
labor problems progressively. Repre-
sentatives of Sc countries seated in al
phabetical order in a large circle in
the same hall of the Pan-American
building where the National Industrial
conference came to grief. heard the
secretary's address which was trans
lated into French when he had fin
ished.
Many Diplomats Present.
Ambassadors and ministers of many
| nations occupied places of honor on
either side of the chairman's platform.
While the United States was not rep
resented in the. list of delegates by
reason of congressional prohibition a
number of officials were present as
guests of the League of Nations.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
4 It
member of the conference organizing
| comittee also was present
| Employers of each nation were
represented thru one delegate and
labor thru one delegate. both ap-
pointed by their governments with the
advise of the chief labor or employ
ers organization.
"World Public'' is Represented.
The world public" was repre-
scented thru government delegates
two for each nation.
/ The conference, officially styled the
| International Labor conference, will
go Immediately to work on an extern
| sive program on which an organic
! ing committee has been at work fol
some months. 1t includes five topics
One deals with women and children il
industry and another with the As.
/ hour week.
Findings of the conference VIII BIZ
in the form of recommendations fol
| laws to be passed by each nation par.
ticipating.
Among the Delegates.
The British delegation includes sew.
eral members of parliament. Among
them are Arthur Henderson, C. w
Bowerman. G. M. Barnes of the wal
cabinet, and Sir Malcolm Delvingns
assistant undersecretary of war.
| Jules Roskam, secretary of the Dia-
mond Cutters union, is a members OF
1.-The Belgian delegation. which also in
cludes Prof Ernest Meham of Liege
university.
AS labor delegate, France sent
Louis Gucin, president of Lille cham
/ Der of commerce. Justin GODDARD, OF
the chamber of deputies is one of the
:. two delegates representing the govern
ment of France.
Spain sent viscount, whose name
is written de Eza."
Switzerland is represented thru DR.
| Hans Sulzer. her minister to the
United States.
Occupy Much Space.
An entire wing of the great navy
munitions building has been given over
to the conference for office and COM
mittee space.
:, In the Hall of the Americans" OF
the Pan-American building. the dele
gates were seated about a great horse
shoe table. Seats were placed for 100
delegates and $50 newspaper men
Little space was left for seats fol
spectators.
English and French are the officia
languages of the conference. Japar
with probably the smallest of organ
lied labor of any nation, sent the
largest delegation, which include,
nearly fifty delegates, advisers and
stenogra piers.