New-York tribune., 1919-04-12
Covenant
Change Fought e
By Gompers
Federation of Labor Head
Protests 20 President
Against the Exemption
Gf Oriental " ork kcr S

Samuel Gompcrs, who arrived in New
York Thursday night from Paris, last
night cablod President Wilson protest
ing against amendments to the cove
nant of the International Labor Con
ference adopted yesterday by the peace
conference. The cable was STONED
by notice from Paris that George n.
Barnes, labor member of the British
Parliament, proposed exemptng Ori-
entail nations from the international
labor legislation it is proposed to
set up. All Of the amendments offered
by Barnes were adopted yesterday by
the conference.
Il cabled President Wilson," said
Mr.. Gompers, announcing the filing
of his protest, that | am impelled to
protest against any amendments or re-
opening of the covenant. 1t took the
labor representatives. Of the world two
months to perfect the covenant and |
most cmphatically protest against re-
opening it,
THIS protest, Mr.. Gompers added, was
in response to a cablcgram from Paris
stating that Mr.. Barnes had offered an
amendment which makes formal decla-
ration that working conditions peculiar
to the Orient make absolute world
unanimity in labor legislation impos-
sible
Five Chief Provisions
Earlier in the day Mr.. Gompcrs an
nounced his belief the covenant for an
international labor body would be ac-
ccpted by the peace conference, and
that in addition President Wilson and
his associates had been asked to in
clude these provisions in the peace
treaty:
That eight hours be the maxi
mum working day for labor
. That human labor must not be
s considered or treated as COM
modify, this in effect internatoualiz-
ing the Clayton act
2 That all countries compel the
20 payment Of wages adequate for
the proper support of human life.
4 That the principle of equal pay
10 for women for equal work be
recognized and established.
T. That child labor be everywhere
70 prohibited.
German Revolt "Opcra Boune"
These provisions, Mr.. Gompcrs said,
were in addition to the requirements
laid down in the report Of the labor
conference providing for an inter
national labor body, which the peace
conference accepted yesterday and
which he expects TO be made part of
the peace treaty The "conventon'
he used the diplomatic term for
agreement he declined TO describe in
detail, insisting that it must be made
public in Paris.
Mr. Gompcrs denounced the revolu-
tion in Germany as "opera boufe,
declaring among other things that he
has yet to hear Of single German
who "regrcts, much less rcpcnts, the
most monumental crime against civil
izatlon."
States Rights Not Abridged
"Thcre was great d"ai Of diii'e' -
experienced in arranging for tho
United States TO hcconlc y p9rfr 90
such q treaty or convention, due large
ly to our dual form OF government,
because Of which labor questions are
largely determined by states and not
sy Congress. The United States could
not enter into any international agree
mcnt in any way cspassing On tho
rights of the states. This was met by
provision yhAt ~ tne case Of a gov
ernmcnt based on Il federated system
like the United States the consent Of
tho duly elected authorities would be
necessary TO make the treaty binding.
"Thcrc is another feature That is
that the United States as n whole could
deal with two subject interstate and
foreign commerce and in foreign COM
mcrce are included sea traffic and the
seaman's act. AS many maritime
powers object to our scaman's act, it
was necessary to safeguard it by in
tcrnational agreement. IT is protected
By protocol (and am very proud of
having drafted iD under which no
state shall be asked or required to
enforce any agreement or convention
OF the labor conference which shall
imply lover standards or lesser rights.
! Our seaman's act provides the highest
standard in the world, and this protocol
protects that.
In addition to this document, there
we're a number of declarations which
we submitted to tho peace conference,
and asked that they be included in the
treaty of peace. They are construct
! i've and fundamental"