The sun., 1919-08-23

|
are merely negligible.
Excluding the first object. which
definition. the general principles are I'll
right of association for all lawful pui
poses. the payment of a wage adequat
to maintain reasonable standard o
| life as understood in their time an
country, the adoption of an eight hou
day where II has not already been oh
tained. a weekly rest of at least twenty
four hours, including Sunday, whereve
practicable the abolition OF child labo
and limitations on the labor of younl
persons as will permit their mental an,
physical development, equal pay to mel
and women for work of equal value, ap
plication OF a country's standards to al
workers lawfully resident therein, an
inspection systems In which womei
| should take part to enforce laws an,
regulations for the protection of the EN-
ployed. These as far as enumerate'
are properly asserted to be well flttet
to guide the policy of the League o
Nations
objects to Conditions.
At the outset Senator Thomas found
that the annual labor conference Of the
world will have the right by a two
thirds vote, to reject the credentials OF
delegates from any country. To this he
strongly objected, saying: Personally
1 do not like a covenant which subjects
the selection OF high officials by the
United States to review and possible
rejection by an external authority.
Its exercise would breed resentmente,
eliminating in friction and possible
rupture.
ut is clearly indicated that labor
~ int 60 Inf
the selection of the governing body. to
the end that they shall be in fact EN-
ployees' delegates. We should not be
surprised at this, nor should we too
severely condemn it, for the facts could
not be otherwise. No doubt the en-
ployers will be equally active in the
other direction Control of the govern
ing body by controlling the government
delegates to the conference will there
fore be vital political element in the
domestic discords, and policies of the
appointing members and the selections
will be made to accord with the inter-
ests of the victors at their polls
I'VE thus encounter the inevitable
human equation. actively operating even
among high contracting parties moved
by sentiments of Justice and humanity"
within a half score of years after the
adoption OF this treaty the governing
body OF the International Labor League
will be as distinctiveIy partisan as the
body now honoring me with its atten-
ton. We shall either add to the tri-
bunals created by man in his eternal
groupings for millennial conditions or
Impose some of our districting and in
soluble problems upon another and a
greater forum"
United States at Disadvantage.
Taking up the possible benefits of the
labor league to different countries and
the stipulation that the Governments
are to pay its expenses, Senator Thomas
said:
81 PERCEIVE nothing the International
Labor League could recommend that
would by any possibility yield an equal
and coincident benefit to the United
States where labor conditions are gem
orally superior to those OF any other
class. And this Is comparatively true of
Great Britain, her colonies, and France,
which are precisely the nations upon
whom will fall the chief financial bur-
den of supporting the permanent organ
ization.
The whole structure OF the covenant
requires financial support for its oper-
alton, as do all the plans of man,
whether material, economic, social, po-
Importance here, because all nations Of
the league are to be assessed for the
benefit of class whose organized units
among the principal nations possess
treasures free from taxation and over
flowing with abundance.
Continued and incessant inquiry con-
corning and the institution OF world
wide covenants for changes in labor con-
ditions will impose enormous burdens
upon the revenues of the league, which
must derive its funds from the contribu-
tons of its member nations. And 1t may
be well in passing to add that Article IS
OF the treaty empowers the executive
council of the league to include as part
OF the expenses OF the secretariat the
expenses OF any bureau or commission
which Is placed under the direction OF
the league
These must multiply as time ad-
vances, and II Is well TO consider them
now lest future budgets comprise other
fiscal affairs larger than our own. Tax
alton is even now so near the limit of
endurance that those bearing the burden
are prone to extend Sherman's famous
aphorism of war to times Of peace"
Refers to I. n. T. Strike.
While the labor conference will have
power TO make only recommendations
o. drafts OF proposed treaty conventions
dealing with the problems of labor, the
Senator found great difficulty in dealing
with these, because in some cases neces-
sarily legislation would be required from
the States. in others from the Congress.
He proceeded:
Less than week ago $4,000 men
paralyZed for two days the transporta-
mo Tax and Tax Exempt IN Mas,