New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-23

state insurance against unemployment,
illness, incapacity and old age, provid-
'ng that foreigners shall have the same
rights in this regard as natives.
must provide them without delay.
Eight hours is the maximum work
day under the French proposals, with
a day and a half of rest weekly. Four
teen is also made the minimum age Of
employment. There are likewise pro-
visions for compulsory education and
prohibition of night work for women
and those of both sexes under eighteen.
American Plans Different.
The French, moreover, say that all
nations must agree to advance hygie
mic and safety measures; all must pro-
vide safety automatic railway couplers
within from two to five years; Ga
Dor inspection service" must be estab-
ished everywhere, and an interna-
tional labor commission to supervise
the application Of the labor clauses Of
tho treaty of peace.
The plan also charges the interna-
tional labor bureau with the duty of
co0rdinatng national labor reports,
the execution of labor legislation, the
preparation Of international inquiries
and "study of everything concerning
the development and application Of
labor legislation"
In contrast with these plans the
American proposals do not call for the
establishment of a single governmental
bureau. Every provision suggested by
them related to conditions Of life and
work which shall be made operative
ly agreement. This does not mean
that the American labor delegates will
oppose any government bureau, but
ON NV hat !, Q>D l.
ernmental machinery will not work
properly. The delegation places its
main hope of Improvement Of condi-
tions upon an agreement between la
Dor and capital.
The labor opinion of the world is
going to be matter Of profound con-
! Germ to the men charged with the duty
OF the negotiation of peace. The COW
enant OF the league depends for its life
upon the public opinion Of the world
and the nations represented at the
peace table include more than 15,O0O,-
600 organized workers able to express
their views
Organized labor's greatest concern
is Article 20, which may be called the
Labor Charter of the World. 1t reads:
The high contracting parties will
endeavor to secure and maintain fair
and humane conditions of labor for
men, women and children, both in their
own countries and in all countries to
which their commercial and industrial
relations extend, and to that end agree
to establish as part of the organiza-
tion of the league permanent bureau
of labor
There may be disappointment ex-
pressed by labor's so-caled Left Wing
IN Europe that the covenant does not
say more about labor, that sweeping
conclusions Of various kinds arc not
included, but 1T is MY opinion that the
great body of trade unionists through
out the world will find their desires
fully satisfied with what appears in
the covenant, believing that through
the door opened by Article 20 there is
the fulfilment Of all their aspirations
aspirations and ambitions.
Draft Big Step Forward
My contact with labor in America.
Britain and France is sufficiently init
mate to lead to the conclusion that
with possible minor exceptions, the
draft is regarded as the longest step
forward possible at this time. 1t will
be remembered that under the article
there still remains to be worked out
the real machinery of labor's purposes
through the Commissioner Of Interna-
tional Labor Legislation of which
Samuel Gompcrs is president.
The article is really little more than
an enabling act, laying down funda
mental principles. SO far as American
labor is concerned, it always has been
the policy of the union movement to
seek only an open path for working Dat
its own destiny