The north Mississippi herald., 1919-09-19
Mass of Informative Data.

A mass OF data has been prepared
outlining the situation in each of the
45 countries which will be represent.
ed as to the four points. Thus each
delegate will be able to view not only
the conditions affecting his own coun-
try, but also those affecting other ma
tions. From data prepared each dele
gate will get birds eye view of the
world labor situation on any given
subject.
The International Labor Council
will have a permanent headquarters,
with staff sufficient to gather and
distribute data on any topic affect
ing labor in any and all of the coun-
tries. This central world-labor office
will be under direction of governing
body of "a, of whom six will be elect
ed by labor and six by employers. It
is likely that headquarters will be es-
tablished in London.
AS regards the 48-hour week ard
conditions of women's employment
Great Britain will be able to show
an enviable recodr, for the govern
ment already has determined to make
the eight-hour day national, except in
agricultural, domestic service and sea-
transport industries. And legislation
recently was enacted making women's
condition of service on par with
male workers in the various trades.
Heretofore there have been ''inter-
national" labor meetings, with from
six to Is nations represented. The re-
cent Socialist-Labor conference at
Berne was an example. There the
political end of the labor movement
held sway. Then there was an inter
national trades union meeting at
Amsterdam. Samuel Gompers attend
ed that. The meeting essentially was
to form an organization not dominat-
ed as in the past by the Germans.
But there has been no move in the
past to bring the state, the employers
and the workers together in an inter-
national meetings, whose delibera-
tions and resolutions would be worth
more than the paper they were writ
ten on.
Will Work For World Conditions.
The international Labor Confer
ference, whose success depends upon
the enthusiasm accorded it by both
labor and employers, seeks to lift the
social civilization of the world to a
higher general level. This confer
ence hopes to secure minimum condi-
tions of life and well being to the
workers all over the world. In the
past social and industrial progress has
often been hindered by the fear of in
dividual states that improvement in
industrial and social conditions of
their workers could only be had by
the loss of trade in the international
market, which in the end would prove
ruinous.
The international Labor Confer
ence is the machinery whereby stimuli
taneous improvements can be carried
out with little detriment to any of
the nations and with great benefits to
the workers everywhere.
The permanency of the conference
is one of its chief assets, for hereto
fore when psuedo-international meet
ings on labor were held it was diff
cult to reassemble the delegates at q
later date and it was only the urgen-
cy of some particularly f1agrant labor
ouCA
feasible in an intermittant way.
The conferences permanent head.
quarters will be charged with investi
CATION of questions of internationa
interest, constantly, and therefore, bS
research, will bring new problem:
into the sphere of international ad
justment. The old system was hap
hazard and got things down only
when outraged public opinion backed
up the labor leaders. The new system
is to be an instrument of positive anC
constant progress. In the past pub
lie opinion forced abandonment o.
such practices as phosphorus poison
ing. The new plan will be the inter
national watchdog against danger
Gus processes of manufacture, or un
suitable conditions of work for men
women or children.
Majority Vote to Govern.
All questions at the conference will
be decided by bare majority excep
the final approval of conventions O,
treaties, which must have a two
thirds vote. The delegatse can brin,
up any question they desire-the fou
subjects outlined are simply to "star
the ball rolling"
The sessions will be rather tedious
since both English and French vii
be used, everything being translate,
in both languages, as at the peac
conference.
There is little doubt that the mora
force behind the decisions of such
representative gathering as this con
ference will be to insure that its de
cisions will be adopted by the major
Iity of the countries. Few govern
ments could afford to oppose the de
mand of labor for enactment of sucl
measures as the conference woul'
recommend.
If the legislation necessary to Civ
effect to a ratified treaty is no
passed by any country, or if its OBJ
servance is not effectively secured,
complaint can be lodged with the gov
erning body and brought before
commission of inquiry consisting o
three persons of industrial expert
ence, one of whom must represent la