The Connecticut labor press., 1920-08-28
AN INTERNATIONAL
 LABOR OFFICE
Continued from First Page.1

senting 40 nations. Of these s73 wer, government delegates, 25 were, repre- sentatives of employers and 25 wer, representatives of workers. This con ference adopted draft conventions Q) limiting the hours ofsWork in industria undertakings to eight in the day ano 48 in the week. (29 concerning unem- ployment of women, (4) fixing the minimum age for the admission oi children to industrial employment and (5) concerning the night work of young persons employed in industry. 1t also adopted recommendations CD concern ing unemployment, (2) concerning reciprocity of treatment of foreign workers, (3) concerning the prevention of anthrax, (4) concerning the protec- ton of women and children against lead poisoning, (5) concerning the es- tablishment of government health sery- ices and (6) concerning the application of the Berne convention of l9O6 on the prohibition of the use of white phos- phorous i'll the manufacture of matches
 1t will thus be seen that although the first international labor conference of governments for. the improvement of conditions of employment had to deal with innumerable perplexing problems
 
 ingly impossible amount ot constructive work.
 Shortly after the Washington confer ence the International Labor office, which is the second part of the interna- tional labor organization, opened tenn porary headquarters at 2 Cursor street, London, England, under the control of a governing body of "A members, 12 of whom represented the governments, six represented empoiyers and six repre- sented workers. Since that time sec ond international conference has been held at Genoa for the purpose of apply ing the draft conventions and recom- mendations adopted by the Washington conference to maritime pursuits. The international labor office now is estab- lished in its own building at Geneva, Switzerland, has effected its permanent organization and adopted a very com prehensive program of study and in vestigation leading to international leg islation which will provide remedies for the industrial evils and injustices which have marred the state of society i'll the past.
 Of Vital Importance.
 The second part of the commissions conclusions is in the form of clauses containing declarations of principle in regard to number of matters which are of vital importance to the labor world. These general principles are briefly CD that labor should not be re- of association, (3) the payment of ade- quate wages, (4) the eight hour day and the 48 hour week, (5) a weekly rest day of at least "A hours, (6) aboli- ton of child labor, @ equal pay for equal work irrespective of sex, (S) la. bor legislation having due regard to the equitable economic treatment of all workers and 60 an adequate system of inspection.
 But the chapter is closed for the present in so far as organized labor of America is concerned. The refusal of the Senate to ratify the Treaty of Peace and the Covenant of the League of Ma tions under any terms prevents the United States from membership or official participation in the international labor organization.
 It has been said that the international labor organization has nothing to offer American labor for the reason that American conditions of employment and American labor laws are of the highest standard in the world. This is not true. Even though conditions of em- ployment may be better than those of any other country in the world, this does not mean that still further improvement is not desirable. Any improvements in the conditions in other countries must be beneficial to both American labor and American industry. An example of the benefits accuring to the American work man is the reduction of emigration of foreign workers due to 1essening of the difference between the opportunities in their own country and their oppor- tunities in America A good example of the benefits accuring to American industry is the reduction of competition with foreign goods manufactured i'll countries where wages are unusually low. It should also be remembered that the failure of any nation to adopt hu- mane conditions of labor is an obstacle in the way of other nations which de sire to improve the conditions in their own countries. This principle IS set forth in Part XIII, which is the Labor Section of the Peace Treaty. The Iu- ternational Labor Office ahs great deal to offer that is heueftc.al both to Amer icar labor and American industry, The nature of which will be discussed in future articles.