The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-12-03
INTERNATIONAL
LABOR OFFICE
NEWS

Washington, Nov. 26, 1920 - The
International Labor Office has un-
dertaken a world wide inquiry into
industrial production in the various
countries of the world, in its rela-
tions to conditions of labor and cost
of living. The purpose of this in
quiry will be to secure all informa-
tiOn necessary to an accurate state
ment as to the actual condition of
affairs with regard to prices and
production. The office will not make
any more original Investigations on
its own account than are absolutely
necessary but will make the utmost
possible use of data collected by
Governments, Scientific Societies and
economic organizations of all kinds.
It will undertake only such research
work as is necessary to complete
existing collections of material. The
inquiry will include an examination
of % state of affairs in regard to
coal and raw materials, (2) trans
port conditions, (3) supplies of ma
chinery and tools, (4) exchange,
(5) credits, CO. factors connected
with labor, and (O psychological
and moral factors.
The International Labor Office
has constituted a technical service
of Social Insurance, one branch of
which deals especially with ques
tions of men disabled in the war.
In this connection the terms of a
French decree of the 18th of Oc-
tober, 1920, modifying the compost
tion Of the French National Office
for the Discharged and Disabled, 50
that it would include representa-
tive of the international Labor Of
flee, are of especial interest. 1t IS
understood that this addition has
been made to. the French National
Office at the request of the dele
gates of the more important asso
Citations of disabled men in France.
The German Government has no
titled the International Labor Office
that the following draft conven-
tions and recommendation adopted
at the Washington Conference would
be placed before the German Federal
Cabinet at an early date, for de
cision: Draft Conventions concerning
unemployment, employment of wo
men during the night, fixing the
minimum age for admission of chill
dren to industrial employment; rec
concentrations concerning unemploy-
ment, reciprocity of treatment of
foreign workers, the prevention of
anthrax, protection of women and
children against lead-poisoning, the
establishment of Government Health
Services, and the application of the
Berne Convention of 1906, on the
prohibition of the use of white phos
phorus in the manufacture of
matches.
A definitive German text of the
draft conventions and recommenda-
tions adopted at the first lnterna
tional Labor Conference held in
Washington, 1919, will be published
by the International Labor Office in
the near future. An authoritative
translation has been made necessary
owing to the fact that the Swiss,
German and Austrian Governments
have each issued translations, which
do not agree with each other on
certain points. A commission, in
Guiding representative of the In
ternatiCnal Labor Office, was ap-
pointed by the three Governments,
which has held seven meetings, and
which has now agreed upon a Ger
men text.
The Secretariat of the Information
al Socialist Congress, has requested
the International Labor Office to
intervene in the question of the re-
lations between the Poles and the
Jews in Poland, by submitting to the
proper authorities and organizations
interested, suggestions concerning
labor legislation. In a letter ad-
dressed to the Office by the Inter
national Socialist Bureau, attention
is called to the report of the So
cialist International Committee ap-
pointed to study the relations be-
tween the Poles and the Polish
Jews. This report declares that
Anti-Semitism is always present in
Poland and may we'll lead to new
troubles unless the Polish Govern
ment take energetic measures to put
and end to the daily eXcesses COM
mitted by the soldiery, eXcesses
| which constitute a most fragrant
violation of individual rights.
Although Sweden has not yet rat
flied the draft convention concern
ing unemployment adopted by the
| International Labor Conference at
Washington, the government has al
ready taken steps to carry out that
provision of this convention which
requires each member ratifying it
70 communicate to the International
Labor Office, all available informa-
ton, statistical or otherwise, CON
cerning unemployment.
The International Labor Office
has been informed that it may as
sumo that in all probability the
whole of the measures to be taken
| in Czecho- -Slovakia in pursuance of
the draft conventions adopted at
the Washington Conference, will be
completed before the end of No
vember.
For further information concern
ing the items in this Press Bulletin
apply to Ernest Greenwood, Wash
ington Correspondent, International
Labor Office.
Labor Council Joins
Chamber of Commerce