The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-02-10
RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OFW WHITE
LEAD ADOPTED AT INTERNATIONAL
MEETING IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
White Lead Is Bad Poison; Kills Hundreds of
Workers; Should Be Prohibited in
United States

The Third Geneva Conference of the
International Labor Organization OF
the League of Nations, constituted
under the provisions of tie treaties OF
peace, was held in Geneva, Switzer-
land. from October % to November
10, and was attended by representa-
tivcs of 80 countries, namely, Alba
MIA, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Boz
livia, Brazil. Bulgaria. Canada, Chile,
China, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark,
Spain, Esthonia, Finland, France.
| Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Qua
temala, India, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands,
| Poland, Portugal, Roumania, the
! Serb, Croat and Slovene state, Siam,
| South Africa. Sweden, Switzerland,
| Czecho-Slovakia, Uruguay and Nene-
| zuela. OF those present at the con-
ference So were delegates appointed
on behalf of the governments, % del
cEates appointed on behalf of the en-
ployers and % delegates appointed on
behalf of the workers. In addition to
the delegates there were pa advisers
in attendance. of whom SO were adj
yers to the government delegates, 81
advisers to employers delegates and
II advisers to workers delegates.
The most warmly contested item Of
the agenda Was that relative to the
prohibition of the use of white lead
in painting. The commission on this
subject sat continuously for three
weeks and produced a majority and
minority report, the majority report
faVoring the use Of white lead subject
to regulations, and the minority re-
port advocating prohibition. The
subject was, however, referred back
to the commission for further atten-
ton and a compromise proposition
was recommended by the commission
on the following lines: For internal
painting of buildings Except railway
stations and industrial establish
ments) the use of white lead to be
prohibited for six years, but its use
in external painting to be allowed sub
iect to proper regulations. Eventual
ly this compromise was adopted in the
form Of 4 draft by the conference:
The General Conference of the In
tornational Labor Organization of the
League Of Nations,
Having been convened at Geneva by
the governing body of the interna-
tional labor office, and having met in
its third session on 25th October, 1921,
and
Having decided upon the adoption
of certain proposals with regard to
thep rohibition of the use of white
lead in painting which is the sixth
item of the agenda of the session, and
Having determined that these pro-
posals shall take the form of a draft
international convention, adopts the
following draft convention for ratifi-
cation by members of the Interna-
tional Labor Organization. in accord
ance with the provisions of Part XIII
Of the Treaty of Versailles and Of the
corresponding parts Of the other trea-
ties Of peace
Article l. Each member of the In
tcrnational Labor Organization rati-
flying the present convention under
takes to prohibit, with the exceptions
provided for in Article 2, the use of
white lead and sulphate of lead and
of all products containing these pig
ments, in the internal painting of
buildings, except where the use Of