Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-11-21
LABOR REFORMS
IN ORIENT HELP
PROTECT TOILERS

tons in the United States and in Or
iental countries is emphasized by
summary of labor reforms recently
accomplished in China, Japan, India
and Persia through the International
Labor Office. an agency of the League
of Nations.
The reforms, though inadequate,
mark a decided step in advance AMI
improve the status of ASiatic labor
and reduce unfair competition with
countries like the United States that
maintain better working conditions
and shorter workdays. The four ma
tons in which the reforms have been
made have an almost unlimited sup
ply of cheap labor and few of the
workers are organized.
China Protects Factory Workers
In China the government has re-
Gently taken the first steps toward
the state regulation of labor condi-
tons, having accepted the recommen-
dations of the International Labor
Offices Commission for the protection
of labor by factory legislation.
The effects of these regulations
have been as follows:
China has reduced the number of
hours of work per day from an un-
limited number to 10 hours per day.
China has prohibited the employ
ment of boys under 10 years of age
and girls under II,
China has limited the hours of
work of young persons to 8 hours a
day for boys under II and for girls
under 1s. China has prohibited night
work for boys under II and for girls
under Is.
China has provided for the granting
of five weeks rest before and after
childbirth together with money
benefit to women employed in indus
| try.
China has provided for medical at
tendance, at the employers expense
in the case of employees accidents OF
sickness arising out of work.
Japan Takes Forward Step
In Japan the employment of chill
dren under the age of ~ has beer
prohibited. Children over the age OF
IL may be admitted to employment;
| if they have finished the course in the
elementary school,
The employment Of children under
the age of Ii years on board ship has
been prohibited.
Japan has prohibited the employ
ment of any child or young person
under Is years of age on board ship,
unless he is provided with a medical
certificate attesting fitnes for such
work.
Japan has given effect to the un-
employment convention providing for
the establishment of free public en-
ployment exchanges and for reel
procity of treatment for immigrants
under unemployment insurance sys-
ems.
Japan has adhered to the Berne
convention of 1906 prohibiting the use
of white phosphorus in the manufac-
ture of matches.
Legislation embodying general prin-
ciples for the protection of women
before and after childbirth has also
been passed.
An act providing that the night
work of women and young persons
should be absolutely prohibited three
years from the date of the enforce
ment of the act has been adopted.
India Reduces Hours of Labor
In India the hour sof labor of adult
factory workers have been reduced
from ~ hours to 60 hours.
The minimum age for the employ
ment of children has been raised from
9 to IL years in certain industries,
and the number of hours during which
a child may be employed in a factory
day to hours.
India has extended the application
of the Indian factories act from fac
tories using mechanical power and
employing at least so persons to all
factories using mechanical power and
employing 20 persons or more. Au-
thority has been given local govern
ments to extend the application Of the
act still further to factories employing
only 10 persons.
The employment of anv persons IN
der Is years of age as trimmers or
stokers on ships has been prohibited,
with certain exceptions.
1t has also provided for a weekly
rest in all industry and the establish
ment of free public employment ex-
changes.
Persia Enforces Labor Reforms
The Persian government has not
taken any legislative action in &C
cordauce with the decisions of the
International Labor Conference. Il
has, however, given evidence Of its
interest in the desirabihty of improve
ing industrial conditions.
According to the evidence of the
British consular authorities, children
of tender years were being employed
for an excessive number of hours in
workshops under sanitary conditions
of the most appalling kind.
A. n rn-,llt IF The Intervention Of