The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-03-29
ECONOMIC JUSTICE-A PILLAR
OF PEACE

After the United States joins the
World Court, the next step might
well be to join the International
Labor Organization. This is the
opinion of DIR. Iwao Frederick Ayus-
ava, of the Division of Asiatic In
quiry of the International Labor
Office.
DR.. Ayusawa was educated at
Haverford College, Pennsylvania,
and Columbia University. He is
very much surprised to find how few
Americans know about the lnterna-
tional Labor Organization and its
wonderful work. Its headquarters
are at Geneva, as are the headquar-
tiers of the League of Nations. The
Labor organization is independent of
the League of Nations, however, and
a nation can belong to one without
belonging to the other. AS matter
of fact, Germany has been member
of the International Labor Organi-
cation since 1920, but was not adj
mitted to the League until 1927.
What is the function of the Inter-
national Labor Organization? DR..
Ayusawa answered this question by
pointing out that permanent peace is
impossible without justice, and that
economic injustice in one country
blocks attempts to establish it in
other countries. More effective
than protective tariffs, for example,
in maintaining high standard OF
living in this country would be SINH
larly high standards of living in
other countries. One of the tasks
of the International Labor Organi-
cation is to make possible improve
ments in the standard of living by
getting all nations to abolish child
labor together, to take one instance
To accomplish this task, the In
ternational Labor Organization has
an expert staff with headquarters at
Geneva, and periodic conferences
Each nation is represented at the
conferences by four delegates, two
representing the government, one
representing the employers and one
representing the workers. Before a
question comes before the confer.
ence, all the available information
about it is collected by the star and
made available to the delegates. II
the conference disagrees, the Ques-
tion is referred back for more study
If the conference agrees, the ques-
ton is referred forward to the next
conference. If the second confer
ence also agrees, the agreement is
put in the shape of treaty, which
the member nations are invited to
ratify and carry out. Monthly bull
letins are issued recording the pro-
gress made by the various nations in
carrying out such treaties.
DIR. Ayusawa says that the life Of
Japan has been transformed through
the work of the international Labq
'TUrga1IzaT16h. Night work fOr u
men has been abolished by a Law
which goes into effect this summer
The minimum working age OF child
rem is IA. Health and accident in
surance are provided all workers
and working mothers are given ade
quate protection. Most nations can
not do such things unless their com
petitors do them at the same time
But more and more it is recognized
that international wars have theil
roots in industrial competition
For this reason DIR. Ayusawa sug
gests that after joining the Worll
Court as means of settling lega
disputes between nations, the United
States might we'll join the Interna
tional Labor Organization as {
means of preventing economic ani
industrial disputes.