Evening star., 1937-06-03
LABOR CONFEREES
MEET IN GENEVA
Universal 4O-Hour Week for
Textile Industry One of
Chief Topics.
By the Associated Press.


GENEVA, June 3.-The twenty
third session of the International
Labor Conference opened here today,
with 400 delegates and advisers from
81 member countries in attendance.
Assistant Secretary of Labor Edward
F.. McGrady headed the United States
delegation. Others from America
included:
Miss Grace Abbot, former chief of
| the United States Children's Bureau,
| representing the Government.
Henry I. Hartman, chairman OF
the Board of the New England Power
Association, representing the en-
ployers.
Robert J. Watt, secretary-treasurer
of the Massa chusetts State Fedora
| ton of Labor, representing labor.
A principal matter on the agenda
Of the three week conference is the
| proposed universal 40-hour week for
the textile industry, which was
thrashed out in Washington two
| months ago at a two-week meeting
which attracted textile specialists
from all parts Oh lNe WOTIu-
Replies to a questionable sent by
| the International Labor Office to the
62 member governments on their
stand on the 40-hour question show
that the United States and these eight
other countries are definitely in favor
| Of a convention establishing the short
week: France, Denmark, Norway, Po-
land, Belgium, Chile, Czechoslovakia
and the Union of South Africa.
In addition the Australian states of
| Queensland, Tasmania and Western
| Australia and the Canadian provinces
| OF British Columbia, Ontario and
| Quebec also favor a convention. The
reply of the Irish Free State is gen.
| orally favorable.
However, unfavorable replies have
! come from these II governments:
Bulgaria, Egypt, Estonia, Finland,
| Greece, Hungary, India. the Neither
| lands, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugo-
slavla. India and the Netherlands,
the most important opposition gov
ernments. explained their antipathy
| to the short week on the grounds
| they consider the policy involved
| economically unSound.
Another group of governments. al
though they have a practical interest
| IN the matter, are noncommittal in
their replies This group includes
Austria, China, Japan and the Aus
tralian states Of New South Wales
| and Victoria. The general tenor of
the japanese governments reply is
somewhat negative, though it ex-
presses approval in principle The
British government has made no re-
ply to the I. l.. o. questionnaire
Six items besides textiles on the
| agenda include:
l. Safety provisions for workers in
| building construction, with special
reference to scafiolding and hosting
machinery.
2. Planning public works in relation
to employment.
3. Reduction Of hours of work in
printing and allied trades.
4. Reduction of hours OF work in
the chemical industry.
S. Revision from IA to IS years as
the minimum age for employment in
industry.
6. Partial revision of the minimum
age for employment in non n-industrial
| occupations.
An attempt to reach a settlement
on the 40hour textile week at last
| Summers conference was protested
by the British, contending the confer
ence had insufficient information re-
garding conditions in the industry on
which to base a convention. The
Washington conference of April PIT
was called to present the information.