Evening star., 1944-04-23
Problems Face
ILOMeeting
BIZ w. H. Harrison.

oy w. II. auTTtSOW.
The United States and the world at
large have reason to look to Philadelphia
at this time. For there, in the City
of Brotherly Love, delegates from II
different nations have just begun
conference significant and far-reach-
ing enough to be described as a pace-
setting, direction giving prologue to
whatever great gathering Of states
men may one day be held to fashion
the next peace.
This conference.-the 26th world ses-
sion of the International Labor Or
ganization-is addressing itself to some
Of the most formidable problems OF
our time, not merely to deal with them
in terms of high-minded principles and
noble desires, but to get down to brass
tacks and articulate definite program
of action in an effort to solve them.
To this end, the delegates and their
staffs of technical advisers will debate
and deliberate among themselves for
about three weeks on matters directly
affecting the fortunes Of perhaps as
many as 13o,00o,000 human beings.
The agenda Of the conference gives
some idea Of why Philadelphia during
this period should be . news source
of the first Importance, however dull
the technical discussions may seem.
The main items of business, apart from
what the ILO must do to revise and
expand its own organizational struc-
ture, include the drafting Of recon-
mendations to the United Nations for
present and postwar social policy; the
enunciation of program to cope with
the gigantic task of holding world en-
ployment to a healthy level during and
after rehabilitation: the consideration
Of general principles governing inter-
national social security; the study Of
what provisions must be made to deal
with such questions as the insurance
and pension rights Of certain popula-
tions who live now in a sort Of no
mans land between shifting frontiers,
and the establishment Of = minimum
standards for social undertakings In
dependent territories.
Never before has an ILO conference
had so many important things to do,
but the organization has wealth Of
experience upon which it can draw. In
existence since 1919, when 1t was
created by the treaty of Versailles, it
has steadily pursued a twofold OBJ
jective: First, to prevent the trouble
breeding frictions that develop when
one country competes unfairly against
another on the basis Of cheap and ex-
plotted labor, and second, to help in
dustrial and agricultural workers every
where by promoting higher standards
of living and better working conditions
throughout the world. Thus, through
its numerous past conferences, it has
acted upon such things as establishing
the 48-hour week as q standard for
international industry and upon mat
ters like setting the minimum work
age and proclaiming health rules to
protect employees in various enterprises.
In carrying out its program during
the prewar years, the ILO exercised
more than moral influence, for through
the many recommendations and con-
ventions drawn up at its conferences,
1t achieved concrete results among its
member nations, so that labor legisla-
ton in all the states Of Central Europe,
for example, was based on its general
rules. Probably the best way to under
stand the HOS effectiveness is to un-
derstand its makeup and method Of
procedure. The Organization itself
operates through two basic organs
the General Conference OF delegates,
such as the one now in session at
Philadelphia, and the International
Labor Office, which is controlled by a
Governing Body.
At the General Conference, which has
taken place regularly at least once q
year up until the outbreak of the
war, every member nation has four
delegates, two of whom represent the
government, while the workers and
employers are represented by one each.
1t is these delegates who decide policies
and programs, and it is they who ap-
point the Governing Body which runs
the permanent Office. AS for putting
the policies and programs into effect,
member nations are free to decide
whether or not to ratify any conven-
ton or recommendation approved by
a two thirds vote of the Conference,
but they are obliged, in any event,
to submit such measures to the proc
esSes of ratification II in the case of
the United States, for example, by
seeking enabling legislation from Con-
gress. Further, if ratification is OBJ
tanned, the ratifying nation must take
the necessary steps to put the measure
into effect. This is sketchy simplifi-
cation of the procedure, but it is enough
to suggest how the ILO has served as an
effective agency for world wide social
reform.
AS a self-governing, independent off,
shoot of the League of Nations, the
International Labor Organization has
several non-League countries as men,
bers, including the United States.
Owing to the changed condition of the
world and the problematical status of
the League. its present structure is
likely to undergo some revision and the
scope of its past program may be con-
siderably extended. AS it sees itself
now, it is "the major instrument for
giving effect to the fifth principle of
the Atlantic Charter, which pledges
| the fullest collaboration between all