The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-01-11
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The meeting of the International La
Dor organization brought about IL
Americans and 400 other people tc
Paris to meet in the 9th conference
of this organization which is world
parliament for the consideration of la
Dor and social questions. Each ma
tional delegation to the annual meet
ing comprised four delegates, two rep
resenting the government, one repre-.
senting organized workers, and one
representing organized employers;
each of these three sections spoke
and voted freely and independently
of the others. All points of view
found full expression 1t was signifi-
cant, however, that many, many times
the American employers and work
ers' and government delegates found
themselves in complete agreement.
The conference provided platform
for the exchange of views but it's real
and important function was that it
acted as a kind of advisory parliament
which formulates International mini
mum standards to which national So
cial and labor legislation should con-
form.
The lilo survived the war and is a
stronger and more vigorous body than
at any time in the past. The enthus-
iasm and mutual confidence of the
delegates was obvious and the extent
tn which the conventions of the LILO
have been put into effect in many
countries is impressive. A convention
is adopted only on the 2/3 majority
vote of the conference and forms a
special kind of international treaty,
having to do with desirable labor and
social laws The conventions do not
become binding on government until
it has ratified them, but government
delegates are obliged to submit these
conventions to their governments and
to report to the lilo annually what
measures have been taken in each
country to- give effect to the conven-
ton. Sixty-seven different conven
tons have been adopted in past years
and &c additional recommendations.
lEtJc nave Dttll OOO lOl mai ldIillNcl-
tons by governments and large num-
Der of laws, statutes or executive or
ders which carry out the purpose and
intent of the convention in some other
way.
The subjects dealt with in these
conventions cover limitation of hours
of work, vacations with pay for wage
earners. working conditions for WON
en-, insurance against unemployment,
sickness, old age and industrial acct
dents, protection of child workers,
living and working conditions of sea-
men, industrial accident prevention,
apprenticeship rules, and many others.
The Declaration of Philadelphia
at the last meeting of the
lilo in Philadelphia in May 1914 chart
the work of the LILO. That declara-
tion takes as a basic international
point of view that poverty anywhere
a danger to prosperity
everywhere" President Roosevelt
called it "a landmark in world think
ing. ne OecldIdIlOu euuS Win d
statement adopted with enthusiasm,
that all human beings, irrespective
Of race, creed, or sex, have the right
to pursue both their material we'll
being and their spiritual development
in conditions of freedom and dignity
Of economic security and equal OPP
portunities."
The conference of IA adopted 10
point program to give effect to these
beginning with full employ
ment and the raising of the standards
Of living. The session in Paris in 1945
CONTINUED on Page Two)