gions devastated during the war of 1914-1918 shall be in mind; (f) will endeavour to take steps in matters of international concern for the prevention and control of diseases."

The proposed International Labour Convention which is to be a part of the treaty of peace, a supplement to the League Covenant, seeks to accomplish the objects recited in Article XXIII through the medium of a permanent organization, which shall consist of a General Conference of the representatives of the respective powers and an International Labour Office. The General Conference is to be composed of representatives of states members of the League, chosen in a somewhat novel manner: Each nation is to have four delegates, two representing its government, one representing employers and the other representing working people. These delegates are to vote individually, not as a national unit. The International Labour Office is to be under the control of a board of twenty-four members, again to be chosen in a novel and complicated manner. Twelve shall be representatives of the governments, six shall be elected by the delegates to the

Conference representing the employers, and six by those representing the working people. Of the twelve government representatives, eight shall be designated by the powers which are of chief industrial importance, and four by the powers selected for that purpose by the governmental delegates to the Conference, excluding the delegates of the above mentioned states. No one of the parties, together with its dominions and colonies, shall be entitled to nominate more than one member of the governing body of the International Labour Office.

The International Labour Office is to collect and distribute information on all subjects relating to the adjustment of international conditions of industrial life and labour, and particularly on subjects which are proposed to be brought before the Conference in connection with proposed international conventions. The Conference may formulate and submit either recommendations for national legislation or regulation by the respective powers, or proposed international conventions to become treaties binding upon the respective parties. Provision is made for

enforcing by economic measures any convention which shall have been ratified, but not properly carried out, by any nation. Complaints of this character may be submitted to investigation by a commission of inquiry or by the permanent court of international justice of the League of Nations. Machinery is provided, whereby a state which fails to carry out its obligations, or to enforce a convention which has been ratified, may be subjected to economic measures to compel it to do so. But no nation shall be asked or required by the Conference, as a result of the adoption of any recommendation or draft convention, to diminish the protection afforded by its existing legislation to the workers concerned.

The extent and scope of activities of this proposed organization is indicated by the programme adopted by the Commission itself for the first meeting of the Conference, to be held in October next. It involves the application of the principle of an eight-hour day or forty-eight-hour week, prevention of unemployment, employment of women before and after child-birth, at night, or in unhealthy processes, and the employment of children.

(Letter No. 26)

LABOUR (Continued)

The Commission on International Labour Legislation besides preparing and submitting to the Peace Conference the convention or treaty described in the preceding letter also recommended for the consideration of the members of the League of Nations an extensive programme for insertion in the treaty of peace separate and apart from the convention.

This programme consists of the following declaration of principles which has been characterized as the Labour Bill of Rights, viz.:

"1. In right and in fact the labour of a human being should not be treated as merchandise or an article of commerce.

"2. Employers and workers should be allowed the right of association for all lawful purposes.

"3. No child should be permitted to be

employed in industry or commerce before the age of fourteen years. In order that every child may be insured reasonable opportunities for mental and physical education between the years of fourteen and eighteen, young persons of either sex may only be employed on work which is not harmful to their physical development and on condition that the continuation of their technical or general education is insured.

"4. Every worker has a right to a wage adequate to maintain a reasonable standard of life, having regard to the civilization of his time and country.

"5. Equal pay should be given to women and to men for work of equal value in quantity and quality.

"6. A weekly rest, including Sunday, or its equivalent, for all workers.

". Limitation of the hours of work in industry on the basis of eight hours a day or forty-eight hours a week, subject to an exception for countries in which climatic conditions, the imperfect development of industrial organization or other special circumstances render the industrial efficiency of the workers