Newspaper Page Text
texts of laws, deerto, orders and regulations
effecting labor in the different countries.
This is printed in English, French and Oar-
move this handicap, which they are now
carrying. At least two nations have already
adopted legislation riving effect to one or
aura of thcaa^oatantioai or retmmiarnda-
'
«ws»r ■ rx-.fyg-
page
StST*
THE ATHENS DAILY BANNER, ATHENS, GA
PIViPIPPlWiRWilipj 1 ,..
‘ ' TUESDAY. NOVEMmot
WERE IS A BRANCH Or THE LEAGUE WS' NATIONS -HERE
Ernest Greenwood Is the Mainspring of the American bureau of the International Labor Organization
of the League, and His Office, Within a Stone’s Throu) of the State Department, Hums With Activity
V tJERR you a ran* ..f i
^ in fhe middle of Wji
a braurh of tin* L»*;ijiii<
(ioning a.s busilj :i* >t
playing no imin>|H>rtiffit
William Atherton Du Puy
operative a
nation* il.at
izution? XV
of lhi> hotly,
of VtTMlillO-
vities
re ImmiimI up in that organ*
!<l vim h.'licvi* that tin* olii<e
hifli i* tin* i liiitl of the Treaty
i* so « !n*o to the State I)e-
p.vuiM-NL amt the War Department that a
pebble rod hi be ra*l into the window* of
tiioM* es.Hblishiuent* by a slingshot ? Do you
realise that if !*• in file very same block and
<»u in. same side of the street ns the J.ubor
IK-|Mitii.ent. and that the Department* of
f oni.t.eree and of the Interior are but two
blm ts away?
.ee'i are the feet*. At Seventeenth
ai»;i (I street* in iVa/liingion, the W-p
ft Kiuc-i (!ieenwood. wri.e* >in self
down as the •'American lepresentaiit e *t the
Inteinational I.ahor (/flier. League «»f Xu*
tions." Mr. (Jreemvoml is the only repre-
in Washington, and what has been th«
itsV’ I asked.
That cottfereut.o #a(iopted sire draft f, on-
lion* and five others have legislation pend
ing. Summing up the results of the two
conference*, approximately at least twenty-
six nations huve either adopted legislation
or have iegi*lutioti pending based , on the
work of the general assembly.”
T ill* looked to me like an at least inter
esting record of tangible results, par
ticularly as none of the members are bound
to take any action whatsoever and there
would seem (o be n<» harm in sitting
the table.. 1 wondered what the effect of
this action might be <*n the I'nitcd State*
irrespective of our purticij^ition. Before
asking about this, however, I decid'd t«*
find out a little more about this going or
ganization.
"What else,” I spiked. 'Macsjthe Inter
national Labor Office, the otner part of y<
organization, do besides prepare for the in
ternational labor eoiifereiu o?”
”It is charged by the treaty,” Mr. Green
wood replied, “with the duty of collecting
and distributing information on ail sub
jects relating to the international adjust
ment of conditions of industrial life and
labor. In addition to business connected
“What is tli/ effect.” T wanted to mow.
“of the existence of the international labor
organization on American industry, imc-
much as we do not participate in it in an*
way?”
“I will answer that with a question,” said
Mr. Greenwood. “Is it possible for forty-
nine nutions, including/ ail the principal
Powers except the United States, to form
an association having for its purpose i
movement of such far-reaching important
as that of the international labor organi
zation without its evegy act. its every pro
posal having some definite effect on the social
nnd v eoon'oinic life of this country? If you
improve living conditions of any portion {
society, don't you. to some Extent, improv'
tiie state of society as a whole?”
"Hut how about the definite, concrete ef
fect on American industry?” I asked.
“If conditions of labor are Improved in the
more backward countries the enr.ii etitton
with foreign goods manufactured w«th cheap
labor, which every progressive country faces,
. is lessened ami can eventually be elimi
nated,” returned Mr. Greenwood. ‘‘If ye
bring the standard of labor conditions in tin*
backward countries up to the standard of
conditions in the more progressive count He*
you eliminate the ruinous trade competition
from the countries with tlm lower standard;
in a way that ran never be accomplished bv
tariff*, no matter how carefully worked
out."
ASKED Mr. Greenwood for :
By
I. ‘‘lirietly they deplt with
day. unemployment, the pro*
ten and children, rrcipiorii
ning. the establishment of Government
i service* and the nppli* alien of tin*
* convention/of 1 !>fM» on the prohibition
hitc phosphorus in the manufacture
filches. At least eight nations have
>! legislation giving effect to one or
c.^ these ...raft conventions and recoin-
Hi-i.s. seme twenty-two have similar
it ion pending in -their respective Par-
tits. Tim humane ideas formulated
been broadcasted throughout the
draft convent/c a
on many important activities.
Investigations, worldwide in extent, arc
being made into the urgent problem, of un
employment. the results qf which are being
considered by a special commission of ex
perts. You may be interested t<* know
that my office .here in Washington has re
cently* prepared a .‘150-ppge report on con-
ditiony of unemployment in various other
countries und the measures taken by the
different Governments In meeting unem
ployment crises for 'the President's Unem
ployment Conference. This report was de-
livwwMo Secretary - Jlqoverj weeks in ad<j
ranee o\ the meeting of the conference and
a supplemental report by cable'brought it
tip to date to the very moment when thi
conference started. f
“The International Emigration Commis
sion, consisting of representatives of seven
teen nations, was organized by the office for
the purpose of arriving at international un
derstandings for the regulation of emigrant
Ernest Greenwood,
only American rep
resentative of— the
League
■ of
tentative of the League of Nation* in the
’ aited Stales Around about him i< grouped
\ eorp* of half a bundled clerks. His
office ties directly into that worbt organ i-
xuflop whjtfi has been set up at Geneva. He
i* responsible to it^ i* paid by it. is un
touched and uninfluenced by any authority
of the'Government of the United States, but
l*. nevertheless, a loyal American citizen,
employing a staff no less American than
himself.
Wh»*n I found out that Mils nucleus of
the League of X'atlons existed over here I
walked into its office itm! asked the Amer
ican representative what it all about—
just bow it was tiiat tli.* League maintained
this American office and what it did.
Mr. Greenwood stopped in his packing,
f..r tie was burning to catch the Adriatic for
» Vim over to Europe for the third annual
•si*riu t' cal Labor Conference, which will
1.# in (f :••!* by the time this get* in print.
A : t*, ftfcrcfitl, intellectual young man
«! iV.riyyogat, otdlego bred, journalistically
train**!. i» Gscentti/od. a >ou»g man who
during the'wnr found himself serving a.s an
official of the United States Employment
Service. Having demonstrated eertain ex
ecutive qualities. be was, at the titne th.*
International Laoor Conference xvoa staged
in Washington back in October. 1010, ap
pointed by Secretary Wi!<f»n a* the executive
officer of that conference. .He was the umn
who mu the show, and it is probably true
that few men have been given lucre difficult
tusks. It will he mneiubc:eJ that this In
ter national Labor Conference met before the
Versailles Treaty had been approved by the
"One of the results of the Genoa*confer-
cure,” he repliel. “i« the setting up of vlin*
is known as the Joint Maritime Commission.
This commission is studying the question >(
an international teamen*-s code. S-.ippo**
this rode, ns eventually adopted, should v-r
approximately parallel our
It would put vessel* of other registries >n i
par with vessels sailing’under the American
flag, in so fur as restrictions relating *o
beam on -are concerned. It would climinat-
a great deal of the competition which
American merchant marine faces and giv*
our boats an equal opportunity in seeking
ocean freights.”
“If the United States were a member of
tiie international labor organization, what
would be our obligations?”• I asked.
*^one.“ Mr. Greenwood replied, “except
to give consideration to the convolutions and
recommendations adonted by the amiunl as
sembly ami to furnish the necessary infor
mation concerning tiie experience* of the
country in these matters, which, by the way,
is now being furnished through this offirtf.
Do ii*t forget that th’e treaty expressly pro
vides that if no legislative action is taken
to make u convention or recommendation ef
fective ‘no further obligation rest?* upon the
member.’ It also provides that-in a case of
n Federal State whose powers in regard to
labor legislation are limited, a draft conven
tion shall be considered only as a recom
mendation. In the case of the United States
most labor legislation is State legislation and
Jbeijft nj-fl very definite,constitutional,limits- ,
tions to Federal labor legislation. It Is the
purpose of this latter provision to meet just
such constitutional limitations."
“Then, ns n inntter of fact," I said, “if
wo should join the internntional labor or
ganization we would assume no obligations,
moral or otherwise, other than the obliga
tions of courtesy, and wc would derive cer
tain decided benefits?" \
“Hpeaking personally and unofficially,
HmesMury number of nations to briug it into
actual existence. The treaty, however, had
Mid that an International Labor Conference
Vtiould te railed in Washington during Oc
tober. 1 tilth so President Wilson carried' out
its moil date and IIS delegates, coming from
*lu? various nations of the wyrld, arrived in
3KpfrteW on.
milKX into .on atmosphere which
1 Nt»« highly choired with antagonism,
fir : l ho great light against the League o£
No; ions, which woo maile In the United
Store, denote, was just then warming up.
Sir. (ireeowood waked for On appropriation
of $200,000 with which to run tbio confer
ence. ami Congress respomied in joint reao-
lution. providing $04,000, and fixed things
to that even this .urn was not available until
after the coufcreuce was brought to au end.
JJr. Greenwood's primary difficulty, there
fore. was to run this international confer
ence without uny money, a situation from
which it would have Men Tory difficult to
hive extricated himself had it not beet,
that u member of the British delegation
handed him n check for $30,000 and told
him to bank it and get busy.
This first meeting of the International
La)x>r Conference deliberated with much
embarrassment in the face of the American
isilitical situation which existed. There
were, as members ol it, seven Ambassadors
accredited to the United State, from foreign
nations, such men as Harold Butler, Dep
uty Minister of Labor of England; Jules
Corlier, the biggest employer of labor in
Beia-ain; G. B. Robertson, Minister of
Labur of Canada; Arthur Fontaine, chair
man of the Executive Committee of the
French State Railways, and lamia Guerin,'
who is to the French tejRJe industry what
E. H. Gary is to the American steel indus
try. Of the delegates assembled seventy-
two were Government delegates or repre
sentatives of the public, twenty-three rep
resented labor and twenty-three represented
capital. This imposing array of dignitaries
from abroad did not, however, save the con-
ace froen being often assailed on the
• of Congress. The peak of disapproval
from the BUI was reached when a Senator
jj, the floor characterised this gathering at
being made np of the "riff-raff” of Europe.
It was because of bis heroin struevl,
with thl* difficult situation that Ernest
greenwood, the exe«»tive officer of this,
the* first International Labor Conference,
vraa made it* .American representative by
the League of Nation.,. With this intro
duction ws will let 'hla teii his story.
everybody who think, about it at nil thinks
of the international labor organisation .as
the Labor Department of the League-of
Nutions. This is mi erroneous conception.
While elocely nffilinted with the league, it
is, for all piHcliriri purposes, a separate
association of forty-nine notions which has
been set up by'Article XIII of the treaty of
peace. N'owhere._lo the covenant of the
League of Nutions will you find any mention
of the international iubor organisation a,
such, la Article XXVI of the covenant
you will find u provision to the effect that
the members of the League will endeavor to
secure and maintain fair and bumaue con
ditions of labor for men, women and chil
dren, not only in their own countries but
In all countries to which their commercial
relations extend, and for that purpose will
establish and maintain the necessary inter
national organization. As a result the in
ternational labor organisation was act up
by and its constitution written in Part 13
of tbe treaty itself.” '
MllfHAT, then, are its actual relations
W -i
with the League?” I asked.
"Perhaps I can best describe it by draw
ing od American history,” ha replied. "Do
you remember the proposal far a third, and
more or less unofficial, branch of the Gov
ernment known as the House of Governors,
which was agitated at one time? Well,
you will remember that it was proposed to
have the Governors of ail the States get
together once a year or oftener if necessary.
In this way it was thought that a basis
could be secured tor uniform- legislation.
The Governors, being in close touch with
tbe State Legislatures, could meet, discuss
such measures us might be the subject of
uniform legislation, prepare specimen laws
and go home bound by a geutlemcn's agree
ment to lay the proposed laws before their
State Representatives and Senators, and do
all In tin-it power to have them enacted.
The Federal Government Would pay all ex
penses of this ‘House of’ Governors,' but
would have no control over its deliberations,
"In tiie''same manner the members of the
League of Nations have' set up the inter
national labor organization for the purpoae
of securing uniform legislation on matters
concerning industrial relations. Tbe leaffue
pays nit the expenses, but baa-no control
over its deliberations. There is very little
difference between tbe representative^ of
forty-nine nations getting together and dis-
cuasing possible uniform legislation, reach
ing conclusions, drafting specimen laws and
returning home to recommend them to'their
respective parliaments, and the Governors
of forty-eight States getting together and .
doing the same thing. The general as
sembly of the international labor organ!-''
nation can no more impose its decisions on
the respect I re Governments than tbe Hones
of Governors could have imposed Its de
cision, on the virions State Legislatures.”
- *'JM what (io thw forty-play b«B'
her nations hope to accomplish with
this organisation and bow docs it function?”
Fluked.
"It has taro distinct purposes,” Green
wood replied. “The first is to bring the
•tandtrdfof conditions of labor in the back
ward nations up to tha standard of the? more
progressive countries' and thereby eliminate
the ruinous trade competition from coun
tries with lower standards which hare for
generations obstructed the progress of labor
legislation atong international lines. It seeks
to remove the handclasps that are placed
on the progressive nation which, for in-
•tance, emancipates its children from lives
in sweatshops, by making that emancipation
worldwide. Its second purpoae is to serve
as a great clearing house of information
with regar.' to ail labor, industrial and aotial
movements—in other words, it is lta duty-to
emphasize the unity of tbe economic more-
mer.t of the world and to bring into Com
parison the experience and results in differ
ent countries in the matter of reforms.
emigrants. A special section is concerned
with the subject of co-operation. Another
branch js making inquiries and preparing
_ . . . , ... .. .... report, on insurance against sickness, dis-
Genoa, Italy, and was devoted to the Stude o)d ofe , nd .^Jent, and
world. The reautta from that conference,
unhappy aa it was, arc going on and on.
"The second conference was held fn
<<fTiO SHOW you how this is being accom-
/J- pliabed, I will have to describe the com
position of the organisation. There Ja the
General Assembly, made up of representa
tive, of all the member nitioip, which meets
at least once a year. Two of these assem
blies hive already been held and the third
is-'sbhfduled for October 25 of this year.
Then there is the International Labor Office,
with headquarters in Oeneva and national
correspondents fn various countries main
taining offices such ns mine. It is the duty
of these national correspondents to keep the
office in Geneva fully informed it all Umea
concerning economic movements, ltbor con
ditions, labor legislation, Industrial rein.-
tions, prices, costs of living and the Uke.
We ore also supposed to have on file Infor
mation concerning nil the other countries and
make it available io any one In our own
countries who may be interested.. ThcFIn
ternational Labor Office if under control of
a governing body of twanty-foor Members.”
“Whit was accomplish'd at tha first in-
tarnations! la boy confawyiet, which
, .. • . j s n r.. ilillPillt Hi v t/IU auu 44 ”
of maritime occupations. It adopted drain n . ldow3 nrplHt u, and maternity insurance,
conventions and recommsndations concern- A dPpartnicntf <TO atcd by decision of the
ing the protection of children, compcnsa- Waltlin(ton conference, is engaged .with the
tion for shipwrecked sailors, facilities for (luestlon 0 f industrial hygiene. A special insist that standards in tbe other countries
finding employment for seamen, working i$ studying conditions of labor in he raised to our own.” <
that i> my opinion," be said. "As a part
of tbe organization the American Govern
ment and American interests would have
the opportunity at all times of presenting
a brief for American laws, practices and
experience. As in the ease of the Interna
tional Seamen's ('ode,'wc could urge our
own maritime laws as a model.'- We could
hours in navigation and the fishing in
dustry and the establishment of national
seamen's codes as a prelude to the drafting
of an international seamen's code or set of
laws. To give a concrete illustration Ameri
can laws might require that a scaijian be
given a certain amount of cubic space
aboard ship as his living quarters, tiom'*
other nation might require that he be given
just half as much space. This second
Bolshevist Russia. A world-wide inquiry
-into production- is being carried on. an are “pOUI.D the United State, join the In-
ternationnl labor orranizutinn and not
Inquiries Into the working of the eight-hour
tday in the French mercantile marine and
into the workings of the three-shift ayatem
in the steel industry.”
"How do you distribute all thl, informa
tion after it has been received?" I asked.
"We have a publication known as the
Intelligence, a weekly entitled the
country would have an advantage over the- official Bulletin and a monthly, the In-
United States in Hie economical operation
of its shipping because It could bouse, its
seamen more economically. An international
seamen's code would bring the require
ment for space aboard ahlp up to the statuL
ard of the progressive nations and thus re
tei-uational Labor Review. Then we publish
in .umeruble studies and reports ranging nil
the way from pamphlets to book, of several
hundred page,. Everything is published in
Engliih and French. We alio publish a
legislative aeries containing reprint, of tbe
ternationnl labor organization and not
join tbe League of Nations?”
“If you ask me to give an official opinion,
I win have to nnewrr you that I don't
know." said Mr. Greenwood. "If, however,
you ask me (or my personal opinion I
would say that I believe it Is possible. Ger
many ia a member of tbe organisation with
out being a member of t[ie League. On ths
other band, the treaty' specifies that the
membership shall be made up of tbe mem
bers of the League. It might eeem that It
wes the Intent pf the Fence Conference to
make tbe membership of tbe organization
coterminous with the membership of tbe