ployment agents in the demobilization camps by the U. S. Employment Service, which had been begun before the end of 1918 (A. Y. B., 1918, p. 450), the War Department early in March announced the appointment of a special assistant to devote himself to the problem. He coöperated with existing bureaus and made special appeals to mayors and Chambers of Commerce in behalf of the discharged soldiers. At the time of the 80 per cent. cut in the Employment Service (see supra) the Council of National Defense formed an "emergency committee" to assure the continuance of the employment bureaus for soldiers and sailors, which then numbered about 2,000. Little difficulty was experienced in obtaining funds to operate them during the emergency. Army demobilization was continued throughout on a military rather than on an occupational basis (A. Y. B., 1918, p. 450). There were but few exceptions to the rule. One special order did permit men to be discharged out of turn in exceptional cases where there was sickness or need in their families or great industrial demand for them. On the other hand, soldiers might stay in the Army on their own written application until they believed they could find employment. No figures have been published as to the numbers discharged and retained under these orders. Some complaints were made that the demobilization of men at the camps instead of by local draft boards tended to increase the number of jobless soldiers in the large cities, far from home, but no action to change the policy resulted. In several large cities former members of the military forces formed themselves into organizations for mutual aid, obtaining jobs, and protecting themselves against undesirable working conditions. Such organizations, under various names, were found in Seattle, Tacoma, Washington, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and New York. They worked in close coöperation with organized labor, and their membership was generally held to be radical in tendency. Public Work. The very general turning to the resumption of public of the earlier part of 1919. Since all but the most pressing work of this character had been postponed during the war, a large number of projects and a considerable amount of money were available for the purpose. The Division of Public Works and Construction in the Department of Labor, which had been formed early in the year to cooperate with the Information and Education Service in stimulating construction, stated in March that it had knowledge of some 6,225 available projects to cost $1,700,000,000. The Department of Agriculture estimated that $300,000,000 might be spent for road building during the 1919 season, half of which would go for wages. On Feb. 3 the governor of Ohio called a meeting of mayors and county officials with a view to pushing public works and housing, and soon after it was announced that $20.000,000 in projects for public works was ready in the five largest cities of that state alone. A similar conference was called by the governor of New York in May, at which it was stated that work to the value of $155,000,000 was available and that 40,000 men would be employed on highway construction. The governor of Massachusetts first formed a special committee of representatives of capital and labor to stimulate building and construction and later secured an extra appropriation of $2,479,000 for public improvements. It is diffi cult to ascertain the exact effect of these and of similar actions by some other states and by a number of cities. but in the opinion of the special employment assistant to the Secretary of War, it was the cause of the reduction in unemployment which began to be noticeable by spring. Pennsylvania remained the only state which provided for the regular extension of public work in every period of depression (A. Y. B., 1917, p. 405). The operation of the Pennsylvania law was facilitated by the opinion of the state's deputy attorney-general that the appropriation of $40,000 to serve as the nucleus of a fund for the purpose did not lapse at the end of the regular appropriation period but could be carried over. Several bills were introduced in American Trade Unions. (Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Press.) INTERNAT Labor's Int America's inc international her entrance i reflected durin portant develo labor relation eration of clined to atten labor conferer the signing current confer trade unionist Switzerland, o 27 countries w ing the Centr powers as wel nations. Dele the American clined to join the grounds th due authority leaders, that largely "Germ provide the P clear stateme Allied labor, a neutral territ bor representa conference of a substitute b The Berne Lab less attention raneous Soci drafted a plan standards for were later acc It also passed a "people's" L American d International in Amsterdam ending Au XV. LABOR AND LABOR LEGISLATION LABOR JOHN B. ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Labor's International Problems.America's increased participation in international affairs which followed her entrance into the Great War was reflected during the year in several important developments in international labor relations. The American Federation of Labor, however, declined to attend the first international labor conference to take place after the signing of the armistice. Concurrent conferences of Socialists and trade unionists were held at Berne, Switzerland, opening Feb. 3, at which 27 countries were represented, including the Central and several neutral powers as well as most of the Allied nations. Delegates sent abroad by the American Federation of Labor declined to join in the conference on the grounds that it was called without due authority by certain English labor leaders, that its demands would be largely "German-made" and would not provide the Peace Conference with a clear statement of the position of Allied labor, and that it was held in neutral territory. The American la bor representatives tried to arrange a conference of Allied labor at Paris as a substitute but were not successful. The Berne Labor Conference attracted less attention than the contemporaneous Socialist Conference, but drafted a plan for international labor standards for the Peace Treaty which were later accepted by the Socialists. It also passed a resolution endorsing a "people's" League of Nations. American delegates did attend an International Trade-Union Conference in Amsterdam during the fortnight ending Aug. 2, the main work of which was to organize a permanent Inter by violent controversies between the American and German delegates, all the Continentals in some cases siding with the Germans, over such questions as responsibility for the war and the treatment of war prisoners. The four main resolutions passed, all of which were opposed by the Americans, condemned the Allied blockade of Russia and Germany, calling on all national federations of trade unions to take early action to secure its removal; delegated to the new bureau as its first duty the investigation of the status of the Russian trade-union movement so that it might be extended aid; declared that labor organizations would take part in the proposed International Labor Conference at Washington only if representatives of enemy countries were included; and criticized the structure of the proposed League of Nations, calling the international labor provisions "distinctly insufficient." Another meeting of the trade-union international was held at Washington in late October at the time of the organization of the official International Labor Conference (see infra). The latter was perhaps the chief feature in the development of international labor relations during the year. Labor in the Peace Treaty.-On Jan. 31 the Peace Conference appointed a Commission on International Labor Legislation, consisting of two representatives of each of the six principal Allied powers and one each from Cuba, Poland, and Czecho-Slovakia (see also II, International Relations). The members of the Commission were for the most part Government officials, Samuel Gompers, the president of the American Federation of Labor, who was elected president of the Commis sion on March 24 brought in a report | portance" and in some cases weakened in which it recommended the organi- their substance. Labor was declared zation of a permanent International to be "not merely a commodity or arLabor Bureau and an annual Inter- ticle of commerce." The "right of asnational Labor Conference, both under sociation for all lawful purposes" was official sanction. The Commission laid to be granted "employed as well as down nine labor standards to be employers." Wages adequate to mainbrought into force through a specified tain a reasonable standard of living plan of international action and asked should be paid. The eight-hour day that the United States call the first of or 48-hour week was fixed as the the projected annual conferences. "standard to be aimed at." A weekly The question of international labor rest of at least 24 hours should be standards was third in order of the provided, including Sunday wherever subjects taken up by the full Peace practicable. Child labor was to be Conference, and the Commission's re- abolished and such limitations placed port was adopted and included in the on the labor of young workers as Peace Treaty with Germany in a should permit the continuance of their slightly weakened form. Each coun- education and their proper physical try was to send four delegates to the development. Equal pay should be annual labor conference, two of whom given for equal work, regardless of should represent the Government, one sex. The legal standards of each labor, and one capital. The relative country "should have regard to the strength of Government and other equitable economic treatment of all representatives was the subject of workers lawfully resident therein." much discussion, several countries, Finally, an inspection force whose including the United States, standing membership included women should be for one employers', one employees', and organized to enforce this labor legisone Government delegate. lation. At the annual conferences "recom- International Labor Conference.— mendations" as to labor legislation The first official International Labor might be made, or the countries might Conference met at Washington, Oct. enter into "conventions" to enact cer- 29-Nov. 29, 1919. Forty-one countain labor laws. In the latter case, tries had delegates present; German any agreements were to be brought be- and Austrian delegates were invited fore the appropriate legislative bodies but were unable to reach the United within 18 months after the conference, States in time. As the Senate had though no further obligation was to not ratified the Peace Treaty (see 1, rest on the country if legislative assent Congress), the United States was not was refused. A federal state whose officially represented, though the Conform of Government did not permit ference elected Secretary of Labor action in a given matter by the cen- Wilson chairman. The Conference tral legislature might treat a conven- adopted 12 draft conventions and tion merely as a recommendation. recommendations on labor legislation After a convention had been translated to be referred to its member countries into law by a country, employers or for enactment. Working hours for workpeople might complain to the In- both sexes were to be limited to eight ternational Labor Bureau if its pro- daily and 48 weekly in mines, factorvisions were not observed. The com-ies, building, and transportation. The plaint would first be brought to the attention of the state in question, but in case of persistent violation, after rather elaborate procedure, the League of Nations might take steps to punish the offending country. In the original Commission report the signers of the treaty were to "declare acceptance" of nine principles of labor legislation. But the actual treaty gave these standards only as principles "of special and urgent im programme of action against unemployment included national systems of free public employment bureaus, prohibition of private fee-charging agencies, establishment of unemployment insurance, reservation of public works for periods of depression, and regulation of the recruiting of bodies of workers in one country for employment in another. It was recommended that foreign workers should in general receive the benefits of protective labor On their return in May the Commission stated that English employers generally recognized the right to organize and the desirability of bargaining collectively with trade unions. In spite of the unrest they believed that a considerable spirit of coöperation to increase production was to be found between employers, the Government, and the more conservative portion of the employees, who were apparently in the majority. laws and of the right to organize on | for women included forbidding their equal terms with natives. Maternity employment in occupations that would protection and benefits for women injure their capacity for motherhood workers should be provided for and prohibition of home work on through opportunity for rest six poisonous materials. The prohibition weeks before and after childbirth and of night work by women and its limitafree medical care and cash benefits tion in the case of men to continuous during that period. An enlarged and processes in public service were also modernized draft convention forbid-demanded. The Conference elected ding the employment of women in in- temporary officials and postponed perdustry for a period of 11 hours at manent organization until its next night which must include the interval meeting at the time of the second Inbetween 10 p. m. and 5 a. m. is sub-ternational Labor Conference. stituted for that agreed to by 14 coun- Industrial Commission to Europe. tries at Berne in 1906. In connection-Under the auspices of the Departwith the prevention of occupational ment of Labor, an Industrial Commisdisease, the Conference recommended sion of seven employers sailed in Janthe disinfecton of wool infected with uary to observe labor conditions anthrax, extension of the prohibition abroad, especially in Great Britain. of the use of white phosphorus in manufacture of matches to all members of the Conference, and prohibition of the employment of women and young persons under 18 in certain lead processes and their employment in any work with lead only under cleanly conditions. The establishment of special Government services charged with safeguarding the health of the workers is also recommended. The minimum age for the admission of children to industrial employment is fixed at 14 years except for India and Japan, where it is 12. Industrial night work by young people under 18 is to be forbidden by members of the Conference, with certain exceptions for those between the ages 16 and 18. International Conference of Working Women.-The Women's Trade Union League called an International Conference of Working Women which met in Washington on Oct. 28, just before the general International Labor Conference, hoping in this way to give impetus to the consideration of questions of women's work by the latter. Its first resolution asked that half the delegates at the next International Labor Conference be women. On the limitation of hours the women's Conference urged not only an eight-hour day, but a 44-hour week and a weekly rest period of at least a day and a half. Standards advocated for the employment of children were the 16year age limit and prohibition of the Pan-American Labor Congress.The second annual session of the PanAmerican Federation of Labor was held in New York, closing July 11. Resolutions were passed endorsing the League of Nations with the proviso that all nations should be admitted, tendering the good offices of the Federation in settling the long standing boundary dispute between Chile and Peru, and urging that any differences between Mexico and the United States be settled by peaceful methods. Fear had been expressed that the Federation would be disrupted because of a resolution passed at the 1919 convention of the American Federation of Labor asking for two years' prohibition of immigration from Europe and Mexico; but the Central and South American delegates were satisfied with the explanation from the president of the American Federation that prior to the war immigration had so increased that it menaced American standards of living and that personally he would |