790 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 



2. Jnternatioiial Agreements on Labour Legislation. 

 By Professor E. Francke, Ph.D. 



The question how to eflect by means of international conventions a uniform 

 adjustment of the laws and regulations that are intended te serve for the protec- 

 tion of life, health, and morality of industrial workpeople is as old as the laws 

 themselves for the protection of the working-classes. England was the country 

 of origin of both : both are connected with the name of K. Owen (1815) whose 

 labours were continued by the Elsass manufacturer. Dr. Legrand (1837-1859). 

 Representatives of science, of workmen's organisations and statesmen encouraged 

 them. In 1889 the Federal Council of Switzerland issued invitations to the 

 governments of the industrial countries of Europe to attend a conference when 

 the German Emperor asked to be permitted to take the lead (Workmen's 

 rescripts of February 4, 1890). In the spring of 1890 the delegates of thirteen 

 European countries — amongst them Germany, Great Britain, France, Austria, 

 and Italy — met together in order to consider the regulation of work in mines, 

 the observance of Sunday, and the employment of children and women. Although 

 general agreement was arrived at on many points, no definite treaties were 

 made — only wishes were expressed. 



At the same time, this Conference of Berlin gave immense encouragement to 

 the progi-ess of the idea of workmen's protection, and, but for it, private initia- 

 tive, which now stepped in, would never have been attended with success. In 

 August 1897 a workmen's congress, held at Zurich, which was attended by 

 representatives of a great number of countries, demanded the establishment of 

 an international office for the protection of workpeople ; and a meeting of repre- 

 sentatives of social-politics from Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Austria, 

 and Switzerland, held at Brussels in October 1897, voiced similar aspirations. 

 Delegates of both workmen and social politicians met together in 1900 at Paris in 

 order to found the International Association for the legislative protection of work- 

 people. The seat of this association is Basle, twelve countries as sections adhere to 

 It : Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, 

 Holland, Denmark, Spain, and the United States of America. The governments 

 of almost all these countries have joined the Association — unfortunately the British 

 Government have not yet done so — and grant subsidies to it. Every two years the 

 delegates of the governments and sections meet for the purpose of discussing labour 

 questions— the next meeting will take place at Lucerne, September 27-30, 1908. 



The Association aims at encouraging the study of labour legislation of all 

 countries and at preparing international diplomatic treaties connected Avith the 

 protection of workpeople. The International Office of Labour, inaugurated at 

 Basle in May 1901, serves both these aims, and, as a scientific central bureau, 

 collects material and publishes bulletins in German, French, and English ; the 

 office also supplies information and gives an opinion on matters laid before it. 

 The conference of delegates commenced in 1901 with the consideration of the pro- 

 hibition of industrial night-work for women, the means of combating the dangers 

 arising from the use of poisons in factories, and international workmen's insur- 

 ance. On the motion of the Association the Swiss Federal Council invited the 

 Governments of the countries of Europe in 190-4 to meet in a conference which 

 led in 1905 and 1906 to the conclusion of two treaties containing the following 

 provisions: — 



1. Night-work for women in factories is prohibited ; a minimum pause of two 

 hours during the night is fixed. Thirteen countries signed this treaty — namely, 

 Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, 

 Luxemburg, Holland, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland. 



2. The use of white phosphorus in the manufacture of matches is prohibited. 

 Seven countries signed this treaty — namely, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, 

 Luxemburg, Holland, and Switzerland. Six countries (namely, Austria, England, 

 Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain) held themselves aloof. 



Already before these agreements, in 1904, France and Italy had concluded a 

 treaty — with the co-operation of the Association— allowing their workpeople to 



