A.—sc.

The library contains 350,000 volumes on industrial and social subjects. It is the world's most complete international collection of works on industrial and social matters, and may be used by persons engaged on research on related questions. The estimated expenditure on the Office for 1937 is 9,504,140 Swiss francs. Receipts, derived principally from contributions of States who are members of the International Labour Organization, but not members of the League of Nations (Brazil, United States of America, Japan), are estimated at 1,768,034 gold francs. The net estimates are therefore 7,736,106 francs, which, while higher than for 1936, are still lower than the average for the period 1929-1935. In the 1937 estimates 208,000 francs are accounted for in various travelling and removal expenses ; 53,000 francs on office equipment; 700,000 francs in extending accommodation ; 450,000 francs in printing ; 329,000 francs in sessions of the Conference ; 130,000 francs in sessions of the Governing Body ; and 6,718,260 francs in salaries, allowances, and overtime. It has been said that no national budget is so elaborately and minutely examined as that of the International Labour Office, which is scrutinized successively by the Finance Committee of the Governing Body, the Governing Body itself, the Supervisory Commission of the League of Nations, the Fourth Committee of the Assembly of the League, and the Assembly itself. In other respects the International Labour Office is an independent institution. Sections of Office. The Office is divided into sections. The following is a list of the sections, with a summary of the principal activities carried on by each : — 1. Directorate. This consists of the Director, four Assistant Directors, the Director's private Secretariat, Secretaries of the Assistant Directors, and the Information and Press Service. 2. Official Relations Section. Secretariat of the Governing Body (correspondence with members of the Governing Body, drafting of documents and minutes of sessions of the Governing Body, correspondence concerning the execution of decisions of the Governing Body) ; Secretariat of Committees. Official correspondence with Governments and the League of Nations ; editing and publication of the " Official Bulletin." Relations with Workers' Organizations. 3. Conference Section. Preparation of the International Labour Conference ; preparation, publication, and despatch of authentic texts of Conventions and recommendations ; ratification of Conventions ; interpretation of Conventions ; effect given to recommendations ; application of Conventions and recommendations, including examination of reports submitted under Article 22 of the Constitution and complaints concerning failure to apply Conventions which have been ratified ; preparation of ten-yearly reports on the working of Conventions and periodical reports on the application of recommendations ; labour inspection ; maritime, inland, and aerial navigation, maritime and inland fishing. 4. Administrative Section. Deals with all administrative questions concerning finance, staff, material, and household services, and with the general organization of the Office. Directs, co-ordinates, and supervises all the central services. 5. Legal Service. Gives legal opinions on problems concerning the International Labour Office. 6. Social Economics Service. Study of general economic problems from the point of view of their social aspects, and information concerning economic developments throughout the world in so far as they affect the conditions of life and employment of the workers. Economic and social problems concerning agriculture. 7. Statistical Section. Study of statistics connected with labour conditions ; collection and comparison of statistics of prices, cost of living, family budgets, wages, hours of labour, unemployment, migration, and other questions connected with labour. Establishment of standard methods of statistical calculations and tables with a view to securing international comparability and uniformity in labour statistics. Colla,boration with the statistical services of the Secretariat of the League of Nations. 8. Unemployment and Migration Section. Employment and unemployment problems ; placing, insurance, and relief of unemployed ; public works ; migration problems ; population problems. 9. Editorial Section. Preparation of the general programme of publications. Revision, translation, editing, preparation for printing, and organization of the sale and distribution of the publications of the Office ; translation and publication of the more important laws and administrative orders in all countries of the world. 10. Labour Conditions Section. Study of conditions of labour ; contracts of employment, collective agreements, legal decisions on labour law ; hours of work ; conditions in special industries ; employment of women and children ; utilization of workers' spare time ; housing of workers ; vocational training ; professional workers and salaried employees ; social aspects of rationalization ; employers' organizations.

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