A.-—7.

The Director s report indicates the tremendous progress throughout the world in social improvements, and inspires the hope that, notwithstanding war clouds that drift across the horizon, the heart of the peoples is sound. There is ample evidence to show that nations are making stern endeavours to provide happier and healthier conditions and to lessen the sum of human misery. It is the function of this assembly to carry the f or so individual countries forward by means of international regulations and agreements. In this way the International Labour Organization can achieve something that is worth while and assist m bringing about a better understanding between man and man, between employer and worker, and between nation and nation. Director's Reply. f « repl y. , tlie Rector to the debate always receives the full attention of the the iTm> t?J n °^ e +f 0n Jt w f of Particular and emotional interest, seeing that it was the last Mi. Harold Butler was to address m his capacity as Secretary-General to the MY 1 tr end of the debate will be indicated by the following extract from i+ k SPee ' ai l d I , hls ref erences to the International Labour Organization and how it might be more powerfully supported are of importance: ««> ff i rst P +i nt that s . trlke ? 7)16 about the delate, to which I have listened as effectively as the acoustics of this part of the hall permitted during the last five days, has been the abundant proof which it affords that the International Labour Organization is certainly not a sinking ship. At times I wondered whether it was not a flying-boat. The Conference itself is as large as that of last year, which was the largest on record. It comprises the representatives of T U I I 6™ dls }l n 9uished by the presence of no less than nine thTnStJ f Wn9 ft\ f ° V the fiTSt time is Miss F ™nces Perkins, the United States Secretary of Labour, to whom I owe a very special debt of Zl hi 'T 9 ™ Sted rJ Ulfi ! U y « personal MiZers hZthat LthtlTf f mbordm f e t0 claims of home duties. I can assure her that both the Conference and myself deeply appreciate the effort she has made m coming, and, I venture to think that the speech which'she gave us effect it C u U i T l ™ ade r an y where else but in this gathering with the effect it undoubtedly produced. In energy and enthusiasm this Conference certainly shows no falling away from the standards of previous years. At a time when international organizations are said to be in decline, it is encouraging declare tiwt 6 ?? en * nced . legate like Mr. Berg, Government delegate, Norway, declare that the Organization is stronger than it has ever been; to hear Mr Shn Ram say that the crisis, so far as the International Labour Organization is concerned, seems now definitely a matter of the past'; while a large number of U^%S^f ie Am e - Lab °Z iniste 7 rs .°f France, Great Britain, Spain, the t/mfed States of America, and Yugoslavia, have proclaimed the determination of their countries that there should be no weakening of their support of the Organization and no relaxation in the endeavour to promote social progress Mr Jouhaux, workers delegate, France, made an appeal that there should be no slackening m the effort to promote social justice because of the troublous times " % l\S ZL t f it 6 has gw f nhim the for which he asked. I will now turn to the appreciations of my report. I will omit any reference to the compliments which, delegates have been good enough to van to appreciated > and wiU to some of the comments "In writing it, I tried throughout to look the facts in the face and not to blink them or to try to fit them into the framework of preconceived theories oi pi ejudices. I have been accused by some speakers of pessimism, by others of optimism, by others of a contradictory mixture of the two. I am quite prepared to plead guilty to all these accusations, because I think justification may be found for them all in the very nature of the present situation. A purely pes,JSe picture would have been as inaccurate as a purely optimistic picture. Unfavourable factors are inextricably woven with favourable factors. On the one hand there is an enormous increase in capacity to produce; on the other is failure to Tut to the best use. On the one hand is the gradual growth of an international social consciousness which, ran like a golden thread through many speeches ol the other is the exaltation of violence and brutality which characterizes the'war* competition in ai moments. All these things are part of the world at it % to-day and no review, however summary, could honestly omit them It was therefore perhaps inevitable that an attempt to do justice to the Mr - i make m f rep ° rt a PP ear paradoxical to some, readers Mr. Jouhaux, for instance, reproaches me with pessimism in renard in i + ' working-week 1 should not agree with him il thiSZg that 7e IVst of Z Office would be ended if no international agreement for the reduction of honrl of work were arrived at m the immediate future. I should, however, agree with

11