A.-7.

the present year the pace has still further accelerated. In the first five months the number of pages translated for the Conference has increased another 30 per cent, as compared with 1937. The pressure arising from Committees and Commissions of various hinds has constantly developed. We are now being asked to undertake a number of new activities in addition. A Permanent Agricultural Committee has been established, a Permanent Committee on Public Works has been established, and a Committee on Migration is likely to be established in the near future. All these and other developments of less importance imply more work, which I do not believe can be adequately performed with the existing staff, which has only increased by 8 per cent, in the last five years. " Again, during the debate Mr. Cook put forward a number of interesting for increasing the contacts and influence of the Office in trade-union circles. He and other delegates urged the need for wider publicity, both by increasing our publications and by the greater use of the film and the radio. A good deal more has been done, both as to the production of popular literature on the Office and as to the use of broadcasting, in the last few years. As regards films, we have been considering this question for some time past. I have recently received a report from an expert film-producer proposing the outlines of a possible film, but here again the question of finance at once arises. It appears that a satisfactory film could not be produced for an initial expenditure of less than 60,000 or 70,000 francs, to which it would be necessary to add a further annual sum in order to prevent the documentary material from becoming stale. These are sums which could hardly be provided out of the existing budget. The same may be said as regards correspondents, who afford an invaluable means of keeping in touch with all countries, and particularly with distant countries. We have already increased their number of recent years, particularly in Latin America, but more remains to be done, for which money is not available. At the same time, there is no doubt that considerable reluctance exists among States members of the Organization to increase their contributions at the present time, even by small amounts. It has been a not uncommon experience that Governments whose delegates have pressed for increased activity of the Organization in this Conference have taken a somewhat different line when the necessary expenditure has come up for consideration. " Although the budget of the Organization is drawn up by the Governing Body, ivho are thoroughly familiar with its problems arid requirements, it has to pass through the Supervisory Commission arid the Fourth Committee of the Assembly of the League. Both these bodies are mainly composed of financial experts representing the financial departments of their respective countries _ and among whom there are few who have any first-hand knowledge of the International Labour Organization. It is therefore very important that delegates to this Conference should bring home to their Governments, and not, least to its financial authorities, the needs and possibilities of the Organization. " Mr. Thorn and Mr. Schiirch also called attention to the present state of the reserve fund. During the last few years the League has adopted a policy of constituting a reserve, but as yet it is not sufficient to enable the Office to weather an emergency of long duration. It is unquestionable that the constitution of such a fund is an essential precaution, but the surpluses available in recent years have nevertheless been to some extent paid back to the States instead of being exclusively devoted to making provision against possible contingencies. Unless adequate reserves are accumulated, all the money, labour, and thought which have gone to the building-up of this Organization might be thrown away by some unexpected emergency, _ even though it were to prove purely transitory. "It is extremely encouraging to note that so many delegates have attributed the progress made in their countries to the influence of the Organization. I was particularly glad to hear the testimony of Mr. Noda, Mr. Almarza, and other delegates from Latin America, and particularly that of its father, Mr. Garcia Oldini, as to the beneficial results of the Santiago Conference. I entirely agree with the proposal which is now before the Conference for the convening of a second American Labour Conference next year. I believe such a meeting would be altogether timely, and hope that it will be an successful as the meeting at Santiago. In this connection, however, I note that several of the workers' delegates from Latin America have expressed regret that more complete delegations were not present from that part of the world. I fully realize the financial difficulty which distant Governments encounter in meeting the expense of sending a numerous delegation to Geneva for a considerable period, but there is no doubt that the presence of employers and workers as well as of Government representatives is the characteristic feature of this Organization to which a large measure of its success is due. When I suggested that the Constitution would have to be modified, from time to time in the future as it has been in the past to meet changing conditions, I certainly did not contemplate any infringement of its tripartite character. Mr. Krekitch, Mr. Peyer, and other delegates have said that

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