A.—7.

freedom, of association is one of its corner-stones. Without freedom of association, and the freedom of expression which goes with it, it is impossible for the workers to make their voices effectively heard, nor could the systems of collective bargaining, upon the social value of which Mr. Ernest Brown and Miss Perkins so strongly insisted, have been built up. The Constitution makes no discrimination in favour of organizations of any particular doctrinal complexion or political colour, but it does imply that they should be freely organized and administered by their own members without constraint from outside. That is an essential feature of any effective representation either of employers or workers. When I alluded to possible changes in the Constitution, I was thinking, among other things, of the important question of the composition of the Governing Body, to which Mr. Schulthess and Mr. Thorn have called attention. Every country ought to feel that it has a chance of securing a seat from time to time. At present there is a fairly widespread impression that under the existing electoral arrangements there is not as much equality of opportunity as there should be I believe it is very much in the interests of the Organization that this cause of dissatisfaction should be removed before new elections take place m 1.940 My own suggestion would be that the Governing Body, which is now considering the matter, should make a report upon it to the Conference nex,t year, so that everybody. who is interested may have an opportunity of putting forward their views. "In conclusion, after twenty years devoted to the conception, the construction, and the guidance of this Organization, I may perhaps be allowed to conclude with a few reflections on its achievement. Its gradual development has been a slow and at times a disheartening process. The initial task of overcoming the scepticism, the indifference, and the hostility with which we had to struggle in the early years could probably not have been successfully performed at all without the dynamic qualities and the power of popular appeal which Albert Thomas possessed in such an eminent degree. The Opposition which had to be met and conquered came mainly from hl2L S T CeS \i / ° f l > there was the dead wei V ht of conservatism which blocks the path of ciny progressive institution. From the beginning of social of that e ZI ? improve the general lot of mankind, and particularly of that vast majority in every country who live by the work of their hands, bTforlhe'Ztfrr ° f thos \ w,w hdieve either that no change can be for the better > or that nothing can be done without disturbing fundamental f-'Ti SU -!l' attem P t has likewise encountered the indifference of what hiLent To th ,f own ° tate °f li f e and who care nothing about the hosStu Jf tl 7 0/ wor J d - E very such attempt has encountered the hostility of those who conceived their own position or interests to be threatened even by the slightest modification of the existing state of affairs. 7, j * ? ■ Vpe i °PP° slhun Me International Labour Organization has had to meet since the very beginning. Its present position and prestige to which so many tributes have been paid in the course of this debate are'the Achievement and the To't™ COnfr^- 9 th * m ' Bwt perha P s its most important achievement and the root cause of this success, lies in the gradual spread of the ZZuy° n TwLtu C wJJ° 9n l ?Ir ffoal ° f M econmm <- organization and activity. Twenty years ago that belief was not generally held. On the contrary K • commonly supposed that the improvement of living standards and of ivol king-conditions was a secondary matter which might be a by-product of rS/ ZTixrzfrr- bu i hcmu n ° t u m&ziFJ in useij. as a whole series of speeches dunng this debate have testified thnt £ efforts' Social ZJ Jill C °^ ornsen as « synthesis of social and economic yons. social and economic policy are now seen not as two contradictoru and economists ana. sociologists, but as different aspects of the same thivn—nf thl nf7ro£ 9 itlolk m Z theZTl a high i T r T J in the ladder of elation. 7t'se tZowantiZSl « "J2ar irr"rm organization has made it an object of di Lf t International exaltation of the tribe or the nation Z It Z ec ° nom * cs or P. the fashionable in recent years, in spite of the overwhelming evideme TTaTand

15