1919 dealt with the difüculties with which China was faced owing to the existence within its territory of industrial undertakings enjoying extraterritoriality; Whereas even then the Commission on Special Countries reached the unanimous conclusion that a satisfactory solution ought to be found, in the interests both of the Chinese Government and of the workers, who are unquestionably the persons most closely concerned; Whereas in its report that Commission made the following suggestions:
"In view of the special difficulties which the Chinese Government may experience from the existence, within the area of China, of foreign settlements and leased territories, the commission suggests that the Conference should make the necessary representations to the Governments concerned (that is, to those Governments which at present exercise jurisdiction in these settlements and territories under treaties and engagements with China) to enforce in their territories within.
China the same restrictions as the Chinese Government has accepted: or. in the alternative, to decree that labour legislation adopted by the Government of China shall be enforced by that Government within those foreign settlements and territories where extraterritorial jurisdiction exists at present."
Whereas the report was adopted by the Conference; Whereas since that time the International Labour Office has never ceased to interest itself in the question in an attempt to reach a s factory solution:
Whereas unfortunately its efforts have proved fruitless:
Whereas actually the position has to some extent grown worse, as was shown by the declarations and statements made by the Chinese Delegates e! the Technical Tripartite Conference on the textile industry, held at Washington from 2 {o 17 April 1937; Whereas it is desirable that thè International Labour Organization should continue its efforts with a view to finding a remedy for a state of affairs which was denounced in 1919 by the First Session of the International Labour Conference; renew its efforts to bring about a settlement which would ensure that working conditions should be regulate ed on similar lines in the International Settlement and in the rest of China,.in order that factories on Chinese territory and within the Settlement should not derive an un-r competitive advantage by availing themselves of the absence of labour standards:
Keque: ts the Governing Body to re-examine the question and to con-idea the adoption of any steps or procedure which might lead to an effective solution of this urgent problem by direct agreement between the ious authorities concerned or, failing such an agreement, by an international Convention, with a view to ensuring the application of a uniform system of protection for the workers in all undertakings situated on Chinese territory. irrespective of whether they are or are not situated in the foreign settlements or whether they be do not enjoy extraterri icrabty. (Submitted by Mr: Mertens, Worke: Belgium, and other delegates, and adopted by 103 votes to all)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.