LABOR CONGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1921, Page 5

LABOR CONGRESS.

PREVENTION OF ANTHRAX. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. By Telegraph.—Press Assn —Copyright. Received Nov. 15, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 14. The Morning Post’s Geneva correspondent reports that after twelve days’ debate in committee on the prevention of anthrax, the Labor Conference reached a unanimous decision that the economic and humanitarian aspects were insufficiently studied to justify international governing. It was decided to appoint advisory committees in producing and manufacturing countries to report to the governing body of the conference. The co-operation of the United States is invited. Disinfection is the only present effectual means of protection for the workers, but the real solution is the eradication of the disease in animals. The committee therefore separate the report on this subject to the conference. The British Government will be asked to nominate an advisory committee to meet in London. The committee emphasised the danger of too precipitate action disturbing the equilibrium of the wool market, and also the unstable administrative conditions in the chief producing countries in Central Asia, whence come the most dangerous wools, and the special case of India, one of the largest exporting countries, where the difficulties were insurmountable, fifteen disinfecting stations being necessary on the northern frontiers to deal with wools from Central Asia, which are outside the Labor organisation’s influence. Wools would thus be diverted to Persia and Black Sea ports, resulting in a blow to one of India's most important industries. Cases of anthrax in India, contracted through handling wool, were extremely rare.

The conference’s decision means the defeat of the British Government, which had hoped to utilise the Labor organisation to impose the heavy cost of disinfecting on exporting countries, regardless of the interests of poor countries like India. The decision is also the chief triumph of this conference’s more moderate element over the Socialist and idealistic doctrinaries, who would inter-meddle in other countries’ affairs irrespective of the divergences of the customs and the complex economic reactions.

But a grave menace is still existing in white lead, and although the commission rejected prohibition, deplorable intriguing is going on, the Labor office itself nnon-’y countenancing propaganda favorable nwn bias, which is contrary to the lnte??st»’of the British Empire.—Aus.-N.Z. Qabte Aaqa, - ■- v