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than ever before: that if peace and harmony among all nations is to be preserved, that every nation must allow and legislate for a more equitable share of the national production amongst the people who assist in its production. In the past, Governments have made efforts to deal with the terrible problem of unemployment after its detrimental effects had been felt on the economic and social structure. The Committee set up by the International Labour Organization in Paris in 1945, and its recommendations, which are unanimously adopted by the Conference, marks another milestone along the road of human progress. It is the first time 011 record that the nations in any international council have brought down recommendations to cope with the problem of unemployment and its effects before that problem generally arises. Planning in Advance This aspect of the matter was brought into relief by the remarks of Mr, Carter Goodrich, Professor of Economics of the Columbia University and United States Government adviser of the United States delegation. Mr. Carter Goodrich said:— The fact that Governments recognize now almost as a matter of course the responsibility to provide conditions under which full employment can exist is a great fact in the history of the world. You do not need to think back many years to realize that. This is not merely an obligation to do something when the menace of unemployment has become a fact. It is not an obligation either merely to carry out relief or emergency measures when the difficulty has already come about. It is an obligation to plan in advance and to take such measures as will prevent the necessity for emergency action. My remarks on this aspect of the work of the International Labour Organization Conference emphasize that the progressive policy of the New Zealand Government in dealing with the transition period from wartime to a peacetime economy has practically been endorsed by the world Conference. Unknown to the Conference, the Government of New Zealand has already proceeded far along the lines of the recommendations made, and, indeed, in several instances New Zealand has made much more progress than the recommendations adopted. But the recommendations will assist our country and its people when they are accepted and put into operation by those countries who have not yet been able to adjust their economy in the light of present-day conditions. In this respect the recommendations are not only a tribute to the policy adopted in our own country, but will prove invaluable in assisting other nations to adjust their internal economy with the object of preventing a spread of low wages and unemployment, which, when such occurs, has a detrimental effect on the internal policy of New Zealand. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The activities and usefulness of the International Labour Organization are not restricted to Conferences. The International Labour Organization is a vast and comprehensive live international organization by its very nature above sectional interests, but also by its nature concerned in the social and economic welfare of the people of the world. It is not directly concerned in politics or policies, but no policy or political move escapes its ever-vigilant attention, examination, and analysis. It receives from all nations reports by experts on particular policies and problems, and from this general storehouse of world, information it reports impartially in the interests of all. To enable this colossal work to continue, special Committees, investigations, and consultations between all sections and representative of all sections are continuously

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