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and at five-yearly periods thereafter, precise information on the degree of responsibility of territories in regard to social legislation, on the extent to which Conventions are applied, and, in appropriate cases, reason for non-application. During the general discussion on the Committee's report, which was adopted, unanimously by the Conference, reference was made to the fact that some countries had not ratified any of the seventy-nine Conventions adopted between 1919 and 1946. It was also pointed out that, whilst the majority of Conventions adopted up until 1932 had been ratified by from twenty to thirty countries, of the forty-six Conventions adopted since 1932, ten had not been ratified by a single country, ten only by one country, and that only five of these forty-six Conventions have had the good fortune to reach double figures. It was suggested that this unsatisfactory position might be due to the tendency io set too high a standard in drafting Conventions. Tables are appended showing : (1) Conventions adopted during 1919-46 —number ratified by each Government as on 30th June, 1948 (Appendix No. 3). (2) Details of Conventions adopted during 1919-46, with the number of ratifications of each Convention (Appendix No. 4). EMPLOYMENT SERVICE ORGANIZATION This question was first discussed during the Thirtieth Session of the Conference at Geneva in 1947, when the economic and social importance of having in existence an -efficient employment service organization was emphasized. The creation and development of such a service was considered to be of special significance in attaining the purposes stated by the 1.L.0. in the Declaration of Philadelphia, and particularly in the achievement and maintenance of full employment. As a basis for final discussion, the Committee had before it a report prepared by the International Labour Office containing texts of a proposed Convention and Recommendation which had been drafted after consideration of views which had been submitted by State members following the previous year's discussions. The Committee's task this year was much lightened by the thorough discussion which took place last year on this subject, and, whilst considerable discussion ensued on some of the more important points and numerous amendments were considered, it was unanimously agreed that there should be a Convention setting out the main principles on which an employment service should be based and a Recommendation •containing detailed guidance on the means for providing an efficient service. The Committee endeavoured to ensure that, while safeguarding essential principles and leaving no doubt as to the precise obligations entailed, the Convention should be sufficiently flexible to meet the widely different administrative systems and stages of industrial development of the many countries involved. There was considerable discussion on certain important questions of policy, particularly those concerning the referral of workers to employment in cases of industrial disputes, sub-standard wages or conditions, and unfair discrimination. Widely differing points of view were expressed, and the final decision, so far as the Convention was concerned, was that provision should be made to enable each country to decide its own policy on referral in such cases, but that representatives of employers and workers should be consulted before decisions were taken. In the Recommendation, however, the Committee decided in favour of provision being made that the "employment service should observe strict neutrality in the case of labour disputes, and should not refer workers to employment carrying sub-standard wages or conditions or in respect of which there is unfair discrimination against workers. There was general agreement on the principle of voluntary usage of the employment service by employers and workers.

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