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their legislation and practice to international examination and themselves even on occasion to criticism from which Governments not furnishing reports are exempt." They also thought that the suggestion approved by the Committee of Experts concerning enforcement measures against defaulters deserved consideration. The Committee had a full discussion on the slackening in the progress of ratifications. Some members considered this due to over-detailed texts, others to the drag of bureaucratic inertia in certain national Administrations. Without making any definite recommendations, the Committee expressed the hope that States members would devote full attention to this problem. The question of the application of Conventions to non-metropolitan territories was also considered. The Committee commended the new procedure whereby ratifying States were required to furnish detailed reports on Conventions applied to their non-metro-politan territories along the lines of those submitted in respect of their metropolitan areas. The Committee concluded its report to the Conference by addressing a renewed appeal to States members to comply scrupulously with their obligations. The report of the Committee was adopted by the Conference. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Mr. Thorn was elected Chairman of the Conference Committee set up to deal with this item. The general discussion related particularly to the question whether the text of the International Regulations should take the form of a Convention or of a Recommendation. The workers' members declared themselves to be in favour of a Convention. They stated that the principles to be laid down by this text are of fundamental importance to the workers, and have already been applied in many countries, and therefore should be recognized by means of a Convention, which alone imposes legal obligations upon Governments. The employers opposed a Convention based on the prepared text, which they considered unsuitable for a Convention, a Convention being equivalent to an international treaty and subject to scrutiny and even reprimand from outside sources as regards its domestic implementation. The Committee approved of the regulations taking the form of a Convention. The first article of the Office text concerned the protection of workers against anti-union discrimination in respect of their employment, particularly making their employment subject to the condition that they should not join a union. The employers' members wished to include a clause giving the worker the right not to organize. The Australian, New Zealand, South African, British, and Swiss Government members opposed the insertion of this clause, emphasizing the fact that union security clauses were authorized by their national legislation. The employers' amendment was rejected. Article 2 of the Office text was designed to prevent interference by employers in the functioning of workers' unions, including the establishment of employer-dominated unions. The Article was adopted by the Committee substantially in the same form as the Office text. Article 3 of the Office text dealt with protection of employers and workers against acts of wrongful coercion. It was agreed to delete this provision, Article 11 of the Convention giving the necessary protection. Article 4, designed to encourage collective bargaining by the setting-up of appropriate machinery, and Article 5, providing for machinery to ensure respect for the right to organize and bargain collectively, were approved after redrafting.

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