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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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I leaded him well with ideas about the labor aspects of a treaty or of a peace. I was not concerned with the military matters. I didn't understand them. I didn't make any contribution on that side. The other people took care of that. I kept reiterating the general policies of the International Labor Organization, you see, which had existed before the War, which was kept alive during the War, which was located in Montreal during the War. They pulled them out of Geneva and got them over here. I've described that, how we managed that. It seemed to me that the most practical aspect of the labor sections or labor portions of any treaty would be to write in the International Labor Organization as the instrument, you see, and their method of dealing between the tripartite elements--Government, employers, and employees-- in agreements. Because you couldn't conceive of a labor law as being a static thing where one thing was right today, and that would be the end of it forever. You must agree to something which can expand and develop and mature, and not all countries can accept or put on the same labor standards as other countries. An undeveloped country can't possibly have the same labor standards, yet they can have a minimum of humane standards. Questions of wages and hours and general working conditions have to grow and develop. And of course matters of the safety of life and health of people--it's very important that that be taken into consideration





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