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INTRODUCTION
emphasise points of importance in these Conventions. Chapter I examines these articles and the action taken to give effect to them. The questions which emerge for the consideration of the Govern- ments may not affect any future Convention. important, however, for the Conference, in agreeing to the principle The chapter is of Convention obligations for dependent territories, cannot disin- terest itself in the progress of ratification of existing Conventions.
In Chapters II and III the guiding texts are those articles of the Philadelphia and Paris Recommendations which are concerned with general principles of social policy and the basic structure of labour legislation and administration. The Conference will pro- bably wish to devote particular attention to the desirability of providing through a Convention for formal sanction and co-opera- tion in international accountability in regard to these articles. The chapters will endeavour to provide the necessary information on existing conditions. It will be recognised, however, that often the principles have not been expressed in any single pronouncement which can be quoted, but rather can be traced as the inspiration of forward-looking policies, practices and laws. No brief summary can therefore do justice to the subject.
Chapter IV is concerned with the articles of the Philadelphia and Paris Recommendations which are based on previous inter- national labour Conventions of a general scope. Two questions of constitutional and psychological importance are involved and are of a somewhat contradictory appearance. On the one hand, the procedure for the application of the ordinary ratified Conven- tion to dependent territories is not automatic and there is no procedure by which such a Convention can be accepted for a dependent territory if not ratified by and for application in the metropolitan country. Consequently it may be thought that there is a case for a new Convention or Conventions on some of these subjects with particular reference to deperdent territories. On the other hand, account will be taken of the essential consideration, mentioned earlier, of avoiding the false impression of dual standards for dependent territories and full Merabers of the International Labour Organisation.
There remain a number of provisions of the Recommendations concerning details of labour problems which are not fully covered in any previous international decision. These will be taken in Chapter V as a guide to the information which will be required by the Conference in order that it may judge whether Convention form would be suitable for these provisions or for some of them. The succeeding Chapter VI will attempt to summarise what appears to emerge from the previous chapters. It will lead to the
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