LABOR CONGRESS, an assemblage, either national or international, of representa tives of organized labor. The first attempt to form an international organization of workers was made by a group of continental exiles at a conference held in London in 1847, in which Karl Marx took part. The Communist League was that formed, which issued Marx' and Engel's famous manifesto just before the revo lution of 1848, but the organization disappeared in the succeeding reaction. In 1866 the first International Labor Congress was held at Geneva, Switzerland, about 60 delegates being present from England, France, Germany, Hol land and Switzerland. The results of this meeting were the condemnation of the indus trial employment of women, the advocating of technical education and the organization of mutual credit associations. At the congress of 1869, held at Basel, Switzerland, labor repre sentatives were in attendance from Russia, Austria, Germany, France, England, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. This assembly by a vote of 54 to 4 declared that landed property should be abolished. Other similar congresses were held at Dresden, 1871; The Hague, 1872: Paris, 1886; Berlin, 1891, and Zurich. 1897.
Two International Socialist-Labor Con gresses were held in Paris in 1889, one, the Marxest, by 400 delegates, and the other, the Possiblist, by 600 delegates. In 1891 a Socialist Labor Congress was held at Brussels, at which 400 delegates were present from nearly every country in the world, including Canada and the United States. Among the topics discussed
were the eight-hour day, militarism, universal suffrage and legislativeprotection of labor. At the Congress of 1893 at Zurich, Switzerland, 385 delegates were ,present, and admission was denied to all avowed anarchists. The congress, now assuming definite organization, met in London in 1896 and arranged to meet every four years thereafter. The anarchists were again denied admission, and resolutions were adopted opposing standing armies, advocating the nationalization of land and the socialization of industry.
The next meeting of the International So cialist-Labor Congress was held in Paris in 1900, when the assembly discussed the laws regulating strikes and boycotts and favored the abolition of the capitalistic class. Resolutions were passed favoring a fixed minimum wage and the nationalization of mines. Subsequent meetings have been held at Amsterdam (1904), Stuttgart (1907), Copenhagen (1910) and Stockholm (1917). Of this organization which meets every four years there is a standing coin nrittee known as the International Socialist Bureau, which meets annually.
Various national labor congresses are held in several countries, particularly in England, where an annual convention has been held since 1868. Congresses of anarchists convening un der the disguise of labor have been held at in tervals in Lyons, Havre, Brussels, Barcelona and other cities. See also Utriorrism ; SOCIAL ISM.