LABOR CONGRESSES. Assemblages of the representatives of organized labor. They owe their origin to the association of laborers in trades unions. The congresses have been both international and national. The first Interna tional Labor Congress was called by the Interna tional Association of Laborers at Geneva, Swit zerland. in 1866. About sixty delegates from I:ngland. France, Germany. and Switzerland were present, representing many kinds of labor. This congress urged the necessity for a firm al liance of laborers in order to maintain wages. Strikes. while a temporary necessity, were al leged to be (hue to transitory and abnormal con ditions. The crux of the social question was de clared to be the question of equal exchange. The congress favored the supplanting of interest by means of mutual credit organizations; con demned the industrial employment of women; and advocated technical education. The second International Labor Congress was held at Lau Saline. Switzerland, in 1867, with delegates from the countries represented at Geneva. and from Italy and Belgium. Attention was called to the close connection existing between political liberty and 8oeial reform. Cooperative associations were opposed on the ground that they were selfish in character, while social reform could only be brought about by an agency acting upon the whole of society. In 1869 a third international labor congress was hold at Base], Switzerland. At this Russia, Austria, Spain, Eng• land. Italy, France, and Switzerland were repre seated. This congress by a vote of 54 to 4 de clared: "Landed property should be abolished. the soil belongs to society, and is inalienable." It went further and demanded "the destruction of all States, national and territorial, and on their ruins the founding of the International State of Laborers." Other international labor congresses of less importance were held at Dres den (1371) ; The Hague (1872), the latter marked by a violent schism between the follow ers of Marx and those of Bakunin; Paris (1836); Berlin (1891) ; Zurich (1897).
The first international socialist labor congress was held at Paris in 1889. when it was decided that May 1, 1890, should be celebrated as a fete day by socialistic laborers all over the world. A second avowedly socialistic labor congress met at Brussels in 1891. Nearly 400 delegates were present, representing America and every Euro pean country except Russia and Portugal. The topics discussed were; legislative protection of labor; the eight-hour day: the laws regulating strikes and boycotts; the duty of workmen with respect to militarism and universal suffrage. Eighteen countries were represented by 385 dele gates at Zurich. Switzerland (18931. This con gress refused to admit avowed anarchists. A fourth congress, attended by 800 delegates repre senting Australia and Argentina in addition to Europe and the United States, convened at Lon don in 1896. Seats were again refused to the anarchist delegates. Resolutions were adopted Opposing standing armies, favoring the abolit' of the capitalistic class, and advocating the na tionalization of the land and the socialization of industry.
Since 1890 international congresses of min (vs have been held annually in various European Of late years the radical socialists have dominated these meetings, and have passed reso lutions for the establishment of a fixed minimum \rage and the nationalization of the mines.
National labor congresses have been held at irregular intervals in sonic countries, annually in others. In Great Britain there have been an nual congresses since 1863. 34 delegates attend ing the first in Manchester. Those in attendance now are numbered by hundreds. These congresses, vvorking through their Parliamentary committees, have secured considerable remedial legislation. Many of the national labor congresses have been anarchistic, as for example those at Lyons ( 1878 ) , llavrc ( 1880 ) , Barcelona ( SS ) , Chiasso (1883). In the congress at Wahren (1879) it was decided to organize the Ger man Socialistic party. See SOCIALISM; TRADE