The appointment of so prominent an American as Mr. J.
G. Winant to be Director of the International Labour Office, and the fact that Mr. Winant's candidature received not merely President Roosevelt's assent but his warm approval, give the decision taken by the Governing Body an importance which no one is likely to underrate. Mr. Winant is not a representative of the United States Government ; he has been chosen simply as an individual, though no doubt an important factor in the election was the effect it might be expected to have in America. The International Labour Organisation, in spite of the defection of Germany and Italy (not Japan), has suffered far less loss of prestige in recent years than the League itself. Indeed since the United States joined it officially in 1934 it may be said to have gained as much as it has lost. With international co-opera- tion likely to be manifested increasingly in the economic field till a day returns when political co-operation becomes practical once more, anything that associates America with Europe—and, for that matter, Asia—is of peculiar value. If,, which may Heaven forfend, the League were ever to collapse completely, the best hope might be to begin to rebuild it round the Labour Office.
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