The International Workingmen's Association, 1866

Proposals of the Standing Committee on the Programme of the Geneva Congress


1. They recommend the order as published in the French programme
with the single amendment that the last question be amalgamated with the
first.

2. That the Secretary be instructed to make out a report
of the number of members and a general statement of income and expenditure.

3. They recommend the Congress to make an enquiry into
the condition of the working classes according to the following schedule
of enquiries:

1) Occupation, name of.

2) Age and sex of the employed.

3) Number of the employed.

4) Hiring and wages. A. Apprentices. B. Wages, day or
piece work. Whether paid by middlemen, etc. Weekly, yearly average earnings.

5) Hours of labour. In factories. Hours of small employers
and home work if the business carried on in those modes. Nightwork, daywork.

6) Meal times and treatment.

7) State of place and work, overcrowding, defective ventilation, want of sunlight, use of gaslight, etc., cleanliness, etc.

8) Nature of the occupation.

9) Effect of employment upon the physical condition.

10) Moral condition. Education.

11) State of trade, whether season trade or more or less
uniformly distributed over year, whether greatly fluctuating, whether exposed
to foreign competition, whether destined principally for home or foreign
consumption, etc.

4.
That a yearly contribution of 1/2 [d.] per member be paid by
societies joining, cost price of cards or livrets to be charged
extra. The Secretary to have power to negotiate with poor societies on
easier terms. [1]

5. The Committee recommends that the Council advise members
to found benefit societies and to organise an international exchange between
benefit societies. [2]

6. That the local committees keep reports of the state
of trade in their districts and act as intelligence officers for working men.

Adopted by the Central Council on

July 31, 1866 with certain alterations