of the more backward States to make substantial
sacrifices and encounter possible risks. For this reason, the allowance
of some years of grace before adherence to the treaty should become
practically binding was a measure almost of necessity. It would have
been unreasonable and might have been cruel to insist on Belgium and
Hungary assimilating their practice in such a matter to that of Great
Britain without ample time to prepare for the change. Thirteen States
adhered to this treaty.

The difficulties in the white phosphorus case were at first sight even
more striking, and, to begin with, only seven States--Germany, France,
Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, and Luxemburg--were signatories of
this convention. Of these, the first five had previously prohibited the
use of white phosphorus within their own frontiers. Room was, however,
left for the entry of other States into the convention at a subsequent
date, with the result that the scope of the treaty has been gradually
extended, and that we now find ourselves fairly within sight of the
banishment from manufacture of one of the most deadly of all industrial
poisons, and the consequent disappearance of an industrial disease
peculiarly dreadful in its nature and symptoms. The tardy adhesion of
the United Kingdom to this treaty remains a matter of regret; but the
procedure of the Indian Government and of all the British self-governing
dominions in following the mother country when at last she determined to
take action has done much to redeem that tardiness. Obviously, it was
the prohibition of the importation and sale of phosphorus matches in
India and the Dominions which has forced the Scandinavian and Belgian
manufacturers who were opposing complete prohibition to seek for
substitutes for white phosphorus. At the present moment only Japan and
Sweden among manufacturing countries stand outside the convention, the
United States, whose constitution forbade her to impose prohibition by
direct legislation, having brought about the desired result by the
imposition of a prohibitive tax.

Is this all? it may be asked. If the question be of treaties signed,
sealed, and ratified, the answer must be 'Yes'. On the subject of the
night-work of boys and the hours of women and young persons, proposals
were actually considered and conventions drafted by an official
conference at Berne in 1913. The draft conventions were far from
admirable: their framers went so far in the spirit