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3 OCT 1939
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE

STUDIES AND

REPORTS

Series G (Housing and Welfare) No. 5

FACILITIES FOR THE
USE OF WORKERS' LEISURE
DURING HOLIDAYS

GENEVA,

1939

Published in the United Kingdom
For the INTERNATIONAL LABOUB OFFICE (LEAGUE OF NATIONS)

By P. S. KING & SON, Ltd.
Orchard House, 14 Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, S.W. 1

PBINTED BY
IMPBIMEBIE POPULAIBE
LAUSANNE

CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION

PART I
International Report Submitted to the Committee on Recreation

CHAPTER I : Regulations on Holidays with Pay
Beginnings of Holidays with Pay
International Action
Recent Progress in National Legislation
Length of the Holiday
Distribution and Date of the Holiday

7
7
9
10
11
12

CHAPTER I I : Bodies engaged in Combined Action to Provide Facilities
for Workers' Holidays
Historical Review
Bodies engaged in Combined Action
Bodies set up by Workers
Bodies set up by Employers
Bodies set up by Private Organisations
Official and Semi-official Bodies
Collaboration between Different Bodies
Collaboration inside the Country
Collaboration with Foreign Organisations
Co-ordination by Means of Official Action

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14
17
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20
21
22
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25
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27

CHAPTER I I I : Nature of Facilities for Workers' Holidays
Supply of Information
Methods of Spreading Information
Holiday Travel
Popular Travel Organisations
Bonds of Travel Organised
Services Provided
Statistics
Holiday Accommodation
Bodies which run Holiday Homes and Centres
Persons Accommodated
Material Arrangements
Prices Charged
Seasons at which Holiday Homes are Open
Facilities for Recreation
Health Services at Holiday Homes
Number of Persons using Holiday Centres

31
31
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37
37
40
45
47
49
50
55
58
62
63
65
72
75

PART I I
Resolution Adopted by the Committee on Recreation

PART I I I
Discussion in the Governing Body of the International Labour Office
on the Resolution Adopted by the Committee on Recreation

INTRODUCTION
At its Seventy-ninth Session, in May 1937, the Governing
Body of the International Labour Office placed on the agenda
of its Committee on Recreation 1 the question with which the
present study deals, namely " Facilities for Workers' Holidays
during their Holidays with P a y ".
For the purpose of preparing for the Committee's examination
of this question, the Office drew up a questionnaire which was
sent in December 1937 to all members of the Committee.
Using the information communicated by the members of the
Committee and supplementing it with additional data which it
possessed for certain countries, the International Labour Office
then drew up an international report. This report was submitted
to the meeting of the Committee held in London on 21 and 22
October 1938.
The Committee on Recreation unanimously adopted a resolution, which was examined by the Governing Body a t its Eightyixth Session, in February 1939. The Governing Body had
already, at its Eighty-fifth Session in October 1938, authorised
the International Labour Office to transmit the text of this
resolution, with the international report, to the Governments
of States Members of the International Labour Organisation.
In February 1939 the Governing Body decided t h a t the International Labour Office should prepare a study comprising the
international report submitted to the Committee, the conclusions
adopted by the latter, and a summary of the discussion on
the subject in the Governing Body.
I n conformity with this decision, the present study is divided
into three parts. The first consists of the international report
submitted to the Committee on Recreation, revised so as to
take into account the changes which have occurred since the
London meeting ; the second part gives the text of the resolution
adopted by the Committee ; and the third p a r t reproduces the
passages of the minutes of the Governing Body's discussions
concerning the record of the London meeting.

Then entitled " Committee on Workers' Spare Time ".

PART I
INTERNATIONAL REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

CHAPTER I
REGULATIONS ON HOLIDAYS WITH PAY

A. — BEGINNINGS

OF HOLIDAYS

WITH

PAY

The idea of holidays for workers is not a new one. In preindustrial times, religious festivals afforded the working man an
opportunity for laying down his tools and enjoying periodical
rest and relief from his daily toil, and this is still the case to-day
in some countries which have not yet properly entered the
industrial era. With the industrial revolution, however, with
the rise of factory labour and the radical changes in the methods
of organising work which the introduction of machinery brought
with it, many of these religious holidays, together with other
advantages of the old craftsmen, were lost to the factory worker
without any adequate compensation. A few of these holidays
did, indeed, remain, but they were usually accompanied by a
loss of earnings which the worker could ill afford, and in any
case the interruption they represented was too short to make
a real break in the working year.
In the early days of industrialisation, social reformers and
the workers' organisations were too much engrossed in meeting
other needs to give much attention to what was then regarded
as a reform of secondary importance. But once these major
improvements — shorter hours, higher wages, a weekly rest
and a minimum standard of protection against the risks to which
workers are exposed — had been achieved, the question of holidays
with pay began to take a prominent place among the workers'
demands.
The claim to holidays with pay is based fundamentally on
the principle that the worker, like any other member of the

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

community, is entitled to his fair share of leisure, and to the
time and opportunity to develop his personality. I t is also
supported by arguments of a more directly practical bearing
from the industrial standpoint. With the increasing pace and
monotony of modern industrial processes, a periodical rest is
essential as an antidote to staleness and excessive industrial
fatigue, and to maintain the health and efficiency of the worker.
These arguments, though now generally accepted even by
those who oppose the granting of holidays with p a y on economic
or financial grounds, have not been so recognised for any great
length of time. I t is true t h a t holidays with p a y began to be
granted many years ago to certain classes of employees, such
as civil servants and members of other public services and
institutions, as a matter of custom or under special staff regulations,
and t h a t this practice was gradually extended to the higher-grade
employees of private industrial and commercial undertakings,
to bank employees, and in some cases to shop assistants. Moreover,
early in the twentieth century a beginning was made with the
statutory regulation of holidays with p a y for certain other classes
of persons regarded as requiring special protection ; in Switzerland,
for instance, the Canton of Berne prescribed an annual holiday
with pay for apprentices and for women workers respectively by
cantonal laws of 1903 and 1908, while in Iceland a paid holiday
was provided for in a Commercial Apprentices Act of 1909. An
enquiry carried out in several countries in response to a suggestion
made by the International Association for Labour Legislation
a t its General Meeting in 1910 also showed t h a t it was the practice
to grant paid holidays as a matter of custom, or under collective
agreement, in a fair number of commercial undertakings and in
some industrial undertakings as well. As a rule, however, these
holidays were regarded a t the beginning of the twentieth century
as a special privilege granted by the generosity of the employer
or as a reward for long service rather than as a general right of
all working men and women.
Broadly speaking, the general movement in favour of holidays
with pay and the initiation of legislation to secure an annual
holiday for large bodies of workers dates back no further than
to the years immediately preceding the world war. I n Austria
an Act concerning the conditions of employment of private
employees, passed in 1910, made provision for holidays with
pay, and a similar step was taken in Switzerland, in the Canton
of Ticino, under a cantonal law of 1912.

€

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

B. — INTERNATIONAL

ACTION

Like most other social reforms, the movement was arrested
during the war, b u t was resumed with fresh vigour immediately
afterwards. As early as 1919, the question was raised internationally a t the first Session of the International Labour
Conference in Washington, when a draft resolution was proposed
by the Swedish Government delegates in the following terms :
Whereas it must be considered essential for the physical as well
as for the psychical health of employees that they should enjoy each
year a certain period of absolute rest, it is resolved that the question
of providing regular annual vacations for employees be included in
the agenda for the next Conference.
No action was taken on this occasion, however, the Governing
Body having considered t h a t it had not sufficient information
on which to come to a decision. Nevertheless in the same year
Austria again took the lead in establishing a new principle in
national legislation by extending the statutory right to holidays
with pay to workpeople in general, while several other countries
passed similar legislation for private employees.
From then onwards, the practice of granting an annual paid
holiday by law to the working population as a whole has steadily
gained ground. B y 1922 in the U. 8. S. R. and b y 1927 in Italy
the idea t h a t all employed persons have a fundamental right to
an annual holiday with pay was sufficiently accepted for the
principle to be incorporated in the U. S. S. R. Labour Code and
the Italian Labour Charter ; in the years immediately following,
the same principle was embodied in a number of other labour
codes — for instance, those of Chile and Mexico in 1931 and of
Portugal in 1933 — or in other enactments concerning conditions
of employment, such as the Spanish Conditions of Employment
Act of 1931.
By 1935, when the question of holidays with pay, which had
'been considered b y the Governing Body of the International
Labour Office on a number of occasions since 1919, finally came
before the International Labour Conference, 14 countries and
two Swiss cantons had enacted legislation conferring the right
to an annual holiday with pay on manual workers and salaried
employees in general, while a number of other countries had
legislation applying to some important groups of workers, such
as commercial employees, shop assistants and t h e like. I n 1936,

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

the International Labour Conference adopted a Draft Convention,
a Recommendation and four resolutions on annual holidays
with pay, the Draft Convention applying to all persons employed
in industry and commerce.
C. — RECENT PROGRESS IN NATIONAL

LEGISLATION

Since then, progress in the legislative field has been still more
rapid. Belgium, Bulgaria, France and Venezuela (1936), Hungary
(1937), Denmark (1938) and Finland (1939) have adopted legisla' tion on holidays with pay applying to the great majority of
employed persons in industry and commerce, and in some cases
even to such groups as agricultural workers, seamen, and handicraftsmen 1 . A fair number of other countries have adopted
schemes applying to certain groups of workers only. Moreover,
in Germany the collective rules issued by the labour trustees
under the Labour Act grant holidays with pay to the vast majority
of workers and salaried employees. More or less complete schemes
also exist in several of the Swiss cantons.
The system of holidays with pay has also extended in recent
years to ever-widening circles of employed persons in countries
in which it is not directly prescribed by law. In Australia and
New Zealand, where conditions of employment are largely regulated
by enforceable arbitration awards, an increasing number of these
awards for various industries now include provision for a continuous
paid holiday every year ; what was formerly regarded as an
exceptional privilege granted to workers in trying occupations,
or as a compensation for special conditions, is now tending to
become the common rule.
Moreover, parallel with the development of legislative measures
outlined above, the grant of holidays with pay under collective
agreements, originally the main form of regulation, has also
increased enormously in recent years. To take examples from
two of the most important industrial countries where conditions
of employment are regulated mainly by collective agreement, in
Great Britain the number of workers who receive paid holidays
under national or district agreements had increased by 1939 to
nearly 9,000,000, or close on 50 per cent, of the total of the
1
The following are the countries that now have general statutory
schemes covering all or practically all workers and salaried employees :
Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal,
Rumania, Spain, Sweden, U. S. S. R. and Venezuela.

BEPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

18,500,000 persons earning less than £250 a year in manual or
non-manual employment ; and in the United States of America,
according to replies to a questionnaire sent out to 12,842 manufacturing and laundry establishments and 642 mining, quarrying
and crude petroleum production companies which had paid-holiday
plans for salaried workers or wage earners, these plans covered
618,129 salaried workers and 1,630,514 wage earners.
Thus the principle of an annual holiday with pay as a general
right of every worker is very widely accepted to-day and has
been given legislative sanction in the majority of industrial
countries, although some still prefer to rely on voluntary arrangements for holidays under collective agreements. The present
trend is already in the direction of perfecting the system and
finding means of effectively extending the benefit of a paid holiday
to all the employed population. Schemes are being broadened
to cover new groups of workers ; domestic servants, agricultural
workers, and even home workers, have recently been brought
under the provisions in certain countries, while methods are also
being devised to overcome, by a system of official stamp cards
or of compensation funds, the difficulties of granting holidays
with pay to persons whose employment is discontinuous or seasonal,
or who frequently pass from the service of one employer to that
of another.
The above account shows that the practice of granting holidays
with pay now extends to a steadily growing number of groups
of workers, and that annual holidays are tending to establish
themselves firmly in national life. Although it is impossible to
give exact figures for the persons receiving holidays with pay
at different dates, it may be very roughly estimated that the
total number of persons entitled to holidays with pay in Europe
increased from 19 million in 1926 to between 70 and 80 million
in 1939.
D. — LENGTH

OF THE

HOLIDAY

Legal and other regulations vary considerably between countries
as regards the length of holidays. Where holidays with pay
are simply granted by custom, or even in certain cases where
they are given in virtue of collective agreements, a length of
less than a week is found. In most cases, however, the minimum
for manual workers is one week.,It is longer for salaried employees,
often reaching a minimum of a fortnight and in some cases even

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

extending to four weeks or longer. Such arrangements are most
common in the case of officials. As examples of the statutory
provisions concerning the length of holidays the laws of Belgium
and Sweden may be cited. I n Belgium manual workers receive
six days' leave after one year's service, and in Sweden an Act of
1938 provides an annual holiday of 12 days for all employees
in private undertakings, the qualifying period for such a holiday
being 180 days' service in one undertaking.
Sometimes the length of the holiday increases with length
of service, a t intervals t h a t vary according to circumstances
(yearly, after five years, etc.). In Poland eight days' holiday
is granted to manual workers after one year's service and 15 days
after three years' service.
I n some countries there are special provisions either permitting
or prohibiting division of the holiday. I n France, for instance,
the Act establishing the right of manual workers to 15 d a y s '
leave after one year's service (12 of which must be working days)
also provides t h a t in certain cases the holiday may be divided.
As regards computation of the length of the holiday, i t is
sometimes specified t h a t Sundays and statutory holidays are
to be included in the annual holiday and paid for as working
days, while in other cases only actual working days are counted.

E. — DISTRIBUTION

AND DATE

OF THE

HOLIDAY

Undertakings may either grant a simultaneous holiday to
all members of the staff or, when an annual shut-down is not
possible, holidays may be granted to the workers in t u r n s .
In the latter case the holiday season may be extended over the
whole year or only over a certain period of the year. W h e r e
such a period is chosen, it is usually the summer (May to October
in the Northern Hemisphere). I t has generally been found
impracticable to lay down rigid holiday periods in legislative
measures, since consideration must be given to the circumstances
of an industry when the dates for workers' holidays are being
fixed. For this reason, statutory regulations usually leave open
the arrangement of holiday dates, although some determine the
period within which holidays must normally be granted. Moreover,
many collective agreements, when they deal with the subject of
paid holidays, fix the period within which holidays must be taken.
Whether the date of holidays is specified in collective agreements or whether it ' is a m a t t e r for individual arrangement

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

between employer and worker, several factors are usually involved
in the arrangement of dates. There may be religious or other
festivals requiring a stoppage of work to satisfy the tradition of
leisure on such days. The vacations observed by schools also
have an effect, since workers with families generally prefer to
take their own holidays at the same time. For the undertaking,
there is an economic advantage in using the slack season of
business for granting holidays so that it may not be handicapped
by the absence of staff when business is at its peak.
*

In short, the first stage in the development of the system
of annual holidays with pay may now be regarded as past. But
now that the initial difficulties have been overcome, and holidays
with pay are an established fact, a fresh series of problems is
appearing on the horizon. How can working people, often
inexperienced in making arrangements for using their own leisure,
be helped to obtain the maximum pleasure and profit from their
annual holiday ? How are those who spend their holiday away
from home to be provided with adequate transport facilities and
accommodation — strained sometimes beyond their capacity by
the mass exodus of thousands of holiday-makers at approximately
the same time of year — at prices within their means ?
These and other problems automatically arise out of the
general introduction of annual holidays and their study and
solution represent the next step in the development of holidays
with pay.

CHAPTER II

BODIES ENGAGED IN COMBINED ACTION TO PROVIDE
FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' HOLIDAYS

A. — HISTORICAL

REVIEW

Combined action to provide facilities for workers' holidays
is in general a fairly recent development. There have been for
many years holiday organisations and associations, b u t these
were intended for the public in general, though of special interest
for the lower income groups. An instance is the Co-operative
Holiday Fellowship of Great Britain, founded in 1891. I n a
number of other countries reference may also be made to travel
organisations such as the Tourist Society of the Netherlands,
founded in 1906, and the Tourist Association of Sweden, which
has been in operation since 1885.
But it was not until the beginning of the twentieth century
t h a t there arose associations devoted especially to popular travel,
and which may therefore be considered up to a certain point
as bodies engaged in or capable of combined action for workers'
holidays. Reference may be made to the Friends of Nature
Society established in Switzerland in 1905.
A special form of activity in this field is t h a t devoted to young
persons. The first youth hostels were established in Germany
in 1909. The work of religious organisations in this field may
be mentioned. I t started in France in 1909 ; in Sweden this
movement, started in 1913, was exemplified by the student
Christian organisations. At about the same time workers' holiday
organisations in the true sense were established. A number of
employers in about 1900 in Switzerland, about 1911 in Great
Britain and also in the United States began to establish holiday
homes or camps for the members of their staff and their families,
or in some cases for a section of the staff only, as part of their
welfare arrangements.
The workers' associations established their own friendly
societies, the object of some of which was to enable members of
the society to spend their holidays (normal, sick, or convalescent

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

leave) to the best advantage. In Switzerland the Railwaymen's
Holiday Co-operative Society was established in 1900. I n other
countries holiday organisations for civil servants and salaried
employees were the first to be established.
In the period between 1900 and 1914, during which — as was
said in Chapter I — legislation on holidays with pay began to
be enacted, a number of attempts were made to aid persons
receiving these holidays to pass the period in question outside
the towns.
This process, which stopped in the years immediately after
1914, was resumed in most countries about 1920. Organisations
for the purpose were then established by workers, employers,
private bodies and public authorities. In Germany the Federation of Civil Servants founded a holiday home a t Westerau, and
the Co-operative Wholesale Society acquired a rest home for its
employees in Thuringia in 1929 ; the youth hostels increased
rapidly in number, from 700 in 1920 to 2,320 in 1932, and joined
to form the German Association for Youth Hostels in 1919.
I n Argentina holiday institutions for Catholic salaried employees
were established in 1920. I n Great Britain the Workers' Travel
Association began its activity in 1921. I n the U. S. S. R. the
system of rest homes dates from the beginning of the period
of the New Economic Policy ; the first rest home was opened in
1920. The development of the network of rest homes was very
rapid and a t the end of some years there were already several
hundred of these homes, able to house hundreds of thousands of
workers on leave. I n Italy the national " Dopolavoro " association
was set up in 1925 ; although this body has no special branch
for the organisation of workers' holidays, it has an " excursions "
section responsible for organising trips and travel for its members,
particularly during their holidays.
From 1920 onwards there has therefore been a considerable
growth of organisations for people's holidays. Although other
factors — more particularly the economic situation of the workers
— have played a part, this growth has been due principally to
the extension of holidays with pay in the different countries.
Quite recently the connection has been clearly demonstrated by
the appearance of characteristic organisations ; since 1936 people's
travel associations have been established by trade unions or
federations of trade unions in Belgium, Denmark, France, Norway,
Sweden and other countries.
A feature of recent years is the interest shown by the public

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

authorities in the establishment of organisations for people's
holidays. I n some cases the authorities t r y to supplement and
co-ordinate the work of organisations of all sorts established to
meet these new needs, because they directly affect the touring,
hotel and related industries, the importance of which to the
national economy is recognised in every country to-day.
Until 1930 Italy and the U. S. S. R. were the only countries
where action was taken to supplement or co-ordinate the facilities
for workers' holidays. But from 1930 onwards, action of this
sort may be noted in a number of other countries. I n Belgium
the National Workers' Holiday Office was established in 1937,
although the provincial recreation committees, the National
Office for Workers' Recreation and the Higher Committee for
Popular Education had been able to take some action in the
matter of holidays before t h a t date. I n France the office of the
Under-Secretary of State for Recreation and Sport, established
in 1936, was engaged principally in faciUtating the use of their
paid holidays by workers ; i t operated until the beginning of
1938 and was then replaced by a new department of the Ministry
of Education. I n Germany the " Kraft durch Freude " organisation, established in 1933, has devoted particular attention to the
organisation of travel during holidays. I n Great Britain, in
order to give effect to the recommendations of the " Amulree "
Committee on Holidays with Pay, the Government decided in
1938 to establish an inter-departmental committee which would
co-ordinate industrial, educational, transport, lodging and other
holiday arrangements. I n Hungary the Social Insurance Institute
began to organise holiday homes for apprentices in 1936. I n
Luxemburg the National Council for Recreation, established a t
the beginning of 1938, started its activities with arrangements
for workers' holidays. I n Poland various public institutions
(the Maritime and Colonial League, the National Institute for
Physical Education, etc.) began to act in 1933 and 1934 ; the
Committee on Workers' Recreation of the Ministry of Social
Welfare was established in 1938, and in co-operation with the
Recreation Office, representing private associations, it has devoted
itself mainly to organising workers' holidays. I n Norway an
official service to co-ordinate action for faciUtating the use of
workers' holidays was estabUshed in 1939.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

B. — BODIES

ENGAGED

IN COMBINED

ACTION

In all countries where holidays with pay are given, there
is some combined action, generally taking a number of different
forms, to facilitate the use of their holidays by the workers. Its
aim is, more exactly, to help them to use the facilities made
available by undertakings conducted with a view to profit (hotels,
tourist agencies, transport compames, etc.) as well as those offered
by non-profit-making institutions. Many of these are indeed
established for the express purpose of providing such facilities.
This combined action is taken by numerous organisations of
widely different sorts, which are grouped below under four main
headings.
The classification should not be regarded as rigid,
however, for the action studied may result from collaboration
between bodies belonging to two or more of the four classes, and
in t h a t case it has been placed in the class to which it seemed
on the whole to belong.
Combined action may be in the hands of bodies set up by
workers, b y employers, by private associations, or by public
authorities, associations and institutions.

§ 1. — Bodies set up by Workers
These bodies may be divided into two groups — those established
for a particular occupation and those which make no distinction
between occupations. Although holiday organisations of the
former type are always to be found, a t the moment the tendency
seems to be to develop institutions catering for all workers and
their families, whatever the occupation or industry in which
they are engaged.
OCCUPATIONAL B O D I E S

Holiday facilities organised by trade unions or federations of
trade unions are to be found in all countries. Generally such
action has, in the first instance, been taken by organisations
of salaried employees and officials. In some countries, Argentina
and Bulgaria for example, organisations of this type almost
exclusively provide holiday facilities.
In a number of countries the trade unions provide holiday
facilities : in Belgium, the building workers', railway employees'
and miners' unions ; in France, the Christian Union of Needle2

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISTTRE

women, the Metal Workers' Union and the Public Transport
Workers' Union ; in Poland, the typographers' and railwaymen's
unions ; in Sweden, the typographers' union ; in Switzerland, the
unions of railway employees, metal workers and watchmakers ;
and in the United States, the Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
B O D I E S CATERING FOR ALL OCCUPATIONS

The aim of these bodies is to provide all workers and their
families, whatever the labour organisation to which they belong
and the occupation or industry in which they are engaged, with
facilities for their paid holidays. There are several varieties of
them. A people's tourist association or a holiday organisation may be established directly by the trade unions or by a
special branch of the labour movement, or — and this is much
the most frequent case, a t least in recent years — it may be ah
independent body supported by the labour movement as a whole.
Trade Union

Institutions

Several federations of trade unions have established institutions
for popular travel. I n Argentina the Federation of Catholic
Salaried Employees' Associations has such an institution ; in
Belgium the Workers' Tourist Agency is connected with the
General Confederation of Labour. I n Finland a people's tourist
association was established in 1939. I n France the General
Confederation of Labour established a people's tourist office in
1937 and it amalgamated in 1938 with an association established
by a group of teachers ; a t present this body is entitled " Travel
and Holidays for All". I n Poland the Workers' Travel Society
established by the Central Committee of the Union of Occupational
Organisations and the Jewish trade union federation " Kulturliga "
have their own holiday institutions.
Sporting,

Educational

and Similar

Associations

Holiday facilities are often provided by associations for gymnastics or sport (as in Poland, Switzerland, etc.). Other holiday
organisations depend on institutions for workers' education ;
in Norway the organisations affiliated to the Workers' Education
Association established in 1939 a society entitled Norwegian
People's Hobdays (" Norsk Folke-Ferie ") ; in the Netherlands
the Friends of Nature Society is a branch of the Workers'
Education Institute.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

Independent Bodies
The organisation for popular travel, set up, with the aid of
the workers' movement as a whole, in the form of an independent
institution is exemplified by the Workers' Travel Association,
established in Oreat Britain in 1921. This is " a friendly association
of men and women for the purpose of travel ; a tourist and travel
organisation without the usual commercial motive of profit ; a
grouping of people for the provision of holidays abroad, particularly
with a view to building up international friendship ". It issues
shares, which carry no interest ; nobody may hold more than
200 shares ; and no shareholder may have more than one vote.
In Belgium the General Confederation of Labour has established an
association, entitled " Holidays and Health", and the Confederation
of Christian Trade Unions has another, entitled " Holidays and
Recreation" ; in doing so each of these confederations has " set
up an independent institution in the form of an association not
working for profit, whose governing body includes representatives
of the trade unions, the co-operative and provident societies,
women's and youth organisations, workers' education centres
and the workers' travel associations already in existence. Both
institutions carry out studies, collect documentary material,
co-ordinate the work of, and issue instructions to, their affiliated
associations and local branches, publish information in handy
form, open enquiry offices, try to facilitate the organisation of
holiday homes and see that they are used, and do their best to
provide the labour movement with real travel and excursion
agencies that are not worked for profit. " x
Associations resembling in some respects the two just mentioned
have recently appeared in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. In
the last-named country a first organisation of the sort (" Folkrörelsernas reseorganisation ") was founded in 1937 ; it is a general
people's travel organisation. Since then, on 18 April 1938, a
new Holiday Association (" Folkrörelsernas Semesterförening ")
was established by a number of popular movements. 38 organisations take part and the Executive Committee consists inter alia
of representatives of national trade unions, organisations of
foremen and salaried employees in private and public employment,
the Co-operative Union, the National Organisation of Housing
Co-operatives and the National Association of Farmers.
1
" Workers' Holidays in Belgium ", by Henri JANNE, in International
Labour Review, Vol. X X X I X , No. 2, February 1939, p . 194.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

Although it is not the case in all countries, bodies for joint
holiday arrangements are sometimes established by groups with
religious or political affiliations. I n Belgium the trade unions
belonging to the General Confederation of Labour, the Christian
organisations and the liberal trade unions, each have separate
facilities ; in France, too, there are separate holiday associations
for the unions belonging to the General Confederation of Labour
and the Christian unions ; and in Poland, the Jewish trade unions
have their own services.
§ 2. — Bodies set up b y Employers
When an employer or an undertaking provides holiday facilities,
they are for his or its employees only. I t is a t present rare for
holiday arrangements to be made by groups of undertakings or
by employers' associations. I n Germany some undertakings
arrange holidays for their staffs through a special organisation,
the Association for Holiday Homes in Industry and Commerce.
I n the United States the employers of New York City established
a Vacation Bureau Service in 1924 ; this was designed to serve
industrial and commercial establishments by making reliable
information available to their employees about vacation facilities
within reach. An instance of a somewhat different character
is provided by railway companies ; in Argentina and in France
the railways have established holiday facilities for all or part
of their personnel.
An undertaking which desires to provide its staff with facilities
for the use of its holidays may make its own arrangements for
the purpose. Instances are the railways in Argentina, certain
department stores in Belgium, the " Sächsische Werke " in
Germany, and numerous undertakings which organise holiday
camps in the United States. There are arrangements of the sort
in almost every country.
Some undertakings have recourse to special services for this
purpose. I n the Netherlands, for instance, the Philips Works
have a separate recreation department. I n Sweden some undertakings have staff experts (" personalkonsulent " ) . I n Hungary
a number of undertakings establish special funds for the organisation of holidays or travel for their staff.
Undertakings which do not wish to organise their holiday
arrangements themselves may proceed in another way, viz. by
paying subsidies to special bodies, usually workers' travel societies.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

Action of this sort is reported in Belgium (Association of Metal
Works in the Liege Region), Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Sweden
and other countries.

§ 3 . — Bodies set u p b y Private Organisations
When holiday facilities are provided by private bodies, the
aim is to reach certain sections of the population in particular.
This applies, for instance, to the Young Men's and Young Women's
Christian Associations, and the same holds good for the activities
of certain Catholic organisations, such as the Christian Young
Workers' Associations (J. 0 . C.) in Belgium, France and Switzerland. A similar tendency may be observed in the organisation
of Youth Hostels in some countries. In France there is a secular
Youth Hostels Association and a League of Youth Hostels, the
latter having been established, first ; in addition to these two
groups, a new body has recently been set up by the Catholic
organisations, known as "Travellers' R e s t s " (" Cites d'étapes " ) .
The same applies in Belgium, where a further distinction is made
between the Walloon and the Flemish youth hostels, though
there is a connection between the two central organisations.
The holiday work undertaken by these private bodies is not
reserved for workers. I n some cases employed persons form
the major part of the membership, particularly in the Christian
Young Workers' Associations ; b u t this does not apply, for
instance, to the co-operative organisations, which draw a large
part of their membership from the middle classes. Nor is it
true of the youth hostels ; in France employed persons formed
10 per cent, of the membership in 1936, and in Luxemburg
30 per cent, in 1937.
The private associations which organise holiday facilities may
be divided into several groups.
(1) Youth movements — Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A.,
hostels, boy scouts, etc., which exist in most countries.

youth

(2) Co-operative groups, as in Bulgaria, France (National
Committee on Recreation), Great Britain (Holiday Fellowship),
Poland and Switzerland.
(3) Sport and travel associations, in Belgium,
Bulgaria,
Hungary, Netherlands, Sweden, Yugoslavia, etc. The Friends of
Nature Societies in various countries may be said to belong to
this group.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

(4) Religious bodies : in the United States the different
Churches organise their holiday facilities ; in Belgium and France
the Christian Young Workers' Societies with their many separate
sections for boys, girls, farmers, seamen, etc., have numerous
holiday homes ; in Poland and Yugoslavia action by religious
organisations is also reported.
(5) Social bodies, such as " settlements " in Great Britain,
Sweden and the United States, organisations for social service
in Hungary and Sweden, and adult education movements in a
large number of countries.
(6) Bodies set up by political parties, such as the Socialist
Women's Groups in Belgium, the " Friends of Le Populaire ''
(a Socialist daily newspaper) in France.
§ 4. — Official a n d Semi-Official Bodies
Action taken by public authorities, associations and institutions with a view to facilitating the use of workers' holidays
may be of two kinds. I n some cases previously existing bodies
play an active p a r t in the provision of such facilities, b u t only
as a branch of their regular work ; in other cases, owing to the
national importance of the problems raised by the rapid extension
of holidays with pay, special bodies are created to deal with all
these related questions.
B O D I E S NOT SPECIALISING I N HOLIDAY PROBLEMS

Frequently official bodies or public services direct holiday
schemes for certain groups of workers, this constituting only an
accessory p a r t of their activities. Such is often the case with
social insurance institutions, which may include provision for
workers' holidays in their general preventive measures. Further,
certain services or undertakings operated by the authorities or
by public institutions provide holiday facilities for their staffs
in their capacity of employers.
I n Bulgaria the labour and social insurance authorities organise
convalescent homes which may also be used as holiday centres.
In Germany the National Post Office has a rest home for its
employees. I n Hungary
the Social Insurance Institute has
organised holiday homes for apprentices. I n Poland a large
number of public services are concerned with holiday schemes ;
among these are the National Institute of Physical Education,

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

the Ministry of Education (covering adult education and youth
hostels), the Social Insurance Institute, the Labour Fund and
the Maritime and Colonial League. In Yugoslavia holiday
institutions form part of the social insurance system.
BODIES SPECIALISING IN HOLIDAY PROBLEMS

A growing number of countries have official services for holiday
questions. The powers of these services are sometimes most
extensive, and include the co-ordination of various public and
private activities, the organisation of holiday facilities proper
and the administration of holiday homes and centres and even
of public transport undertakings.
In Argentina it is the duty of the National Tourist Association
to bring together holiday information and co-ordinate facilities
for workers on holiday ; in 1939, the Municipality of Buenos Aires
established a committee to organise travel for workers in industry
and commerce under the Hobdays with Pay Act. In Belgium
the National Office for Workers' Holidays, established in 1937,
is assisted by an advisory body — the Committee for Workers'
Holidays — on which all the organisations concerned are
represented ; this National Office is attached to the Ministry
of Transport. In France the office of the Under-Secretary for
Recreation and Sport, which was set up in 1936, functioned until
1938, when it was replaced by a department of the Ministry of
Education ; one of the main tasks of this service is to co-ordinate
the various facilities for workers' holidays with pay. In Germany
the " Travel, Excursions and Hobdays " section of the NationalSocialist organisation "Kraft durch Freude" (itself a part of the
Labour Front) was instructed in 1934 to provide facilities by
which workers with small means might use their paid holidays
for travel ; this organisation not only concludes agreements with
transport undertakings and hotels in order to obtain special
terms for workers on holiday, but also owns and administers its
own estabbshments and steamers for cruises. In Great Britain
various departments are affected by matters relating to the arrangement of holidays, and a permanent inter-departmental committee
has therefore been instructed to follow the question. In Luxemburg
a National Committee on Recreation, established early in 1938,
has taken the organisation of workers' holidays as its main object.
In Norway an official body, the State Holiday Council (" Statens
Ferierâd ") was estabUshed on May 1939 ; its chairman is the

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

Director of Public Health. In Poland, after a conference held
in the spring of 1938, a Committee on Recreation was established
at the Ministry of Social Welfare ; this Committee is particularly
concerned with the question of workers' holidays. In the
United States, though there is no official service for holiday
facilities, certain important government agencies, such as the
National Park Service and the Agricultural Extension Service,
have undertaken duties more or less directly connected with the
use of holidays. In the U. S. S. B. all that relates to workers'
holidays is within the competence of the Central Trade Union
Council ; for travel proper there is a section of the Council,
and as regards holiday residence the network of rest homes is
administered by the social insurance authority, itself under the
direction of the Central Trade Union Council.

C. — COLLABORATION

BETWEEN

DIFFERENT

BODIES

In general the various bodies engaged in holiday schemes feel
the need for collaboration with each other and with similar bodies
abroad. This leads to the establishment of special organs for
liaison or co-ordination1, especially between bodies established
by public authorities.
A first necessary type of co-operation is that with profitmaking bodies, such as transport and hotel undertakings, house
agencies, etc. Sometimes this co-operation results in lower rates
or charges to the members of holiday groups, as is usual in the
case of facilities provided by public bodies.
It also appears necessary to provide for collaboration of a
second type, namely with bodies not operating for profit,
such as local development offices, tourist services, social organisations, and especially other holiday organisations of all kinds.
Such collaboration prevents overlapping and gives more flexibility
to the practical organisation of holidays. Only a few typical
instances of this form of collaboration are given below, collaboration
with bodies situated abroad being dealt with separately.
1
An instance of such collaboration is provided by Great Britain,
where the Industrial Welfare Society set up a committee in 1939 to
investigate the problems created by the rapid increase in the number of
workers receiving holidays with pay. This committee includes representatives of the railways, road transport, health resorts, hotel and apartment
keepers, travel agencies, the National Savings Committee, employers' and
workers' organisations, and various voluntary social service bodies.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

§ 1. — Collaboration inside the Country
In Argentina there is close co-operation between the Catholic
Teachers' Federation and young people's social movements. In
Belgium the workers' holiday organisations collaborate with the
Friends of Nature, the youth hostels, the travellers' rests, the
workers' education organisations, the Christian Young Workers'
Society, etc. I n Bulgaria there is some co-operation between
the workers' organisations and such bodies as the Y. M. C. A.,
the Y. W. C. A., and the Tourist Association. In France the
General Confederation of Labour is represented on the governing
board of the Secular Youth Hostels Organisation, and it also
supports the Workers' Sports and Gymnastic Federation ; the
Christian trade unions work in close touch with the Christian
Young Workers' Society, and their members use its holiday
homes and camps. In Great Britain the trade unions are associated
with the Workers' Travel Association ; in 1937, the Trades Union
Congress arranged stays a t W. T. A. centres and suggested to
affiliated unions t h a t they make similar arrangements with the
W. T. A. ; the W. T. A. also co-operates with the Youth Hostels
Association. I n Hungary the Catholic trade unions which do
not have their own holiday homes use those of the Christian
Young Workers' Society and also the travellers' rests. I n the
Netherlands the Socialist trade unions collaborate with the Institute
for Workers' Education set up by the Socialist Party. I n Poland
a large number of private educational or travel organisations
co-operate with the trade unions. I n Sweden the workers'
organisations are in close touch with the Tourist Association,
which gives subsidies to facilitate workers' travel within the
country. In the United States the Youth Hostels Association
sends speakers to workers' groups in order to arouse the interest
of young workers ; there is also some degree of co-operation
between labour organisations and the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.

§ 2. — Collaboration with Foreign Organisations
The bodies providing facilities for popular travel have rapidly
taken steps to satisfy the demand for travel abroad. As in the
case of domestic travel, holiday organisations arranging trips
abroad must co-operate with both profit-making and non-profitmaking bodies. This collaboration may be restricted to the

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

arrangement of foreign tours, but it is becoming more and more
usual to organise exchanges by agreement between the holiday
organisations of two or more countries.
In Germany " Kraft durch Freude " co-operates with foreign
organisations. It is in close collaboration with the Italian
" Dopolavoro ", and in 1937 an agreement was reached between
the two organisations for the arrangement of Mediterranean
cruises. In 1939 35,000 Italian industrial workers visited Germany
and 64,000 German workers went to Italy in the winter of 1938-39.
There have also been exchanges of visits with Polish (Boy Scouts)
and Hungarian organisations, and an exchange with Japan was
started in the summer of 1938. A number of exchanges by means
of youth camps have also been arranged ; an example was the
Franco-German camp held at Munich in 1937 and another camp
was held in France (at Cannes). Since the winter of 1937-38
skining camps have been arranged for young people from France,
Belgium and England.
In regard to international co-operation in Great Britain, it may
be noted that the Workers' Travel Association was expressly
formed to arrange travel abroad and to establish personal
contacts between the different nations ; it has close relations
with similar organisations in other countries and it has recently
assisted groups of foreigners to study social insurance problems,
housing, etc. In Italy agreements have been reached since 1937
with the German organisation " Kraft durch Freude " for travel
exchanges, and exchanges with Hungary were made in 1938
(200 workers in that year and 450 in 1939). In the Netherlands
there are several cases of collaboration with foreign organisations ;
for instance, the Friends of Nature Society has been affiliated,
since 1923, with the International Union of Friends of Nature.
In Poland some of the workers' organisations have organised
trips to Austria, Belgium, Czecho-Slovakia, Estonia, Finland,
France and Latvia through arrangements with the trade unions
in those countries ; Jewish organisations collaborate with organisations abroad, for instance in the United States and France. In
Sweden the " Norden " Association has for several years promoted
inter-Scandinavian travel for trade organisations in the Scandinavian countries. In Switzerland trips abroad are organised
by local groups for workers' education or sport ; in these cases
co-operation is established with similar organisations in other
countries.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

§ 3. — Co-ordination by Means of Official Action
Relations between the different organisations may be arranged
in a variety of ways, but the method often chosen — and now
being followed to an increasing extent in almost every country —
is that of co-ordination by the public authorities. These may
set up advisory or co-ordinating bodies, which are in certain cases
placed in complete charge of the whole movement for workers'
holidays 1 .
Some additional information regarding the establishment of
two official institutions may be added here by way of example.
In Belgium 2, under the Royal Order of 7 May 1937, amended
on 10 May 1938, the central body responsible for co-ordinating
all public and private efforts to organise workers' holidays is the
Committee on Workers' Holidays, now attached to the National
Office for Workers' Holidays, which acts as its secretariat.
The Minister of Transport is chairman of the Committee and
is assisted by three vice-chairmen chosen from among members
of Parliament. The Committee includes five representatives of
the Ministries and Departments concerned : Public Health,
Education, Labour and Social Welfare, the Transport Concessions
Board and the Tourist Travel and Hotel Service. The following
also nominate delegates for approval by the Minister of Transport :
(1) workers' tourist travel organisations set up by the most
representative trade unions (four delegates for each organisation,
so as to ensure that the many aspects of workers' tourist travel
may be covered by each) ; (2) the most representative trade
unions of salaried employees ; (3) the most representative associations of employers. The Committee thus consists of 25 members
and is representative of the administration, the Legislature, the
Government departments concerned, the workers and salaried
employees (old and young), who are to make use of the facilities
afforded, and lastly the employers, whose co-operation is essential.
1
All these forms of liaison have already been mentioned. As regards
workers' bodies, reference may also be made to what is said above,
particularly as regards Belgium (" Holidays and Health " and " Holidays
and Recreation "), France (" Travel and Holidays for All " ) , Norway
(" Norwegian People's Holidays ") and Sweden (" People's Movements'
Holiday Association ") ; as regards official bodies, those of Belgium, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, Poland and the
U. S. S. B. have already been mentioned.
"Cf. " Workers' Holidays in Belgium ", by Henri JANNB, International Labour Beview, Vol. X X X I X , No. 2, February 1939, pp. 190-193.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

Under the rules of the Committee, special questions are to
be dealt with by technical sub-committees appointed with due
regard to the interests involved and the personal qualifications
of their members. At present, four sub-committees are in existence,
dealing respectively with the distribution of holidays, reduced
railway fares, national equipment (holiday homes, youth hostels,
the cultural aspect of holidays), and questions concerning women.
The functions of the National Office for Workers' Holidays,
which acts both as the secretariat and as the executive agency
of the Committee, include investigation, information, the collection
of documentary material, practical co-ordination, the encouragement of public and private schemes, and technical development
and supervision. Section 2 of the Royal Order defines the purpose
of the National Office for Workers' Holidays as the promotion
of any measures to provide the beneficiaries of the Act and their
families with healthy holidays making for recreation and education.
I n agreement with the competent public departments, the
Office decides how and in what circumstances the State shall
take steps (a) to institute or equip holiday centres, holiday homes,
youth hostels or camping grounds, and (b) to provide accommodation (by the development of small hotels, etc.), having due
regard to the means and number of the persons entitled to holidays
under the Act of 8 July 1936.
So far as is necessary to fulfil its purpose, the Office co-ordinates
the activities of the competent services or offices in the departments
concerned *.
I t initiates or encourages schemes and co-ordinates the proposed
or existing activities of private, trade union, tourist travel, athletic,
hotel, cultural and any other organisations interested in workers'
holidays. The office proposes any administrative measures
required for the purpose of organising workers' holidays (holiday
1
Two departments are directly concerned with workers' holidays
and co-operate closely with the Office :
(1) The National Office for Workers' Recreation (Ministry of Education), which was set u p in July 1936, fulfils the same purpose in regard
to recreation in general and in relation to the Higher Council for Workers'
Education as the Office for Workers' Holidays does in its own sphere.
In agreement with the latter, the Office for Workers' Recreation sees to
the cultural equipment of public and private holiday organisations, studies
all the cultural aspects of workers' tourist travel, and grants subsidies
with a view to promoting cultural activities in this connection.
(2) The Ministry of Public Health, a t present attached to the Ministry
of the Interior, grants special subsidies for holiday schemes initiated by
provincial and communal authorities ; it studies the various aspects of
workers' holidays in relation to public health and sanitation.
The Committee on Workers' Holidays includes expert representatives
of these departments.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

cards, etc.). It represents the State on private bodies set up
with a view to promoting certain forms of workers' holiday
organisation.
Lastly, it carries on propaganda, by all suitable means, in
favour of workers' holidays. The Office publishes a periodical,
of which there are two or three issues every year, for the information
of some 5,000 persons who, in their respective departments, trade
unions, tourist travel services and a variety of other walks of
life, are in a position to influence workers' holidays and travel.
The main purpose of the periodical is " to make the trade unions
aware of their responsibility for promoting tourist travel and
the tourist travel services aware of their social responsibilities ".
Clearly the Office cannot act as a travel agency which would
itself bring people together with a view to organising excursions ;
in Belgium, the Government feels that it ought not to compete
with private enterprise.
Nor is there any question of interfering in any way with the
independence of private bodies, the object of the Office being
to assist them in their work ; the State cannot take their place
if they fail in their purpose. Moreover, in Belgium the tradition
of local and provincial autonomy is firmly implanted ; the State,
in dealing with subordinate authorities, must show the same
tact as with private bodies.
In Norway, an official institution, the State Holiday Council
(" Statens Ferierâd ") was established on 20 May 1939. The
functions of the Council, which includes among its members
representatives of the national employers' and workers' organisations, various tourist associations and the State railways, as also
the Chief Woman Labour Inspector, are denned as follows :
" The Council shall attempt to establish closer collaboration
between the organisations which represent the general public,
organisations for travel, local authorities and local tourist organisations, with respect to measures intended :
(1) to reduce the cost of holidays and holiday journeys ;
(2) to arrive at a better utilisation of the facilities for
travel and holiday accommodation that already exist and
to provide new facilities to the extent needed ;
(3) to make it easier for the public to save money for
holidays ; and
(4) to make the public acquainted, by means of exhibitions, booklets, etc., with the facuities available at any
time for a satisfactory and cheap use of holidays. "

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

The Council is further required to consider proposals for
measures of the kind mentioned above which there is reason to
believe will be easier for the State to take up, including also
draft legislation and, in the case of financial estimates, proposals
for. the financing of the measures in question.
To the extent that the Council considers this expedient, it
is to refer particular questions to a committee of representatives
of the organisations concerned.

CHAPTER I I I
NATURE OF FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' HOLIDAYS
A. — SUPPLY

INFORMATION

Annual holidays are a comparatively new institution for many
workers, who thus lack experience of how to use them. Those
who wish to spend all or part of these consecutive days of rest
away from home must make enquiries concerning the possibilities ;
and if the only information available is that provided by agencies
of a commercial character, catering for persons in easy circumstances who desire to travel or to spend time away from home,
they will look on holiday trips and excursions as too expensive.
However, arrangements are in existence or in course of development which tend more and more to render this view inaccurate
and measures have been taken in many countries to inform the
public of the activities of holiday institutions and organisations
whose very object is to make such arrangements. A first task is
therefore to render this activity more widely known.
A second objective in this field should be to prepare the public
for holiday travel. There is a sort of inertia to be found in all
sections of the population and many people are unwilling to
seek new experience, to go to new places — in short, to step out
of their accustomed groove. Clearly one of the objects of holidays
is t h a t people should grow accustomed to doing these new things.
The purpose of the publicity in question must therefore be to
make new experiences and places attractive and induce those
who receive paid holidays to take advantage, in the way which
suits them best, of the possibilities open to them.
The methods of providing information for the general public
are sometimes adapted to the special needs of workers on paid
leave.
§ 1. — Methods of Spreading Information
Among the methods employed in the different countries to
inform the workers of holiday facilities, mention should be made
of information offices, the press (and broadcasting), special
publications (posters, guides, handbooks), public lectures, meetings
showing films or lantern slides, etc.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

INFORMATION OFFICES

The information or enquiry office is an advanced form of
publicity service ; personal contact is made with the worker
in need of information and thus his choice can be guided to some
extent. But the operation of such offices is costly, which means
t h a t only large bodies can maintain them, and then only with
a view to meeting well-defined needs.
Offices set up by Workers
A number of bodies established by the workers have their
own information offices. I n Belgium the workers' organisations
have set up a large number of tourist offices with over 60 local
branches 1 , which distribute pamphlets and other forms of
information on ways of using holidays. In France the workers'
organisations have established special services giving information
on travel, the Tourist Office of the General Confederation of
Labour being typical ; this Office, which is now entitled " Travel
and Holidays for All ", was established in 1937 and has local
correspondents in different parts of the country (in the northern
region, for instance, there is a departmental centre for the Pasde-Calais and about 15 local branches). In Great Britain the
Workers' Travel Association has a central office in London and
25 local agencies in different parts of the country, usually on
trade union or co-operative society premises. I n the Netherlands
the Friends of Nature Society has a travel office which provides
all sorts of information on tourist travel. I n Sweden " Reso " 2
provides its local correspondents with prospectuses and leaflets,
which they are required to distribute to the persons concerned.
Offices set up by

Employers

Employers who provide members of their staff with holiday
facilities do not usually feel the need for organising special
information services, since the information can be given either
direct or by posting notices inside the undertaking. Nevertheless,
some employers provide members of their staff with information
on other available holiday facilities.
1
" Holidays and Recreation " (General Confederation of Labour) has
36 of these, " Holidays and Health " (Christian trade unions) has 22,
and the Liberal trade unions have 9.
2
Abbreviation for " Folkrörelsermas Reorganisation ".

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

I n Great Britain a great many firms maintain information
offices on holiday facilities for workers. One firm, which gives
an annual holiday, runs a railway booking office at the establishment during several weeks before the holiday season. I t is also
customary for undertakings to keep a register of lodging and
boarding houses made from the personal recommendations of
employees. I n the United States an interesting experiment was
made in the establishment of the Vacation Bureau Service in
New York City in 1924 ; this Service, which was originally
financed by a special contribution, was designed to serve industrial
and commercial establishments by making reliable information
available to their employees about vacation facilities within
reach of New York.
Oßces set up by the Public

Authorities

Public authorities have not, as a rule, organised information
offices as yet. Nevertheless, mention should be made of the
local services of the German " Kraft durch Freude " and its
correspondents in the undertakings ; these replace information
offices to some extent. The same applies, in the U. S. S. R.,
to the travel services of the Central Trade Union Council.
ANNOUNCEMENTS I N THE P R E S S

In every country the organisations established to facilitate
the use of holidays have recourse to advertisements or propaganda
articles in newspapers and periodicals. When inserted by workers'
organisations, these generally appear in trade union organs or
in the labour press in general ; when inserted by employers, they
tend to appear in the general press or in works newspapers.
A special form of publicity is t h a t secured by the use of
broadcasting.
SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS

Special publications may take various forms — posters, leaflets,
prospectuses, folders (illustrated or not), brochures, guide-books,
reviews, etc. This publicity may be carried on by special bodies ;
among workers' associations an example is provided in Great
Britain by the Workers' Travel Association, which has its special
publicity service. As regards official activity, reference should
be made above all to the Belgian National Office for Workers'
Holidays, " Kraft durch Freude " in Germany, and the Excursions
Federation of " Dopolavoro " in Italy.
s

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

Posters, Folders, etc.
Posters, leaflets, prospectuses and folders are very widely
used.
As regards bodies established by the workers, reference may
be made, by way of illustration, to the Ladies' Garment Workers'
Union in the United States, which publishes illustrated folders
on its holiday camp, " Unity House ", and to the Workers' Travel
Association in Great Britain, which issues illustrated folders on
the various trips it organises1 ; in 1938, in particular, the W. T. A.
issued a series of postcards of its holiday centre " Rogerson Hall ".
Employers seldom publish information on holiday facilities.
Among private bodies, the Christian Young Workers' Society
in France distributes prospectuses concerning its holiday homes
and camps and keeps up-to-date lists of holiday settlements
sent in by local federations. In various countries the Y. M. C. A.
and the Y. W. C. A. also issue brochures and folders. For instance,
in the United States an illustrated prospectus entitled " Camp
Letts " gives the principal features of a camp for boys, and a
folder entitled " Camp Kahlert " does the same with regard to
a girls' camp.
The public authorities have very extensive means of publicity
at their disposal. In Belgium the National Office for Workers'
Holidays has issued large numbers of posters, prospectuses and
folders, particularly concerning the holiday centre which it has
established at Wégimont ; these prospectuses and folders have
been printed in hundreds of thousands of copies.
Brochures, Guide-books, etc.
Brochures and guide-books, the issue of which demands
considerable technical and financial resources, are also issued
by numerous bodies.
In France the local sections of " Travel and Holidays for All "
publish regional guides (Savoy, Jura, etc.), and a Year-Book for
1939 giving information on camping grounds, rests, hotels,
restaurants and furnished rooms has also appeared. In Great
1
For instance, in 1938 : Walking, Rock Climbing and Alpine Holidays
1938 ; Germany 1938, 3 escorted tours ; Danube special, 3-Capitals Tour ;
European Holidays for Overseas Visitors ; " Esperance B a y " Cruises
1938 ; W. T. A. Motor Tours ; W. T. A. Winter Sports ; W. Heacham
W. T. A. Permanent Centre ; Shanklin W. T. A. Guest House ; Birchfield
Hope ; Lyme Regis W. T. A. Guest House ; School Journeys 1938.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

Britain the Workers' Travel Association publishes a Year-Book
(" W. T. A. Holidays, 1937 ", for instance, runs to 200 pages
and includes a description of the journeys organised to different
countries). I n the Netherlands the Friends of Nature Society
publishes a guide to its trips abroad each year. In Sweden
" Reso " issues brochures and a comprehensive illustrated programme of its different tours.
Among private associations, the youth hostel organisations
in the different countries publish their own year-books, and
sometimes brochures as well. Reference may be made to the
following : in Great Britain, the " Handbook of Hostels for
England, Wales and Ireland " and (in 1939) a " Handbook for
Devon and Cornwall " — a complete guide for cyclists in this
part of the country ; in Switzerland, the " Swiss Guide to Youth
Hostels ", issued in three languages ; and in the United States,
the " A. Y. H . Handbook ". An interesting feature of these
publications is the use of a series of conventional symbols,
understood in all countries, to indicate conditions regarding
lodging, board, amusements, etc.
Other private associations also issue detailed guides ; for
instance, the Swiss Friends of Nature Association, which has its
annual guide and its tourist maps.
Official bodies sometimes issue publications of great value.
A characteristic instance of propaganda conducted by a public
body in order to draw attention to holiday facilities is found
in the United States, where the National Park Service keeps
information about the national parks before the public ; illustrated
pamphlets, descriptive of each of the national parks, are issued
in which both the natural features of the park and its accommodation for tourists are described. In France the Department
of Recreation and Sport (Ministry of Education) published for
1938 a list, showing the prices charged, of hotels and boarding
houses which were suitable in price and type for the use of workers
and their families.
Reviews, etc.
Certain bodies, the number of which is increasing, issue
their own periodicals. Among those founded by the workers,
the Workers' Travel Association in Great Britain issues a monthly
magazine, the " Travel Log ", which contains information on
numerous trips as well as travel articles of an educational

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

character 1 ; this is sent for a year to all persons who have booked
with the W. T. A.
Among associations founded by private bodies, the youth
hostels organisations often have their own reviews. I n Denmark,
for instance, the Hostels Association issues the " Dansk Ungdomsherberger " ; in France t h e . Secular Youth Hostels Centre
issues the " Cri des Auberges " every month ; in the United
States there is a quarterly magazine entitled the " A. Y. H. Knapsack " ; and in Switzerland the Friends of Nature Society has
a monthly review, " Berg Frei ", and an international bilingual
publication entitled " Der Naturfreund — L'Ami de la Nature ".
I n some countries the tourist institutions established by the
authorities publish reviews on people's travel. I n Belgium the
National Office for Workers' Holidays issues an illustrated review
entitled " Holidays " in the two official languages, French and
Flemish ; this describes the holiday facilities provided by public
and private organisations of all sorts. The number for April 1938
gives a list of the weekly inclusive prices (reduced rates) a t hotels,
a list of youth hostels and travellers' rests, a description of footpaths suitable for excursions, a list of motor-coach tours organised
by the National Railway Company, information on conditions of
transport in caravans and on tourist boats, descriptions of certain
attractive regions, etc.
I n Germany various monthly illustrated bulletins are issued ;
for instance, for the Berlin area, the monthly " ProgrammMitteilung " of " Kraft durch Freude ", much of which is devoted
to information regarding travel.
LECTURES, F I L M S , ETC.

Lectures are a fairly frequent method of securing publicity.
I t is used, for instance, in Belgium, where lectures have repeatedly
been organised in order to inform the workers on holiday
possibilities ; in France, where the Christian Young Workers'
Society arranges lectures with lantern slides ; and in the Netherlands, Poland and Yugoslavia.
These lectures and talks are
sometimes combined with cinema displays. I n Great Britain
the Workers' Travel Association, through its publicity department,
has experimented with the use of sound-films ; this new departure
1
The number for April 1938, for instance, contained the following
articles : Easter on the Baltic ; Fun on Small Boats ; Holiday in the
High Peak (Derbyshire) ; Continental Causerie (Switzerland) ; Travelling
Alone.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

having proved successful, arrangements have been made for a
mobile film unit to travel round the country showing soundfilms. In Switzerland the Railwaymen's Federation has made
some short films of its three holiday homes, which are lent
to workers' groups through the Workers' Education Centre.
In France films have been made showing the work of the youth
hostels.
ASSISTANCE BY SOCIAL W O R K E R S

Mention should also be made of another form of publicity,
not sufficiently organised hitherto to figure among the methods
described above, but nevertheless capable of considerable development in the future. This consists in instructing certain officials,
such as health inspectors, district nurses, etc., to inform the
population of the facilities available for holidays and even to
indicate to each family the possibilities which correspond to its
particular needs. This is an important step forward, for it extends
the scope of the information service to a large number of persons
who would not go spontaneously to tourist offices or make other
enquiries.
B. — HOLIDAY
TRAVEL
I t is generally agreed t h a t for a worker to get away from
his accustomed surroundings forms a desirable break in the
working year. The organisation of travel therefore constitutes
an important part of the activity of many associations and groups
for the provision of facilities «with regard to holidays with pay
and a large number of special tourist agencies and offices have
been established with the object of arranging inexpensive travel.
This applies particularly to group travel, since in most countries
collective trips involve a reduction in cost for each individual
and thus enable even workers with low wages to travel a t rates
within their means.
§ 1. — Popular Travel Organisations
Popular tourist travel is not strictly limited to the organisation
of trips during annual leave with pay. I t may also extend to
excursions a t the week-end or on general or local public holidays.
Nevertheless, the development of popular travel is directly
connected with the present spread of annual leave with pay ;
and this relation is clearly brought out by the fact t h a t some
popular travel organisations operate only during the holiday
season.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

B O D I E S SET U P BY W O R K E R S

I n all countries there are bodies for popular travel set up
by the workers and most of them have been established recently.
In Belgium for some years there have been a number of special
travel offices for workers, particularly the Workers' Tourist
Agency and the Antwerp Trades Council Travel Office. In
France the Tourist Office of the General Confederation of Labour,
established in 1937, has since amalgamated with another body,
". Travel and Holidays for All ", founded by a number of teachers
in 1936 ; before t h a t date there was an organisation of limited
scope, the Railwaymen's Travel Association. I n Or eat Britain
the Workers' Travel Association is a typical instance of a tourist
organisation designed primarily for workers, though its facilities
are available to all classes of the population. I n the Netherlands
the Socialist Workers' Movement has a general tourist service,
forming a section of the Friends of Nature Society, which is in
its turn under the control of the Workers' Education Institute.
I n Poland nearly all the well-organised trade unions have their
own special travel services. I n Sweden a special workers' tourist
association, the " Folkrörelsernas Reseorganisation ", abbreviated
to " Reso ", was established in 1937 on the initiative of the
Workers' Education Association. Quite recently similar bodies
have been established in Denmark (" Dansk Folke-Ferie "),
Norway ('•' Norsk Folke-Ferie ") and Finland.
Further, in countries without a permanent people's travel
service, activity by certain groups is reported. I n Bulgaria,
though there is no special tourist association for workers, trips
are organised from time to time by workers' organisations ; the
Bulgarian Handicraftsmen's Union, for instance, has arranged
a number of trips abroad. I n Switzerland various associations
organise trips both a t home and abroad ; this applies for instance
to the Workers' Education Centre and its local branches, and
to the Workers' Federation for Gymnastics and Sport. I n
Yugoslavia efforts have been made by the Friends of Nature
Society and the Workers' Education Association to establish a
travel bureau.
B O D I E S SET U P BY EMPLOYERS

The employers who organise excursions or travel for their
staff seldom have special tourist services for this purpose. Nevertheless, it may be mentioned t h a t in the Netherlands the Philips

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON REOREATIOK

Works, which has a recreation department, provides expert
assistance to workers who wish to travel in groups. In Sweden,
in undertakings with a welfare service, the head of this service
may deal with questions of travel for the staff. In Frutice the
Havre Holidays and Recreation Committee arranged a number
of short trips in 1937. In Oreat Britain the Bournville Works
establishes a travel sub-committee for the holiday period. In
Hungary employers, though having as a rule no special travel
services, subsidise workers' tourist societies.
BODIES SET UP BY PRIVATE ASSOCIATIONS

In all countries there are youth hostel associations which have
offices where young travellers can obtain information: This is
also provided at the hostels themselves.
As regards religious associations, it may be mentioned that
in France the French Catholic Action has a National Recreation
Committee, the fifth section of which deals with all questions
concerning travel and holiday residence ; in the provinces,
diocesan and local offices have been established, and these serve
also to organise popular travel, chiefly for Catholic workers.
In Great Britain an organisation of long standing, the Holiday
Fellowship (established in 1891), is in effect a co-operative for
travel. In France there is a co-operative organisation, the
National Recreation Committee, which has a special office, the
" Agence Co-op " (national co-operative society for travel and
excursions) and a popular travel section ; the section gives
information to members and keeps in touch with the local tourist
delegates, while the " Agence Co-op " acts as a travel agency.
In many countries the Friends of Nature societies are important
centres of popular travel.
BODIES SET UP BY THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

Popular travel institutions of an official character are in general
of recent date, but some have taken on considerable importance.
In Chile the Ministry of Public Health organises trips to the
seaside for urban workers (4,400 workers have been sent by
special train from Santiago to Valparaiso). In France the Office
of the Under-Secretary for Recreation and Sport, during its two
years of existence, devoted itself mainly to organising holiday
travel. In Germany the " Travel, Excursions and Holidays "
section of " Kraft durch Freude " began to act in 1934. In

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

Italy there is a special federation for excursions under the national
" Dopolavoro " institution. I n Poland popular travel is under
the Tourist Union, which includes representatives of various
Government departments and sporting or tourist federations.
I n Portugal the National Foundation for J o y in Labour, established
in 1935, provides for the organisation of excursions and other
trips. In the U. S. S. R. popular travel is under the Tourist
Travel Section of the Central Trade Union Council.
§ 2. — Kinds oí Travel Organised
Facilities for popular travel cannot be strictly divided into
those intended solely for workers on holidays with pay and other
facilities. The kind of travel organised during the holidays
varies from the mere excursion to the long circular tour.
SHORT EXCURSIONS

In view of the shortness of the annual holiday and the small
means of most of the persons who receive it, many organisations
arrange very short trips and excursions, which are used for visits
to places of interest, exhibitions, special displays, popular festivals,
etc. The journeys are usually very short, lasting for a day or
two only and closely resembling week-end excursions. All the
different kinds of holiday organisations arrange such trips and
those established by the employers and by the public authorities
usually concentrate on this kind of travel.
Employers in certain countries organise very short excursions.
I n France the Havre Holidays and Recreation Committee arranged
several trips for young persons in 1937 ; one of these included
the journey to Paris for the Exhibition and a visit to Versailles,
and lasted three days in all. I n Hungary the employers usually
contribute the whole or part of the cost of excursions to the
picturesque parts of the country, or of study trips to the cities,
which are arranged by the workers' travel societies. In Japan
the activities of employers in this respect are usually limited
to short excursions lasting for a day or less ; these are in most
cases arranged once or twice a year, in the spring or autumn.
An increasing number of employees also go on visits to religious
centres and make short sea trips in Tokyo Bay ; one-day outings
were arranged daily for groups of 100 to 500 persons in 1937.
I n some countries the bodies established by the authorities
arrange one-day or two-day excursions. In France an experiment

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

made in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture in 1938
enabled a group of agricultural workers from the north-east of
the country to spend a week-end in Paris. In Germany the
special travel section of " Kraft durch Freude " is particularly
interested in week-end excursions lasting from one to three days ;
of the nine million persons transported by this organisation in
1937, about seven million took part in these short trips. In Italy
the Excursions Federation, a department of " Dopolavoro ",
arranges group visits to places of historic importance and to
large public works. I n the U. S. S. B. the Tourist Travel Section
of the Central Trade Union Council arranges week-end excursions,
particularly to the trade union parks.
WALKING AND CYCLING

Walking and cycling tours are special forms of short travel
now in course of rapid development. They are particularly
popular among young persons.
Action by Workers
The workers' organisations particularly encourage travel of
this sort, which has the advantage for employed persons of being
as a rule very cheap. In Poland the trade unions organise hiking
tours, entitled " travelling camps ", so t h a t participants can get
to know the country ; the railwaymen's and postal workers'
associations for physical training or sport also organise excursions
of this type, particularly for young persons under 30. In Switzerland the Workers' Education Centre often arranges such trips,
as does the Workers' Federation for Gymnastics and Sport ;
some of the excursions arranged by the latter body are on skis.
Action by Private

Associations

Some of the bodies established by private associations are
primarily interested in walking and cycling. These forms of
travel are often practised by members of youth hostel associations
and Friends of Nature societies, and the centres and hostels of
these organisations are intended in the first place for persons
travelling on foot or bicycle ; indeed, in the United States, the
Youth Hostel Association indirectly recommends walking and
bicycling to young persons by stressing the fact t h a t persons
travelling by automobile are not welcomed a t the hostels. In
France the Lille Federation of Young Christian Workers has

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

organised a circuit, consisting of a series of travellers' rests (youth
hostels with separation of the sexes) ; sections, consisting of
about 20 young persons each, tour the region in this way for
ten days with guides for the different itineraries. In Great Britain
the co-operative Holiday Fellowship attaches particular importance
to group hikes, which promote comradeship.
Official Action
I n Germany attempts have been made further to encourage
tramping, which has been very popular among young persons
for a number of years. I n Italy the Excursions Federation of
" Dopolavoro " arranges excursions on foot and bicycle, as well
as camping and ski-ing tours.
LONGER TOURS

Tours of some length are also
country and it is characteristic
organisations have had to cope
this respect.
Action by

growing more common in every
t h a t all the different kinds of
with an increasing demand in
Workers

The most typical instance is provided in Great Britain, where
the Workers' Travel Association " is prepared to organise holidays
for anyone or for a n y group, however large, and to any place
on earth " ; its publications are sufficient evidence of the variety
of the longer tours which it organises. I n France the Travel
Office of the General Confederation of Labour began organising
trips to the Riviera in 1937 and arranged ¡visits to the Paris
Exhibition in t h a t year ; since then, a large number of such
arrangements have been made by " T r a v e l and Holidays for A l l " .
I n Poland the trade unions organise tours to various health resorts
and watering places, as well as to the mountains, the sea, the
lake districts and the forests. I n Switzerland various associations
organise tours inside the country and abroad.
Action by

Employers

Although employers mainly organise short excursions it may
be- noted t h a t in France, for instance, the National Railway
Company arranges group travel for apprentices and young persons
in its employment. I n Great Britain undertakings which give
a general holiday to their personnel sometimes arrange for special

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE O K RECREATION

trains to take the workers and their families to the seaside ;
one company indirectly encourages its employees to travel by
paying a bonus to those who spend their holidays away from
home at an approved health resort (a married man receives
51/2 days' pay for a week's holiday spent at home, and 8 1/i days'
pay if the week is spent at a health resort). I n Hungary the
undertakings usually subsidise the workers' travel societies, as
has already been stated. In Poland a number of mining undertakings in Upper Silesia organised a free trip of several days
for their workers in 1937. I n Sweden, when an establishment
has a social service, group travel is usually arranged for workers ;
for instance, the director of the social service of the match
factory at Jönköping organises collective tours for groups of
20 women workers a t a time.

Official Action
The authorities have recently begun to be interested in circular
tours, the encouragement of which enables them to aid the national
tourist industry, sometimes to a very considerable extent. In
Belgium the National Office for Workers' Holidays has not yet
begun organising group tours proper, but it facilitates individual
or group travel by obtaining considerable reductions in fares.
The Travel Section of the German " Kraft durch Freude " arranges
tours in Germany lasting one or two weeks, so as to familiarise
the workers with the country and its resources. I n the U. S. 8. B.
the Tourist Travel Section of the Central Trade Union Council
arranges set tours for workers on holiday ; there were 50 different
itineraries for these tours in 1936. Further, various trade unions
have their own travel services, which usually specialise in the
organisation of mountaineering trips.

CRUISES

Among organised tours, special reference must be made to
river and sea cruises and to foreign tours.
As regards cruises, since the workers' holiday organisations
usually do not possess suitable vessels, they can only act as
intermediaries between travellers and ordinary shipping companies.
Nevertheless, in the Scandinavian countries, for instance, the
question of the chartering or even the purchase of cruising
steamers by the workers' holiday associations has been raised.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

Action by

Employers

In Great Britain a company operating pleasure and cargo
vessels permits free passage on these ships, coastwise and continental, for employees and their families. The same applies in
the Netherlands to the employees of the big shipping company,
N. V. Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland, who can travel free
of charge with their families on the company's vessels going to
European ports ; employees with more than five years' service
may make trips in the Mediterranean under similar conditions.
Official Action
The most extensive official experiment is t h a t made in Germany
by the Travel Section of " Kraft durch Freude " ; this institution
organises cruises lasting from 6 to 20 days on its own steamers,
particularly to the Mediterranean and the Norwegian coast, as
well as Baltic cruises on sailing vessels ; to complete its fleet,
" K.. d. F . " has p u t into service two big steamers which can
carry hundreds of passengers on each voyage. I n France several
cruises to Algeria were arranged with the aid of the Algerian
Office in 1937.
F O R E I G N TRAVEL

There is a growing demand for the arrangement of foreign
tours. As regards workers' organisations, mention must again
be made of the Workers' Travel Association in Great Britain ;
in 1938 this body planned tours of about four weeks to France,
Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Egypt, as well as nine-day trips
to Gtermany. I n Bulgaria the Handicraftsmen's Union arranges
trips abroad. In Poland the Gromada Co-operative Society has
arranged trips of two or four weeks to foreign countries in
connection with exhibitions, such as the Paris Exhibition in 1937.
In Sweden the services of " Reso " are open to all for group and
individual tours abroad ; for instance, a group of 69 persons
passed a week in Finland, two other groups spent a fortnight
in the same country, another group went to England for ten
days, and nine groups (1,700 persons in all) spent ten days in
Paris.
Among private associations, it m a y be noted t h a t in Sweden
the " Norden " Association organises trips a t moderate rates in
the Scandinavian countries.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

As regards official bodies, an exceptional p a r t is played by
" Kraft durch Freude " in Germany. I n recent years, the foreign
tours organised by this institution have taken the particular form
of exchanges with workers on holiday from other «ountries. Such
exchanges have developed especially with Italy ; in 1937, for
the first time, Italian workers came to Munich, while German
workers went to Italy. Many of these exchanges have been
rendered possible by the " Kraft durch Freude " cruises. Similar
trips have been arranged from Italy to Hungary and vice versa,
but on a much smaller scale.
§ 3. — Services Piovided
The services which may be provided in the organisation of
travel range from the mere supply of information to the management of means of transport owned b y the holiday institution 1 .
I n general the holiday organisations act more or less completely
as travel agencies. They sell tickets, etc., to the travellers and
provide them with the necessary documents and forms. To quote
a single instance only, in Belgium " HoUdays and Health ", the
holiday organisation of the General Confederation of Labour,
provides : (a) tourist cards for France (giving a reduction of
40 per cent, on the railways) and for international railway
tickets ; (6) cards for completion of customs formalities on
entering France and Switzerland (at 30 regional offices) ; and
(c) special forms on which to apply for lodging a t hostels and
holiday homes.
REDUCED RATES

One of the principal activities of the holiday organisations
consists in bringing together groups of travellers to enable them
to profit by the very favourable terms offered to groups by
transport undertakings. I n certain cases this process may go
as far as the reserving of a whole train or the chartering _ of a
vessel. Thus, in Great Britain the undertakings which grant a
general holiday to their staff sometimes arrange for special trains
to take the workers and their families to the seaside and back.
As regards the special terms allowed in case of group travel,
examples from a number of countries will be found below.
1
This last case is very rare. The voyages arranged by certain British
and Netherlands shipping companies for the members of their staffs and
the cruises of " Kraft durch Freude ", which has its own large transatlantic
steamers, have just been mentioned.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

In Belgium, where individual workers can receive a holidaywith-pay card, giving them the right to a reduced fare (25 per cent.
reduction for journeys of less than 100 km., 35 per cent, for those
between 100 and 300 km., and 50 per cent, for journeys of 300 k m .
and more), the reduction for groups of not less than 25 persons
(holders of such cards or members of their families) is 50
per cent, whatever the distance, with a validity of ten days.
I n Estonia the State railways have since J u n e 1937 granted a
reduction of 50 per cent, on the fares of workers on holidays
with pay when travelling to holiday resorts ; this reduction
applies throughout the year. I n France, where the holiday card
entitles the holder to a reduction of 40 per cent, on railway fares,
groups of not less than ten persons are entitled to a reduction
up to 50 per cent. I n Great Britain the National Union of Clerks
and Administrative Workers has obtained a 10 per cent, reduction
from " L o n d o n Coastal Coaches" for members of the Union;
large reductions are also granted in case of group journeys for
travellers of all sorts. I n Italy the Excursions Federation provides
its members with the following reductions : (a) 50 per cent, on
week-end return tickets for groups of not less than five persons ;
(6) a similar reduction without any time limit for groups of not
less than 50 persons ; (c) special reductions on public and private
railways and tramway and motor-bus lines. I n Mexico the
National Railway Department instituted, from 1 J a n u a r y 1939,
special reduced fares for any worker accompanied by two members
of his family, provided t h a t the journey takes place during the
holiday period covered by the Act ; the price of the circular
ticket is the same as t h a t of an ordinary single ticket. I n Poland
persons going to stay in camps organised by the National Physical
Training Institute, the Labour Inspectorate and the Social
Insurance Institute often receive free tickets ; reductions of
80 per cent, are allowed in many other cases to various popular
travel and physical training associations. I n Sweden " Reso "
obtains reductions of up to 50 per cent, in the case of special
trains carrying a t least 300 persons.

INCLUSIVE CHARGES

I t is a fairly general tendency for popular travel organisations
to arrange group travel for an inclusive charge. As regards
action by the workers' organisations, the French " Travel and
Holidays for All ", for example, has instituted a system of

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

" planned travel ". I n Great Britain the Workers' Travel Association offers tours a t charges including the cost of travel, hotel,
tips, taxes, payment of guides, etc., so t h a t the travellers can
know in advance exactly what their holiday will cost. In Sweden
" Reso " similarly arranges tours both inside the country and
abroad, a t rates including the return fare, board, lodging,
excursions and guides.
I n the field of official action, mention may be made of the
German " Kraft durch Freude ", which organises shorter or
longer journeys for an inclusive charge, either in Grermany or
abroad (to Norway, the Canary Islands, the Azores, in Italy, etc.).
In the same way, by agreement between " Kraft durch Freude "
and the Italian organisation " Dopolavoro ", trips have been
arranged for Italian workers ; the cost of the holiday is fixed
in advance to include excursions and a small sum in German
currency, which is handed to the travellers as they cross the
frontier.
§ 4. — Statistics
On the whole the experience of holiday travel is still too recent
to draw any general conclusions as to the number of travellers
and the prices charged. Comparisons cannot be made until the
data for a larger number of holiday seasons are available.
N U M B E R OE TRAVELLERS

I n Belgium 88,000 workers used their holiday cards in 1937,
this number corresponding to a total of 184,000 travellers ; the
increase in 1938 was about 16 per cent. I n France the statistics
compiled by the National Railway Company show t h a t the number
of tickets issued in 1936 was 360,000 and the number of travellers
549,000 ; the corresponding figures for 1937 were 700,000 and
908,000.
I t should be pointed out t h a t the French figures do
not give a complete picture of the number of workers on holiday
who use the available means of transport ; tickets with a 40 per
cent, reduction are not always used by workers on paid holidays,
since groups of not less than ten persons can obtain a still larger
reduction (50 per cent, instead of 40 per cent.) ; furthermore,
family tickets are more advantageous if the number of persons
is five or more.
I n Great Britain the individual bookings for tours with the
Workers' Travel Association in 1937 numbered over 60,000.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

This is quite inadequate as a measure of the total number of
travellers, since the Association caters for but a small fraction
of the persons on paid holiday.
The example of Germany is particularly interesting. The
number of persons transported by " Kraft durch Freude " was
2 million in 1934, 3 million in 1935, 6 million in 1936 and 9 million
in 1937. Not all these persons took part in circular trips. I t is
estimated t h a t in 1937 2 million persons went on circular trips
and 180,000 on cruises.
COST OF TRAVEL

International comparisons between the prices charged for
holiday travel are very difficult to make, largely owing to the
differences in the purchasing power of the various currencies.
Even within any one country it still seems impossible to determine
the relation between, for instance, the cost of a trip and the value
of the average wage. In countries of small territory the relative
cost of transport can clearly be much lower than in countries
where the available trips vary widely as regards the distance
covered. For instance, the average price of a holiday ticket in
1937 was in Belgium 25 Belgian francs (184,000 tickets were issued
for a total value of 4,600,000 francs), and in France 108 French
francs (907,000 tickets for a total of 98 million francs).
The following prices charged for holiday travel are given as
an indication only, all the more so as in most cases the charges
are inclusive and the transport cost is not specially indicated.
In France the Confederation of Christian Workers arranged
trips in 1937 to health resorts and watering places a t fares
(transport only) ranging from 99 to 120 francs. I n Germany
" Kraft durch Freude " charges 50 EM. for a week's cruise to
Norway and 57 RM. (instead of the 107 RM. charged by the
ordinary agencies) for a fortnight in the Bavarian Alps. I n
Great Britain the Workers' Travel Association charges £8 7s. 6d.
for a week in the Lake District, £14 14s. Od. for nine days in
Germany, and £12 for a week's cruise. I n Sweden " Reso "
charges 46 crowns for a week on the Island of Gotland and
235 crowns for ten days in Paris. I n the U. S. S. B. the Travel
Service of the Central Trade Union Council charged from 105
to 592 roubles in 1937 for trips ranging from 5 to 22 days.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

C. — HOLIDAY

ACCOMMODATION

The various bodies established to facilitate the use of workers'
holidays with pay realise the necessity of having a t their disposal
buildings and equipment so t h a t the workers may be able to pass
their holidays in suitable surroundings and under conditions
corresponding to their means. As a rule, these buildings are the
property of the holiday organisations and represent considerable
sums 1 ; sometimes, however, they are rented 8 or placed free
of charge a t the disposal of the holiday organisations 3 . I t is
comparatively rare for an organisation to own or rent houses
abroad / instances are the British Workers' Travel Association,
the Luxemburg Socialist trade unions (which have a holiday home
on the Belgian coast), and the Swiss Friends of Nature Society
(which has a chalet in Savoy).
There have been holiday homes for many years. The first
were in most cases founded for public servants, salaried employees
and their families ; sometimes, indeed, homes and camps founded
by employers were intended mainly for the employees' children.
Now, holiday homes are increasing rapidly in number, and new
schemes are also making their appearance — holiday centres
(sometimes combining various facilities such as a house, a youth
hostel, a camping ground, etc.) or holiday camps specially fitted
to meet the needs of young people.

1
In Argentina the two mountain homes of the Catholic Federation
of Salaried Employees are worth 110,000 pesos and that of the Union
of Municipal Workers 195,000 pesos. I n Bulgaria the Union of Municipal
Employees has eight holiday homes valued at 6 million levas in all. I n
Great Britain the value of the permanent holiday centres of the Workers'
Travel Association was shown in the report for 1937 at £33,000.
a
I n Great Britain the Workers' Travel Association rents houses abroad
at the height of the holiday season. In Poland each of the houses rented
by the trade unions represents an annual rent of about 8,000 zloty. In
Switzerland the Workers' Gymnastics and Sports Federation has 34 chalets
in the mountains ; eight are its own property and 26 are rented. I n
Poland the Social Insurance Institute rents furnished houses in health
resorts and watering-places.
3
I n Sweden three holiday homes have been presented to the Confederation of Trade Unions by a private individual. In Bulgaria the Co-operative
Women's League uses school buildings lent by the authorities. I n Belgium
the Wégimont Home was established on an estate belonging to the Province

of Liege.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

§ 1. — Bodies which run Holiday Homes
a n d Centres
As pointed out above, holiday homes were first opened for
groups of workers such as pubüc servants and salaried employees
who already enjoyed holidays with pay. More recently, however,
an attempt has had to be made to satisfy the same need for annual
rest in the case of other groups of workers.

ACTION BY W O R K E R S

Holiday homes established by the workers may be found in
every country. Very often they are run by the trade unions ;
but with the spread of general schemes for holidays with pay,
the holiday organisations formed to cater for all occupations
or by independent bodies try to meet the needs of workers of
all groups.
Trade

Unions

Holiday homes have now been established for a large number
of occupations, but the arrangements for public servants and
salaried employees call for special notice.
For the teaching profession, the Argentine Confederation of
Catholic Professors and Teachers runs one home for men and
another for women ; in Belgium the Teachers' Union runs a home
a t Oostduinkerke ; in Bulgaria the Public Education Union has
a holiday home a t a watering-place and another in the mountains ;
in France the teachers have established university homes and
hostels, particularly a t watering-places (for instance, a co-operative
hostel a t Vichy in 1919, two hostels a t Eaux-Bonnes and a house
in its own grounds a t Cap Breton) ; in Yugoslavia the teachers
have three holiday camps and a mountain chalet.
Several transport workers' organisations have holiday homes.
In Belgium the employees of the National Local Railways Comp a n y have a home on the coast, as also the employees of the Public
Transport board and the tramway employees ; in Bulgaria the
Railwaymen's Union has its holiday homes ; in Poland the Railwaymen's Union has two rest homes ; and in Switzerland the
Railwaymen's Federation has three big holiday homes.
As regards printing and kindred trades, in Argentina the Press
Club has two holiday centres ; in France the Journalists' Union

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

has a rest home ; in Hungary the Union of Newspaper Typographers has a holiday home ; and in Yugoslavia printing workers
have a rest home and three others are being built for them.
Various unions of public servants and salaried employees
also have holiday homes. For instance, in Argentina the Catholic
Federation of Salaried Employees' Associations has two mountain
homes and two estates for holiday camps, while the Union of Municipal Workers has a mountain home. In Bulgaria the staff of
the National Bank has two holiday homes, the Union of Municipal
Employees has eight such homes and the Union of Postal
Employees and the Union of Customs Officers also have their
holiday homes. I n France the Christian Unions of Women
Workers have several holiday and rest homes. In Hungary the
Commercial Employees' Union has several rest homes.
In
Poland, bank employees and commercial employees have 30 rest
homes.
For manual workers, the number of holiday homes is relatively
much smaller. Reference may however be made to the following :
in Belgium, a hostel with accommodation for 400 persons owned
by the General Union for the Building and Public Works Industries and a hostel which has been built a t Koksijde by a miners'
union ; in France, a country house at Vouzeron and a park at
Baillet, which have been acquired by the Metal Workers' Union
and where holiday centres have been established ; in Great Britain,
an estate of 116 acres in Surrey, which was acquired by the
National Union of Seamen in 1939 ; in Hungary, a rest home
belonging to the Bookbinders' Union ; and in Switzerland, two
mountain homes belonging to the Federation of Metal Workers
and Watchmakers ; in the United States, the International Ladies'
Garment Workers' Union runs a camp in Pennsylvania 1.

Bodies catering for all Occupations
Hobday arrangements are also made by trade union federations
of which the following are instances : in Belgium the Antwerp
Trades Council has a holiday centre a t Brecht, and the People's
House at Brussels has a centre with accommodation for 130 persons ;
in France the General Confederation of Labour has acquired a
large estate for establishment of a rest home, and the Christian
1

This list is, of course, far from complete, since many of the replies
received by the Office merely state that numbers of unions (unspecified)
have rest homes.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

women workers' unions have several holiday and rest homes ;
in Luxemburg the Socialist trade unions have a holiday home
on the Belgian coast ; in Poland the federated trade unions, which
include among others miners' unions in Upper Silesia, arrange
stays a t rest homes ; in Sweden a private individual has presented
three holiday homes to the Confederation of Trade Unions ; and
in the United States the Industrial Mutual Association of Flint
(Michigan) has a holiday camp.
Another form of catering for all occupations which is
becoming more general is the independent organisation directly
connected with the trade union movement, the co-operative
movement, the movement for workers' education, etc. A typical
instance is the British Workers' Travel Association, which has
seven permanent centres in the country. I t is probable t h a t
this example will be followed to some extent in the northern
countries. For instance, in Sweden the " Folkrorelsernas Semesterförening " intends to buy, rent or build holiday establishments suited to the various groups of workers on holiday and
to their means. I n Denmark the " Folke-Ferie " Association,
which has the form of a co-operative society, intends inter alia
to establish permanent or temporary holiday homes and workers'
hostels in collaboration with those already existing (founded
by the workers' organisations), and to set up its own holiday
centres, possibly with the aid of the authorities ; it also intends
to establish camps in which families can be cheaply housed, and,
with public assistance, systematically to develop youth hostels.
Reference may also be made to the Netherlands Friends of Nature
Society, which has 10 homes and a number of camping grounds,
most of them in the woods or at the seaside.
ACTION BY EMPLOYERS

There are not many holiday homes or settlements established
by employers. I n Argentina the Buenos Aires-Pacific Railway
has a holiday colony for its staff. I n Belgium the Municipal
Credit Company established a hostel for its employees and their
families in 1919. I n Germany several undertakings have holiday
homes on their own property, and others reserve a number of
places in holiday homes belonging to the " Association for
Holiday Homes in Industry and Commerce ". In Great Britain
the holiday homes run by individual firms are usually small and
accommodate a very limited number of persons. I n Hungary
it is reported t h a t some undertakings arrange rest houses, week-

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

end chalets and bathing beaches for workers and their families.
I n Japan the Koto Co-operative Society has decided to build
a summer recreation centre at a bathing beach for its 1,850 members and their families ; according to this scheme, individual
huts will be built for the families, with a joint kitchen, bathing
establishment and playroom. I n Sweden about 15 holiday homes
or cottages are known to have been built for the workers a t
employers' expense ; these belong to the Tobacco Monopoly,
the Nordiska Co. Department Store, the Osearía Shoe Factory, etc.
I n Switzerland certain firms, such as Bally and Maggi, have established holiday homes for their staffs. I n the United States
employers have established a considerable number of holiday
camps, b u t the movement appears to be declining.
ACTION BY PRIVATE ASSOCIATIONS

Private associations have long been active in organising
holiday homes, camps and settlements, by no means intended
exclusively for workers on holiday with pay.
The youth hostels movement has spread to every country
and is rapidly growing. The number of hostels it places a t the
disposal of young persons engaging in cheap travel has been
estimated a t over 5,000 in various parts of the world ; there
are over 2,000 in Germany, over 700 in France, over 300 in Great
Britain, etc.
I n most countries, the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. have
either holiday homes or holiday camps. I n Bulgaria, for instance,
the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. have three holiday homes ; in
the Netherlands and Sweden these associations have several homes
and camps ; and in the United States they organise many camps
each.
The Catholic associations have also arranged numerous holiday
camps and homes. I n Argentina various Catholic organisations
have estates on which holiday camps are organised. I n Belgium
the Christian Young Workers' Society has about 70 holiday
homes and travellers' rests (a special form of youth hostel). I n
France the Catholic organisations and the Christian Young
Workers' Society have a large number of holiday centres.
I n several countries camping federations are reported, for
instance t h a t of Belgium, which held two official camps in 1937
and planned to open about 40 in 1938 ; and the Camping Club
of Great Britain and Ireland, which has permanent centres in
Great Britain.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

There are tourist associations in every country. In Switzerland the Friends of Nature Society owns a number of mountain
chalets.
Co-operative organisations also have their holiday homes or
hostels — for instance in France, where the National Recreation
Committee has a number of " co-op hostels ", and in Great
Britain (the Holiday Fellowship).
OFFICIAL ACTION

Public authorities, associations and institutions m a y establish holiday homes in their capacity as employers or as authorities responsible for the general welfare, or again as holiday
organisations proper.
In a number of countries official institutions own or run holiday
homes for their own staff. This applies in Argentina, where
the Committee for Public Servants' Holiday Settlements, established at the Ministry of Public Works, has a camp open throughout the year for public servants and their families ; in France,
where the National Railway Company arranges holiday camps
for its apprentices and the children of its employees ; in Germany,
where the National Post Office has a rest home for postal officials ;
and in Hungary, where the Public Servants' Pension Fund has
opened a rest home in the mountains a t Galyateto (this establishment is intended not only as a holiday and rest home but
also as a hotel for the public).
Some public institutions, in particular social insurance and
public health services, run holiday homes as a means of supplementing their preventive action. In Bulgaria the Social Insurance
Department has established convalescent homes which may be
used for holidays ; in Poland the National Office for Physical
Training has a holiday home and camping grounds, the Social
Insurance Institute rents furnished houses and the Municipality
of Warsaw owns boarding houses a t various health resorts and
watering-places.
The official services which have recently been established
to co-ordinate facilities for the use of holidays t r y to supplement
existing hotel accommodation and existing holiday homes by
their own arrangements. In Belgium the National Office for
Workers' Holidays plans the establishment of several holiday
centres ; one of these began to operate a t Wégimont in 1938,
and includes a hotel (a transformed country house), a youth hostel,

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

a camping ground and equipment for sports. I n Germany " Kraft
durch Freude " has several large holiday and rest homes, and
various other plans are now being carried out — for instance,
there is to be a rest home for the Labour Front a t Königswinter
with accommodation for 5,000 persons and hotels with 2,000
beds each are to be built alongside the National-Socialist P a r t y
training centres ; immense bathing resorts are also to be established, for instance one on the Isle of Rügen, with room for
20,000 persons and extending over eight kilometres of beach.
I n the U. S. S. R. a very large network of holiday homes has
been established, many of them in existing palaces and villas
b u t also in new buildings ; in 1938 the various trade union committees and the Central Trade Union Council had 621 resthomes
in all.
§ 2. — Persons Accommodated
I t is the object of some holiday centres to provide accommodation for all persons who desire it without distinction of occupation,
sex, age, etc. ; i. e. workers and their families can find accommodation there as a t any ordinary hotel or boarding house. Homes
of this type are to be found in all countries and belong to bodies
established by workers, private associations or public authorities.
Although, an absolutely clear trend cannot be distinguished, it
seems that, in view of the growth of national organisations, holiday
homes and centres open to all may be expected to spread.
Arrangements made by employers, on the other hand, are reserved
for the employees of the undertakings in question (or sometimes
a part of the staff only, more particularly young persons) and
members of their families 1 .
The various bodies being what they are, it is naturally common
to find the available accommodation reserved more or less strictly
for members of the associations in question and their families.
This applies as a rule to holiday arrangements made by trade
unions, some private associations and even public institutions.
I n general, however, the only clearly pronounced tendency
to restrict the use of holiday homes to specified groups is based
on sex and age.
1
Holiday camps for children of members of the staff of an undertaking will not be dealt with here. Although this is not, properly speaking,
a means of facilitating the use of workers' holidays with pay, it is nevertheless true that such facilities may help workers on holiday by increasing
their freedom of movement.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

H O M E S FOR W O M E N AND G I R L S

Separation of the sexes is considered desirable b y m a n y holiday
organisations, of whatever kind.
Some of the homes established by the workers are reserved
for women. This applies in Argentina to the homes of the
Federation of Catholic Salaried Employees' Associations ; in
Belgium to the Wauters Home run by the National Committee
of Socialist Women, and the girls' homes of the Centre P a r t y
Women's Welfare Society ; and in France to the Christian trade
unions' rest homes, which are open to girls and young women.
In the United States the Mutual Industrial Association of Flint,
Michigan, has two cottages reserved for factory girls.
Among holiday facilities provided by employers, reference
may be made to the two holiday homes of a British firm, one
of which is intended for girls and the other for married men and
their families ; and to a camp in the United States which is open
to all employees of the company in question during nine months
of the year and to women employees alone during the three
summer months.
As regards private associations, the tendency to separate
the sexes is still more clearly marked. Although as a rule the
youth hostels are open to young persons of both sexes, travellers'
rests have been established recently, chiefly by religious bodies,
in France and Belgium for example, where the sexes are separated.
I n the same way, in many countries the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.
have separate homes. I n Great Britain a holiday home for
working women has been established a t Stansted in Essex, out
of contributions from various organisations, such as the Women's
Co-operative Guild, the trade unions and the women's sections
of the Labour Party. Lastly, reference may be made to a Swedish
holiday home, established by the " Birkagárden " popular college
a t Stockholm, which was a t first open only to women and girls
over 15.
Although on the whole the public authorities aim a t catering
for all workers, provision is sometimes made, for various
reasons, for separation of the sexes. I n Germany it has been
arranged since 1938 t h a t the League of German Girls shall have
its separate camps ; these girls' camps, unlike the boys', must
consist of proper buildings and not of tents.

BEPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

H O M E S FOR YOUNG PERSONS

I t is coming more and more to be the aim to provide separate
holiday homes or centres for young persons. Since the young
do not feel the same need for comfort as older persons, the
method of holiday camps is spreading 1 .
The bodies established by the workers do not as a rule make
a n y definite distinction between young persons and adults.
Nevertheless in Great Britain, although all the permanent centres
of the Workers' Travel Association admit all members indiscriminately, one centre is described as particularly suited to " young
and active folk ". I n Poland a number of camps are arranged
for young persons up to 18 years of age only ; the Union of
Workers' Sports Associations has holiday camps for young persons
who practise sport. All workers are admitted to some of the
other camps, but chiefly young persons take advantage of them.
As said above, employers sometimes restrict their holiday
facilities to part of their staff, in particular to young persons,
apprentices, or to the children of their employees, for instance.
I n France the National Railway Company has no holiday centres
for its staff as a whole, its arrangements being restricted in
principle to apprentices and boys and girls belonging to railwaymen's families. I n Switzerland one establishment admits only
apprentices to its holiday home.
A considerable number of private associations which concern
themselves with holiday facilities are intended particularly for
young persons. Reference has already been made to the rapid
development of youth hostels in the different countries. There
are differences between the various countries regarding the
maximum age of admission to these hostels. I n France the
hostels of the French League do not exclude young persons
between 20 and 30, b u t their lodging tickets are issued a t a rather
higher price than those of young persons under 20 ; the travellers'
rests accept only young persons under t h a t age. In Switzerland
the age limit for admission to the youth hostels is 25.
The Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. in most countries arrange
either holiday homes or holiday camps.
Organisations established by the public authorities sometimes
restrict certain of their facilities to young persons. I n Belgium
1
This question is being studied separately by the International Labour
Office. Not much space need therefore be devoted to it here and only
a few brief indications will be given.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

a centre for the young unemployed has been established a t Brecht,
near Antwerp, and a t Virelles the Ministry of Transport proposes
to install a holiday centre for young persons. In Germany " Kraft
durch Freude " has had houses built more particularly for young
apprentices, while another important scheme is the construction
of homes for the Hitler Youth. I n Poland the National Office
for Physical Training arranges holiday camps for juveniles in the
summer ; and since 1937 the Social Insurance Institute has been
organising camps for young factory workers.

§ 3. — Material Arrangements
The material arrangements made for holiday homes vary
widely. All degrees of comfort are found, from the most primitive
facilities to ordinary hotel conditions. I t does not seem possible
at the moment to distinguish any general trend, either towards
greater simplicity or towards greater comfort, save in the case
of facilities for young persons, for whom simplicity is generally
considered desirable. As regards the types of buildings used,
it has often been regarded as simpler to adapt old constructions
rather than to build new. Former palaces and country houses
are used as rest homes and youth hostels, just as much as barns
and other old buildings. I n some countries school premises are
also used during the summer. There are, however, many cases
in which new buildings — chalets, cottages, etc. — are specially
planned and built for holiday purposes. I t should also be noted
that holiday centres and homes of all sorts often have camping
grounds a t their disposal.
LODGING

The most usual forms of lodging to-day range from the single
room, through the dormitory, to the simple shelter ; b u t between
the two extremes there is a whole series of other types.
Bedrooms and

Apartments

The organisations established by the workers often provide
their members with accommodation similar to t h a t obtained in
ordinary hotels. I n Belgium the home maintained by the
Employees of the National Local Railways Company provides
families with furnished apartments, accommodating six persons
and including a kitchen, bedrooms, lavatory arrangements, etc.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

In Great Britain the permanent centres of the Workers' Travel
Association provide single rooms on payment of a supplementary
charge of Is. 6d. a night. I n Switzerland the holiday homes of the
workers' organisations are most comfortable and single and
double rooms are provided. I n the United States the holiday
home of the Ladies' Garment Workers' Union comprises both
separate rooms and cottages and the camp of the Industrial
Mutual Association of Flint has 22 cottages with two to five
rooms each.
Among facilities provided by employers, it may be mentioned
t h a t in Great Britain one firm owns a holiday house in the country
which can accommodate 18 people, while another maintains a
permanent holiday camp made up of 19 huts accommodating
12 people each and divided into living and sleeping quarters.
As regards arrangements made by private associations, in
France the Christian Young Workers' Society has opened a camp
in the Ardennes ; the campers live in small four-roomed cottages,
which were formerly used by workers from the factories destroyed
during the war and are equipped to house eight people each.
Public institutions sometimes make or plan very complete
arrangements as regards comfort. I n Belgium the holiday centre
a t Wégimont has separate rooms, as in a hotel. I n Germany
" Kraft durch Freude " has planned the building of houses a t
the seaside ; on the Isle of Rügen all the bedrooms will face the
sea, contain two beds each, and have running water and central
heating. I n the U. S. S. i?. it is rather rare for single or double
rooms to be provided.
Dormitories
Dormitory accommodation is very usual.
I n Belgium some of the homes established by the workers
have both bedrooms and dormitories. I n Great Britain, a t the
permanent centres of the Workers' Travel Association, sleeping
accommodation is usually provided in large rooms for several
persons. I n Switzerland the holiday homes of the Workers'
Federation for Gymnastics and Sport often provide accommodation in dormitories.
As regards facilities provided by private associations, particularly a t the youth hostels, the principle observed is usually t h a t
of simplicity. Each hostel usually includes a dormitory, a kitchen,
and a common room for evening meetings. I n France a typical
example of the camps organised by the Christian Young Workers'

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

Society is t h a t of a mountain chalet open in summer ; it has
two dormitories and when the number of beds is not sufficient,
some of the young people sleep on straw mattresses.
The bodies established by public authorities sometimes provide
for dormitory accommodation. I n Belgium the Brecht holiday
centre for the young unemployed includes dormitories for 66
persons and the holiday centre for young persons a t Virelles
will have both dormitories and bedrooms. I n Germany some of
the holiday homes now being built by " Kraft durch Freude "
will have bedrooms for four to six persons. In the U. S. S. R.
the holiday homes as a rule have dormitories with six beds in
each ; in other cases, however, particularly when the huge rooms
of the old palaces had to be used, 30 or 40 beds may be found
in a single dormitory.
Shelters
In certain cases, particularly when young persons are to be
lodged, recourse is had to very simple accommodation and sometimes to improvised shelter. This method is found in all types
of holiday organisations. In Poland some holiday homes contain
beds or straw mattresses only. In Great Britain one firm provides
free camping equipment for workers and their families and makes
arrangements for the tents to be erected a t suitable places near
the sea. In Belgium the number of camping grounds has increased
considerably in the last two years. In the United States the
accommodation in the National P a r k areas is of all sorts ; it
ranges from the most complete hotel service, through simple
cabins, to open camping sites.
BOARD

Holiday homes may provide full board, or only some meals
(breakfast, for instance), or portions prepared in a common
kitchen. Many organisations, of all kinds, give full board. I n
Argentina the homes run by the workers' associations provide
full board and lodging with service. I n Great Britain the
permanent centres of the Workers' Travel Association provide
full board — breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner — as well as packed
lunches for all-day excursions when desired. I n Poland certain
of the holiday centres, such as t h a t of the Lodz Workers' Holiday
Association, have a co-operative kitchen a t which three or four
meals a day may be obtained according to the needs and means
of the guests. In Germany, according to the scheme for hotels

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

on the Rügen seafront to be built b y " Kraft durch Freude ",
meals will be provided in 10 restaurants which will be able to
serve 2,000 portions each in two shifts. In Belgium the Wégimont
Holiday Centre provides full board, as also meals for the young
persons lodged a t the youth hostel.
Partial board is provided in some of the workers' holiday
homes in the Netherlands.
The same applies in Switzerland,
where one undertaking which has established a holiday home for
its staff gives breakfast and supper, while the workers make their
own arrangements for the midday meal. Youth hostels sometimes provide meals prepared by the wardens.
I n some holiday centres the guests are left to prepare all
their own food themselves. I n Argentina a t the holiday centres
of the Pacific Railway Company, only lodging is provided and
guests arrange for their own board. I n Great Britain an industrial
company which has a camp made up of 19 huts leaves the campers
to provide their own food.
I n the youth hostels the young tourists usually prepare
their food themselves.
SERVICE

The general practice of most holiday homes is to engage
special domestic staff. I n the United States the vacation centre
of the Ladies' Garment Workers' Union provides all the service
of a n ordinary hotel ; a special caterer prepares the meals. I n
Poland service is usually performed by a special domestic staff.
I n Bulgaria the holiday camps of the Co-operative Women's
League are generally run by members of the Central Committee
of the League and have a doctor, teachers for the children, a
cook and other domestic staff. I n France, a t a chalet used by
the Christian Young Workers' Society, the food is prepared by
a member's family. I n Poland, a t the homes organised by public
bodies, service is provided by a specially engaged staff.
I n many cases service is not included in the terms. I n the
United States the camp of the Industrial Mutual Association a t
Flint (Michigan) rents its cottages on condition t h a t the renters
furnish bedding and kitchen utensils and take full care of the
cottages while in residence. I n the Netherlands persons using
the rest homes provided by workers' organisations have their
choice of paying for a bed only, bed and board, bed and service,
or bed, full board and service. I n Great Britain, a t a holiday
home in the country owned by an industrial firm, employees

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

who use the home are responsible for cleaning and laundry.
At the youth hostels, the young tourists generally bring with
them their sleeping bags containing sheets and must help in
certain cleaning work.
I n Poland, in the holiday camps organised b y private associations, domestic duties are often undertaken by the participants
themselves, who volunteer in groups for the purpose.
§ 4. — Prices Charged
An international comparison of the prices charged in the
various holiday centres is impossible, largely on account of the
differences in the purchasing power of currencies 1 . Further, it
must be pointed out t h a t the terms offered to guests a t holiday
homes vary widely even within the same country. In some
cases no charge whatever is made and in others the guests
only have to pay a more or less small proportion of the cost of
operation.
As regards completely gratuitous facilities, reference may be
made first of all to two very special cases. I n Great Britain
the Workers' Travel Association has established a special scheme
known as the Nominated Holiday Fund ; this is fed b y contributions of one shilling per person booking with the Association,
the money being used to provide holidays free of cost to persons
who would otherwise be unable to take a holiday. In France,
in 1939, " Travel and Holidays for All " (the popular travel
office of the General Confederation of Labour) introduced a
1
Some data concerning the cost of lodging, -when charged for separately,
may be given as an indication. As regards organisations established by
the workers, in Belgium the cost of renting apartments at the home run
by the employees of the National Local Railways Company is about
3 francs per person per day. I n the Netherlands the charge for a night's
lodging at the holiday homes of the Friends of Nature Society is 40 cents
for members and 60 cents for other persons (lower rates for children).
I n Switzerland the charge per night at the houses of the Federation of
Metal Workers and Watchmakers is 2.50 francs for a room and 1.50 francs
for a bed in a dormitory. I n Yugoslavia, at the chalets of the Friends
of Nature Society, a bed costs 3 dinars for members and 5 dinars for
non-members.
As regards facilities provided by employers, it should be noted that
in Switzerland the charge at the holiday homes organised by one factory
vary from 1 to 1.50 francs.
As regards facilities provided by private associations, the charge for
lodging at the youth hostels is always low. In Belgium it is from 3 to
6 francs, in France 4 francs, in Germany 20 pfennig (1935), in Great Britain
1 shilling, in Luxemburg 4 francs and in the United States 25 cents (or
35 cents in winter when the buildings must be heated). In Switzerland
the charge made at the Friends of Nature homes are as a rule 40 or 50
centimes for the day and 80 centimes or 1 franc for the night.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

" holiday refund " scheme, under which the cost of the holiday
is refunded to one person (chosen by lot) out of each ten
participants in the scheme.
Provision is made for completely free holidays under certain
schemes. I n France the holiday camps organised by the National
Railway Company are free of charge. In the Netherlands some
employers provide full board and lodging free. I n Bulgaria the
. residence of young men and women a t the Y. M. C. A. and
Y. W. C. A. centres is sometimes paid for by their local authorities
or other institutions. I n Switzerland a free stay a t a holiday
centre is allowed by the Swiss Union of Co-operative Societies
to the most faithful members of the society.
There are various ways of charging p a r t of the cost only.
In Argentina the charge for 12 to 13 days' lodging a t the holiday
centres of the Pacific Railway Company is 5 pesos, excluding
food. In Bulgaria, a t the health-resort centres of the organisation
of workers and salaried employees in the State printing works,
the rooms are free. In Sweden, in the camps organised by social
settlements, a large proportion of the cost is borne by the settlement and sometimes by the Swedish Tourist Association. I n the
United States, a t a camp operated jointly by three New York
banks for their staffs, the amount collected from employees is
approximately one-third of the actual cost. In the U. S. S. M.
a stay in a rest home was completely free of charge until 1936,
but now guests must pay a charge equivalent to 20 per cent.
of the cost.
§ 5. — Seasons at which Holiday Homes are Open
Holiday homes cannot succeed in meeting their overhead
charges unless they can be sure of filling a certain number of beds.
The period during which the homes remain open therefore depends
largely on the date at which holidays are taken — i. e. on the
date of annual leave with pay. As a result of the steady growth
of the movement to spread holidays over a larger p a r t of the
year, there is now a tendency to open the holiday homes for
longer periods. Attempts are also being made to attract guests
outside the main season by offering particularly attractive terms 1.
1
I n France, for instance, the journalists' rest home, which is open
throughout the year, allows reduced terms and makes special arrangements
outside the main season. I n Great Britain, at the permanent centres
of the Workers' Travel Association, which are open throughout the year,
the weekly rates vary between 42s. and 50s. in the off-season, as against
52s. 6d. and 72s. Qd. during the most popular weeks.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

D U R I N G THE SUMMER

Hitherto holiday homes have as a rule been open during the
summer months only.
In Argentina most of the workers' holiday centres are only
open during the summer (from December to March), though one
is open from October to March. In Belgium the holiday homes
are only open during the summer, but an attempt is now being
made to spread holidays over as long a period as possible and
certain tourist associations are trying to popularise the idea of
holidays in June, July and September as well as in August. In
Bulgaria most holiday homes are open during the summer only.
In Sweden the holiday homes are open in June, July and August.
In Switzerland some holiday homes are closed in the winter. In
the United States the vacation centres of the Ladies' Garment
Workers' Union and the camp of the Industrial Mutual Association
are open only during the summer. In Yugoslavia the holiday
centres are used above all during the summer (June to September).
As regards homes run by employers, in Sweden the holiday
home of the Osearía Shoe Factory is open annually during the
three summer months. In the United States several of these
camps are held in the summer only.

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Some holiday homes, however, remain open throughout the
year.
This applies to some of those established by the workers.
In Argentina one of the salaried employees' holiday homes is
open throughout the year. In France the journalists' rest home
is also open throughout the year, reduced rates being allowed
in the off-season. In Great Britain the permanent centres of
the Workers' Travel Association are open all the year round,
whereas the temporary centres — many of which are situated
on the continent of Europe — are open only during the season
of heavy traffic. In the Netherlands and Poland some of the
homes established by the workers, and in Switzerland most of the
homes belonging to the trade unions, are open throughout the
year. In Yugoslavia the chalets are also open all the year round
— in summer for ordinary holiday-makers and in winter for winter
sports.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

As regards employers' organisations, it should be noted that
in Great Britain one company owns a house in the country, about
twelve miles from its factory, which is open for week-ends all
the year round and may be used for visits of a week in the summer.
In the Netherlands a number of large undertakings have their
own holiday homes either for all the members of their staff or
for salaried employees and their, families only ; these are open
either for week-ends or for stays of about a week in the summer.
As a rule organisations such as the youth hostels and the
Friends of Nature societies keep their centres open as long as
they are used. Sometimes the centres are closed between the
summer holiday season and the winter sports season.
DURING' T H E W I N T E R

Lastly, it may be pointed out that some holiday centres
particularly specify that they open in the winter. In Bulgaria
several organisations established by the workers have mountain
chalets for the winter. In Yugoslavia the chalets are open
for winter sports. The holiday home owned by a Swiss factory
is open for two or three months in the winter. Many youth
hostels and shelters or chalets of the Friends of Nature societies
in winter sports localities also remain open.

§ 6. — Facilities for Recreation
The question of the provision of facilities for recreation for
workers on holiday is receiving much attention in countries where
holiday homes are already a widespread institution. Two tendencies
\ may be observed : on the one hand, there is the attempt to draw
; up programmes of recreation which will save the workers on holiday
. from having to look for amusements themselves (for it is found
i that, since they are unaccustomed to prolonged leisure, time
\ may hang heavy on their hands) ; on the other hand, it is desired
I to leave the holiday-makers entirely free to choose between the
¿ available forms of recreation.
RECREATION PROGRAMMES LAID DOWN IN ADVANCE

Many organisations draw up real programmes of recreation
for the persons who have booked at their holiday homes or centres.
5

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

Action by Workers
In the United States, at Unity House (the camp of the Ladies'
Garment Workers' Union) the programme of recreation includes
lectures, weekly plays and cinemas, concerts by symphony and
dance orchestras, and performances by singing and ballet stars ;
further, daily lectures are given by leaders in the labour movement,
journalism, education and public affairs.
Action by Employers
In France the holiday homes established for young persons
by the National Railway Company have a carefully studied programme, comprising rest periods, sun-bathing, singing and
rambling.
Action by Associations
In Bulgaria the holiday homes established by the Co-operative
Union usually have a recreation programme for their guests.
In France, at a typical camp of the Christian Young Workers'
Society, the use of each day is exactly determined in advance :
in the morning the visitors stay in the chalet occupied with various
tasks ; the afternoon is spent in tramping ; every Saturday
there is swimming ; one day a week there is a longer excursion
into thè mountains ; and the evenings are spent in singing and
discussion. In Poland most of the holiday homes have recreation
programmes of a varied character ; they organise walks and
excursions, sports and physical training, swimming, climbing, etc.,
according to local conditions ; a large number of these homes
have their own libraries and also organise choral and dramatic
groups, which are often joined by outsiders, neighbours and members of other organisations ; camp-fire meetings are also held.
In Sweden the holiday centres strive to keep a wise balance between mental and physical recreation ; for instance, the holiday
home run by " Birkagârden " has a twofold objective — to
provide entertainment and to stimulate mind and spirit ; the
time spent on theoretical instruction is not great, a large part
of the day being spent in outdoor exercise, swimming, walks,
excursions and singing.
Official Action
In Belgium the National Office for Workers' Holidays is
specially interested in arranging recreation for workers on holiday ;

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

the Office has issued guiding lines for intellectual and artistic
recreation in holiday homes, youth hostels, etc. I t has also
issued a booklet for use in the common-rooms of holiday homes ;
this has French and Flemish sections, each of which contains
a list of books recommended for libraries and of gramophone
records for the amusement and instruction of the guests ; concerts
of gramophone records are organised on the basis of these lists.
Special facilities have also been obtained for workers on holiday,
under which, for instance, large reductions are allowed in the
charges for admission to museums and places of interest.
I n the United States the attitude of the National Park Service
with regard to the problem of providing recreation for users of
the National Parks is worth noting. The difficulty lies in providing entertainment sufficiently in tune with the tastes of the public
but a t the same time not detracting from the natural simplicity
which it is the purpose of the Parks to preserve. I t is thought,
for instance, t h a t audiences a t camp-fire entertainments should
not exceed 500 persons and t h a t there should be no permanent
stages or sounding boards ; radios which may annoy others are
not permitted ; dancing is not encouraged, and is allowed only
from 9 until 11 p . m. ; there are no commercial moving pictures ;
the band concerts sometimes provided on holidays are being
discontinued ; tennis courts, golf courses and artificial swimming
pools have not been constructed. The whole emphasis is t h a t
the Parks should not duplicate the attractions of other resorts
but should stand for something simple and distinct in the national
life.
I n Poland recreation programmes are drawn up either by
the organisation planning the holiday or — in the camps of
State undertakings — by committees of workers. I n the
U. S. S. R. all rest homes have carefully planned recreation programmes, and physical culture, sports, entertainments and lectures
are systematically organised.

F R E E CHOICE OF RECREATION

Even where such programmes are carefully
advance, the guests are nearly always free to take
in the various activities arranged a t the holiday
other cases, no recreation programmes are drawn up.
as far as is known, the holiday homes have no fixed
of an intellectual or artistic character. I n Switzerland

prepared in
p a r t or not
centres. I n
I n Sweden,
programmes
the lectures

FACILITIES FOE WORKERS' LEISURE

and sports are not as a rule organised according to a preconceived
plan, but take account in each case of the interests and desires
of the guests.
I n general, the youth hostels do not organise recreation for
visitors. The hostels are based on an ideal of simplicity and
the evenings are therefore usually given over to singing and
discussion.
VARIOUS FORMS OF RECREATION

Lectures and

Meetings

Lectures and meetings are arranged by the great majority
of holiday institutions.
I n Bulgaria the programme of the health resorts set up by
the workers and salaried employees of the State printing works
includes lectures. In the Netherlands the workers' holiday
centres often arrange intellectual and artistic entertainments,
including lectures. In Poland regular courses of lectures are
arranged for visitors coming with a specifically educational object
and special talks are also given as part of the health propaganda.
I n Switzerland the holiday homes arrange lectures in accordance
with the desires of the visitors.
I n the youth hostels, camp-fire and other meetings are
generally arranged. The same applies in the camps and chalets
of the Christian Young Workers' Societies, where the evenings
are spent in discussion.
I n Belgium lectures and health classes are given a t the travellers' rests, and this association also takes part in the health
propaganda work of the Red Cross.
I n Poland most of the holiday homes arrange camp-fire meetings.
Singing,

Music and

Dancing

These forms of recreation may be found in a large number
of holiday centres. In Argentina all the holiday homes arrange
dances and concerts in the evenings. I n the Netherlands the
holiday homes organise folk-lore performances. I n the United
States the programme of the holiday camp of the Ladies' Garment
Workers' Union includes symphony concerts and dance music.
I n France singing is one of the recreations arranged in the
young persons' holiday homes belonging to the National Railway
Company. I n many youth hostels singing and choirs are spreading.
The youth hostel associations in a number of countries, for instance

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

Belgium, France and the United States, issue collections of songs
in order to encourage community singing. The same applies
to the holiday homes of the Christian young workers' societies.
I n Poland the visitors form choral groups in many of the homes
established by private associations.
Dramatics
Theatricals are organised in some of the holiday centres, for
instance, t h a t of the Ladies' Garment Workers' Union in the
United States. The same applies in Poland to the holiday homes
established by workers and private associations, where amateur
dramatic groups are always formed.
Beading
I n most holiday homes books are placed a t the disposal of
visitors. Sometimes genuine libraries are formed in order to help
visitors to pass their spare time. This is so in Great Britain,
for example, where the Workers' Travel Association arranges
social rooms and libraries. I n France the National Railway
Company's holiday homes for young persons have libraries in
their common-rooms.
As regards private associations, it is reported t h a t in Luxemburg the youth hostels form libraries for purposes of recreation.
I n Bulgaria there are libraries in the holiday homes of the
Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.
Many of the institutions established by public authorities
also t r y to satisfy the demand for literature. I n Belgium, as
already stated, the National Office for Workers' Hobdays issues
a manual for the common-rooms of holiday homes, containing
a list of books recommended for libraries. I n Poland the holiday
homes established by State undertakings usually have libraries.
Classes, etc.
Regular classes are seldom given a t holiday centres, b u t
sometimes trade union and other associations organise educational
weeks or fortnights which are held a t the centres.
I n France some workers take advantage of their holidays to
attend courses for one or two weeks. I n Great Britain the Workers'
Travel Association frequently organises trips for workers' education societies inside the country and abroad. I n Poland, a t
the holiday homes established by the Union of Consumers' Co-

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

operative Societies, the visitors are given 30 hours' instruction
on the principles of the co-operative movement during a fortnight's stay ; further, the holiday homes of the Trade Union
Federation a t Katowice give lectures on labour legislation. I n
Sweden the people's colleges arrange summer courses for workers
on holiday. The Swedish workers show a keen interest in study
and many of them use their holidays to improve their education
by attending the summer courses organised by the people's
colleges ; sometimes they go to the other Scandinavian countries
to attend courses. The workers' organisations allot a number
of scholarships to their members to enable them to attend classes
a t the College of the Confederation of Trade Unions a t Brunnsvik.
I n Switzerland the workers may attend the many courses arranged
by the workers' education centre ; it is stated, however, t h a t
these courses cannot be considered as a form of recreation, since
they require a great effort from those who take part.
In the United States general educational courses and instruction
in arts and crafts are given a t some of the camps run by employers.
I n Sweden the Association for welfare work in industrial and
commercial undertakings aims a t encouraging the workers to
complete their education, and with the aid of privately contributed funds it grants scholarships of a total value of 1,000 crowns
a year to workers recommended by the chief of the social service
of their undertaking. The holders of these scholarships spend a
short time a t a people's college taking courses not subsidised by
the State.
Physical

Training

This is a widespread form of recreation. I t is specially mentioned for Argentina, Bulgaria (workers' organisations), Poland
(holiday homes established by private associations), Sweden
and the U. S. S. R.
Excursions
Excursions, whether visits to places of interest or simply
country walks with or without a guide, are organised a t most
holiday homes. I n Sweden " Reso " takes account in its programmes of the workers' desire to improve their education and
therefore arranges excursions with a guide to places of historical
interest. I n the United States it is reported t h a t saddle-horses
are for hire a t the camp of the Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

I n France, in order to encourage the organisation of recreation
for persons using hostels, the Secular Youth Hostels Centre has
issued guide-books giving information concerning the neighbourhood, and also publishes a monthly review containing information of value to tourists ; in various parts the young persons
visiting the hostels have formed clubs of " youth hostellers "
with a view to organising group excursions on specified days.
Young persons visiting one of the mountain camps of the French
Christian Young Workers' Society go mountain climbing once
a week. I n Poland most of the holiday homes established by
private associations organise excursions and walks.
Games and

Sports

Games and sports form p a r t of all recreation programmes.
I t may be noted in particular t h a t a t the holiday camp of the
Ladies' Garment Workers' Union in the United States the visitors
have courts for tennis and other games. I n Great Britain the permanent centres of the Workers' Travel Association provide social
rooms with facilities for playing chess, draughts, dominoes, cards
and ping-pong ; some of the centres also have playing fields for
tennis, cricket and croquet, swimming pools and access to golf
courses.
I n France the Havre Holiday and Recreation Committee
provides tennis courts and football grounds for young persons
staying a t its holiday home and there are also rooms for indoor
games. I n the United States some of the camps run by employers
have special services including instruction in sports.
Youth hostels do not as a rule make special arrangements
for sports and games. Nevertheless in Luxemburg efforts are
made to arrange recreation for the young visitors by means of
sports grounds and equipment. I n Bulgaria the holiday homes
of the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. have numerous bathing pools.
I n Poland most of the holiday centres arrange games, as well
as climbing, swimming, etc., according to the surroundings.
SPECIAL E Q U I P M E N T FOR RECREATION

Complete equipment is seldom provided for the recreation
of workers staying a t holiday centres. I t has already been stated
t h a t in the United States the holiday camp of the Ladies' Garment
Workers' Union has swimming and bathing facilities, tennis
courts and arrangements for other games, as well as saddle-horses

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

for hire. In Great Britain the permanent centres of the Workers'
Travel Association sometimes have extensive equipment.
Reference may also be made to the project of the Belgian National
Office for Workers' Holidays to establish a holiday centre with
a large hall equipped for theatrical and cinema performances,
a library, etc. ; this centre will in general be arranged like a
garden city, with provision for green spaces.

§ 7. — Health Services at Holiday Homes
Holiday homes are, as a rule, organised to provide board
and lodging during holidays, though sometimes they may be
used as rest homes or convalescent homes. In some countries
it has been found necessary or desirable to institute a system
of medical supervision, which may include two entirely different
things : (a) medical examination before the workers' departure
on holiday ; and (b) sanitary inspection of accommodation and
supplies of food and drinking water at the premises where the
workers stay, together with medical examination during the
holiday.
Medical examinations are as a rule carried out by doctors
chosen and appointed by the workers' or employers' organisations
or official or private bodies. The sanitary inspection of the centres
is usually done under " sanitary regulations " enforced by the
local health authorities — either a municipal sanitary board or
health inspectors or a combination of these two systems. Sometimes the holiday associations distribute panels, to be affixed
to the houses of proprietors who decide to submit to the sanitary
regulations established by the association and satisfy the conditions
laid down in these regulations.
PREVIOUS MEDICAL EXAMINATION

The main object of a previous medical examination is to reduce,
as far as possible, the danger of infection in the centre where the
workers and their families are to stay.
Medical Examination Recommended
A medical examination may be definitely recommended.
Thus, in Poland, for the holiday travel organised by the Lodz
Workers' Holiday Association, the Workers' Education and
Cultural Institute and other bodies, persons desiring to travel

BEPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

are examined free of charge by social insurance fund doctors ;
similarly the Central Council of Jewish Trade Unions arranges
for the medical examination of members a t a very low charge
before their departure on holiday. I n Switzerland it is provided
t h a t " sick and convalescent persons and persons suffering from
contagious diseases " shall not be admitted to some of the homes
run by the trade unions.
Compulsory Medical

Certificate

I n some cases it must be shown, by submission of a medical
certificate, t h a t a medical examination has been undergone. This
obligation is reported by various bodies.
I n Argentina the only holiday centre which requires a medical
certificate is the Federation of Catholic Salaried Employees'
Associations. I n Bulgaria the Labour and Social Insurance
Department has established eight centres where workers needing
to recuperate are sent after a medical examination. I n Poland
a number of organisations require medical certificates and some
of them even a medical examination as well, for example, the
private organisations connected with the workers' movement,
such as the Union of Workers' Sports Associations. Persons
suffering from social diseases are as a rule not admitted to the
centres. I n Yugoslavia
some organisations require medical
certificates from their members before directing them to holiday
homes.
No Medical

Examination

Sometimes no medical examination is required or recommended.
I t has been said above t h a t in certain countries only some of
the organisations require medical certificates — a statement
which indicates t h a t others, perhaps the majority, make no such
requirement. I n a few cases, the organisations state t h a t a
medical examination is not compulsory.
I n Great Britain medical examination is not required a t the
centres of the Workers' Travel Association and it is felt t h a t
any attempt a t enforced supervision would be resented.

SANITARY INSPECTION AND MEDICAL SUPERVISION
DURING THE STAY

The few data available show t h a t such inspection and supervision may be more or less strict.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

In some cases they hardly exist. In Switzerland, for instance,
there is apparently no medical supervision at the holiday centres
and medical notes are not made of the state of health of visitors ;
further, no inspection of holiday homes and chalets is made,
since it would be regarded as useless. In Yugoslavia there is no
medical or sanitary supervision at the holiday camps of the
Workers' Education Centre.
In the countries where there is sanitary supervision and a
medical service, there may be wide differences between the measures
taken. In some cases they are restricted to inspection by the
authorities of sanitary installations and the water supply ;
elsewhere there may be a complete medical and sanitary service,
provided by a special staff or through collaboration with the
public authorities.
In Argentina the only holiday centre which has a medical
service is that of the Union of Municipal Workers ; this organisation will provide a guest with medical care throughout his
stay for the sum of one peso ; there is sanitary inspection
throughout the camp. In Belgium the authorities grant subsidies
only to those holiday organisations which keep their centres
in a perfectly sanitary condition. In Bulgaria all members
of the Union of Salaried Employees may receive free medical
care in the rest homes belonging to the Union ; the Civil Servant's
Co-operative Insurance and Savings Society often provides medical
care at its holiday homes ; the same applies to the holiday homes
of the Co-operative Women's League. In Hungary sanitary
inspection is performed by the local holiday committee, of which
the health inspector is the technical adviser. Certain associations
use the system of panels which are placed on the holiday homes
satisfying the required health conditions. In the Netherlands
it is only stated that food supplies are carefully inspected and
that persons spending the night must use sleeping sacks. In
Poland the rest homes have no permanent medical service of
their own. No systematic examination is therefore made, but
there is often collaboration with the doctor of the nearest social
insurance fund. Medical care is always given in case of sickness.
The persons in charge of the rest homes and the management
of the organisations concerned are responsible for the sanitary
condition of the premises and the food. Sanitary inspection of
all holiday centres is carried out by the competent local and
regional health authorities, which also require appropriate action
to be taken when necessary. The supervision is particularly

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

strict in the case of workers who receive aid from the authorities
in the form of bonuses, subsidies and other facilities. There
is medical and sanitary inspection, either by the regional and
local health authorities or by camp doctors, in all the holiday
camps organised by private associations. In Sweden the holiday
centres are subject to inspection by the local health authorities.
§ 8. — Number ol Persons using Holiday Centres
I n order to give some idea of the importance of the various
holiday facilities for workers in different countries, it is useful
to state approximately the number of persons who take advantage
of these facilities. The data available on the subject are most
incomplete. They have been divided here into two parts : the
first group shows, wherever this is possible, the number of beds
available, thus giving an idea of the size of the holiday centre ;
the second group contains data concerning the total number of
persons who visit the holiday centres during a season.
N U M B E R OF B E D S

In Belgium the 48 travellers' rests have a total of 1,342 beds
(from 10 to 75 each) ; the 15 hostels of the Friends of Nature
Society have 521 beds (from 12 to 52 each) ; the 7 homes of the
Christian Workers' Movement have 670 beds (from 50 to 200
each) ; the holiday homes and shelters of the Christian Young
Workers' Society, about 10 in number, have 365 beds (from 15
to 75 each) ; the 13 Socialist homes have 1,924 beds (from 24
to 400 each) ; the two holiday homes of the Y. W. C. A. have
114 beds ; and the holiday home a t Wégimont has 160 beds.
In (heat Britain three of the permanent holiday centres of
the Workers' Travel Association can house 79, 120, and 150
persons respectively. In the Netherlands the holiday centres of
the Friends of Nature Society have a total of 472 beds and can
accommodate about 100 additional persons on mattresses or
straw. In Switzerland the three holiday homes of the Railwaymen's Union have 260 beds, and the seven homes belonging to
the Workers' Sports Association can house 300 persons. I n the
United States the camp of the Industrial Mutual Association
has 57 rooms.
As regards the youth hostels, the position in Switzerland may
be quoted as an instance. In t h a t country there are 208 hostels
with room for 7,450 persons.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

I n Germany " Kraft durch Freude " has planned the construction of hotels with 2,000 beds. I n the U. S. S. R. the 600 or so
rest homes belonging to the trade unions had a total of 105,000
beds in 1937.
N U M B E R OF VISITORS

Workers'

Organisations

I n Argentina the available figures show t h a t a total of 2,930
persons passed 38,250 d a y s . a t the holiday centres established
by the workers' organisations ; it seems t h a t 90-100 per cent.
of the applications for admission are satisfied. In Bulgaria about
100 persons a year use the health centre maintained b y the workers
and salaried employees of the State printing works, and about
2,000 visit the holiday homes of the Union of Salaried Employees.
I n Great Britain, during the year ending 31 October 1937, 5,134
persons used the permanent centres of the Workers' Travel
Association and 3,460 persons stayed a t its temporary centres.
I n the Netherlands the number of nights spent a t the houses and
camps of the Friends of Nature Society in 1936 was 60,000.
I n Switzerland the homes of the Railwaymen's Union and the
Metal Workers' Union provided respectively 38,808 and 6,971
nights' lodging in 1936 ; a t the height of the season, the holiday
homes are not able to satisfy all the applications for admittance.
I n Yugoslavia about 10,000 persons per year use the holiday
homes of the teachers' associations ; 5,000 use those of the Friends
of Nature Society and 2,000 those of the Workers' Education
Centre.
Employers'
Organisations
In Switzerland 2,500 nights' lodging are provided annually a t
the home run b y a large firm for its office employees. I n the
case of another firm, the number of days spent by the workers
a t the home was 2,700.
Private

Associations

The youth hostels house a considerable number of young
travellers. I n Belgium the nights spent a t youth hostels numbered
about 75,000 in 1937 ; and in Switzerland, in 1938, it was 104,909.
The number of nights spent a t youth hostels in Germany in 1938
was 8,720,000.
I n Belgium about 10,000 nights were spent a t the holiday
centres of the Friends of Nature Society in 1937. I n Bulgaria

REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. holiday centres accommodate
about 360 persons every year ; between 100 and 120 persons '
are housed annually a t the holiday centres of the Co-operative
Women's League. I n France the holiday camps of the Christian
Young Workers' Society housed about 1,200 persons in 1936-37.
I n Poland the Union of Young Workers provided 206 persons
with accommodation a t its holiday homes, for 5,237 days in
all, during 1937 ; the Catholic youth organisations provided
8,872 girls and 8,611 boys with accommodation for a total of
126,659 and 122,313 days respectively a t their holiday centres
in 1937. I t is considered, on the whole, t h a t not more than
30-60 per cent, of applications can be satisfied a t the young
people's centres ; a t the adults' holiday centres the proportion
is still lower. The only available figures for Sweden concern
the work of the Student Christian Movement ; the number of
persons attending the various holiday centres varies from 50 to
200 a year. I n Switzerland some of the huts of the Friends of
Nature Society receive as many as 6,000 visitors a year, whereas
others receive only 500 ; the total number of persons visiting
these huts is about 80,000 a year.
Public

Institutions

I n Bulgaria the number of workers, male and female, received
a t the convalescent homes increased from 1,200 in 1929 to 2,249
in 1937 ; these homes are able to satisfy about 60 per cent, of
the applications. I n Hungary 4,022 young persons were accommodated a t the holiday homes established by the social insurance
institutions in 1936, the total number of days spent being 62,180.
In Poland 4,200 non-manual workers, with their families, stayed
a t the rest homes of the City of Warsaw for a total of 6,000 days ;
2,860 persons stayed for a total of 53,233 days a t the holiday
camps and centres of the Maritime and Colonial League ; and
600 persons used the camps of the League for the Promotion
of Tourist Travel.
I n the U. S. S. E. 1,800,000 persons stayed during 1938 a t
the rest homes under the Social Insurance Department of the
Central Trade Union Council.

PART II
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE
ON RECREATION

At its first session, held in London on 21 and 22 October 1938,
the Committee on Recreation 1 established by the Governing Body
of the International Labour Office unanimously adopted the
following resolution :
1
Mr. Justin GODABT took the Chair at this session ; during part of
the last sitting he was replaced by Mr. Louis Pierard. The following
attended the meeting :
I.
Representatives of the Governing Body, composing the Executive
Committee :
Government group : Mr. Justin GODABT (France),

Mr. Li P I N G - H E N G (China),

Employers' group :

Mr. WALINE, replacing Mr. LAMBEBT-RIBOT
(France),
Mr. TZAUT (Switzerland),
Mr. LECOCQ (Belgium),

Workers' group :

Mr. KBEKITCH (Yugoslavia),
Mr. SCHÜBCH (Switzerland).

II.
III.

Representative of the Secretariat of the League of Nations :
Dr. HAZEMANN, member of the Health Section.
Experts invited :
Mr. BOUXOM, Secretary, Christian Workers' Youth Society
(France),
Mr. CATCHPOOL, Secretary, British Youth Hostels Association
(Great Britain),
Mr. ELVTN, General Secretary, British Workers' Sports Association (Great Britain),
Mr. H Y D E , Director, Industrial Welfare Society (Great Britain),
Mrs. IVANOWA, Co-operative Women's League (Bulgaria),
Mr. JANNE, Director, National Office for Workers' Holidays
(Belgium),
Mr. KUNTSCHEN, Secretary, Central Union of Employers' Associations (Switzerland),
Mr. LEFBANC, Secretary, Higher Institute of Labour (France),
Mrs. MXEDÍINSKA, Factory Inspector, President of the Workers'
Spare Time Commission (Poland),
Mr. OHLSON, Director, People's Travel Association (Sweden),
Mr. PIEBABD, President, Central Board of Popular Education
(Belgium),
Miss Hilda SMITH, Works Progress Administration (U. S. A.),
Miss van der W E B F F , Deputy Secretary, Netherlands Employers'
Federation (Netherlands),
Mr. WIMBLE, General Secretary, Workers' Travel Association
(Great Britain).

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISTTRE

FACILITIES
FOR WORKERS' HOLIDAYS
THEIR HOLIDAYS WITH PAY

DURING

The Committee... requests the Governing Body to authorise
the Director of the International Labour Office to arrange without
delay for wide publicity to be given to the report now before
the Committee and to the following considerations and suggestions
concerning the need for combined action to facilitate the use
of paid holidays, the principles which should govern such action,
and possible solutions for the more important problems connected
with the wise use of holidays with pay.
I. — NEED FOR COMBINED ACTION
Holidays with pay, whether prescribed by legislation, specified
by collective agreement, awarded by arbitration or based on
custom, are spreading rapidly in many countries and the number
of groups affected is steadily increasing.
The development of holidays with pay raises the problem
of the use of their holidays by large numbers of workers with
low incomes. Existing holiday facilities were introduced chiefly
to meet the needs of those sections of the population whose means
are more substantial. The question must therefore be considered
whether such facilities are now sufficient and whether they satisfy
the special needs of the new type of user.
In order to meet these new needs, experiments and innovations
have been made in many countries, and national experience in
this field should therefore be compared.
There can be no doubt that combined action is required on
behalf of the large groups which have newly become entitled to
holidays with pay. To work out the general principles which
should govern this combined action and to indicate the methods
it should adopt for the solution of the problems connected with
a wise use of such holidays is therefore an important task.
II. — GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR COMBINED ACTION
The object of combined action in this field should be : (1) to
adapt existing facilities for travel and holidays to the special
needs created by the extension of paid holidays ; (2) to make
available to workers entitled to paid holidays, and their families,

BESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

the information, the advice and the organisations and services
which they may need to p u t these holidays to the best possible
use.
Such combined action should respect individual liberty and
leave each person free to use his holiday in conformity with his
own preferences, tastes and aspirations, and according to his
own particular position.

/ / / . — PROBLEMS CONNECTED W I T H T H E WISE USE
OF HOLIDAYS
§ 1. — Co-ordinatioH of Facilities
Steps have been taken by public authorities, or incorporated
associations and institutions, workers' organisations, employers'
organisations and individual employers, private tourist and sports
associations, etc., with a view to establishing and developing
services, institutions and organisations of various sorts, designed
to facilitate the use of holidays with pay by the workers who
receive them.
f These measures, many of which are intended to meet the
needs of limited groups, by no means always take account of
experience obtained from similar action. This lack of co-ordination has led to much useless duplication and sometimes even
to partial or complete failure.
I t is advisable to provide for co-ordination between the various
bodies established to help the workers to make the best use of
their paid holidays.
Such co-ordination might be effected, for instance, by the
establishment of special bodies ; for instance, committees including
representatives of the authorities, of workers' and employers'
organisations, private associations, transport undertakings, the
hotel industry, etc.
Such bodies should have, so far as possible, permanent
secretariats. / /
§ 2. — Supply of Information o n Holiday Facilities
The beneficiaries of holidays with pay should be supplied
with information t h a t is adapted to their needs and means, so
as to enable them to make the best use of their holidays.
e

FACILITIES FOB WOBKEES' LEISUBE

Such information may be supplied by organisations of various
kinds :
(a) general holiday organisations, associations not working
for profit, workers' education associations, workers' sport
associations, workers' tourist travel agencies, and personnel administration departments in large undertakings,
which should extend the scope of their activities to cover
the large masses of workers now receiving holidays with
pay. I t is desirable t h a t public authorities should
encourage such action by subsidies or otherwise ;
(b)

commercial tourist services (tourist travel agencies,
transport undertakings, etc.) which cater more especially
for comparatively well-to-do customers ; such services
should make a special effort to a d a p t themselves to the
particular needs and limited resources of their new
customers receiving holidays with pay. In some countries
such bodies are already subject to some' form of supervision by public authorities.

I t is desirable t h a t national co-ordinating bodies should
compile objective tourist travel information and keep it a t the
disposal of the bodies mentioned above.
All these information bodies should adopt methods of pubHcity
calculated :
(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)
(e)

to make their information offices accessible to workers
by fixing suitable hours of business and locating the
offices with this end in view ;
to secure publicity in the trade union press (trade union
bulletins, etc.) ;
to utilise -the facilities for publicity afforded in the place
of work, for example, works magazines and factory notice
boards ;
to ensure t h a t tourist pamphlets should be easily understood by customers with an elementary education ;
to ensure t h a t the beneficiaries of holidays with pay
shall be directly approached by means of lectures, cinema
displays, broadcast talks, people's travel exhibitions, etc.,
organised in industrial centres.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

§ 3. — Choice of Place for the Holiday
VALUE OF ADVICE

Even if the workers have the information necessary to make
a free choice among the different ways of passing their holiday,
lack of experience may lead them to leave certain circumstances
out of account.
I t is desirable t h a t advice should be supplied by persons
approved by the associations or institutions which arrange for
holidays, so t h a t the workers may profit to the greatest possible
extent by their period of rest.
Workers planning holidays might be encouraged to choose
resorts which are less frequented.

ADVANTAGES OF A CHANGE

Workers often hesitate, sometimes for reasons of economy,
to leave their homes for several days. The advice referred to
above should take account of this tendency.
I t is desirable t h a t workers inhabiting big towns should be
urged not to spend their holidays a t home but to choose a place
in the country or to travel or go on short trips, even if only
day-trips.
I t is desirable to increase, in the neighbourhood of towns and
industrial centres, - the number of sports grounds and recreation
centres where workers who cannot travel during their holidays
may have available healthy amusement.

MEDICAL INFORMATION

The growth of the practice of taking holidays among all classes
of the population has emphasised the fact t h a t those who desire
to leave their homes for a holiday after a year's work may not
realise the fatigue involved by too long a journey, or by living
in climatic conditions the effects of which are unfamiliar to them.
I n order t h a t those concerned may be able to make a choice on
the basis of full information, it may be advisable to draw attention
to this point when giving information on the use of holidays.

FACILITIES POR WORKERS' LEISURE

§ 4. — Organisation of Travel
U S E OP P U B L I C TRANSPORT FACILITIES

There is an increasing tendency among workers to use their
paid holidays for travel inside the country or abroad, and they
look for economical means of making such trips.
As the holiday organisations have not as a rule their own
means of transport, they have to arrange for their members to
use the public transport undertakings. Workers on paid holidays
thus form a new and additional type of customer for these
undertakings.
Transport undertakings should be recommended to develop
the practice of granting special low rates for individual and group
and family travel to workers on holiday so t h a t they may be
encouraged to use the services of the undertakings.
Group travel enables the transport undertakings to use their
rolling stock fully and to prevent overcrowding a t peak periods,
and thus places them in a position to grant reductions.
Collaboration with organisations and travel agencies should be
provided for with a view to arranging these group trips.
Transport undertakings should be recommended to grant
special advantages to organisations acting as intermediaries
between the transport undertakings and workers on paid holiday
and so help to extend group travel.
F O R E I G N TRAVEL

Trips abroad are particularly attractive but are often too
expensive, particularly if specially low rates are not granted.
This difficulty may be felt all the more by workers on holiday
who benefit from reductions in their own country.
I t is desirable for international (bilateral) agreements to be
arranged by the national co-ordinating bodies, with the collaboration of the transport undertakings, so as to extend to workers
on paid holiday coming from abroad the advantages accorded
to workers nationals of the home country.
Arrangements should be encouraged for individual and group
exchanges of workers on holiday, and also for systems of exchange
trains such as exist between certain countries.
I t is desirable t h a t qualified international organisations such
as already exist should continue and develop the promotion of
foreign travel b y musical and sport associations, etc., especially
by arranging for their welcome in other countries.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

§ 5. — Holiday Accommodation
P R I C E S AND P E R I O D OF OPERATION

Workers on holiday desire to live economically, either in
holiday establishments catering especially for them or in hotels,
etc., charging low rates. In order to obtain a large circle of
guests, both the special holiday organisations and the hotels and
boarding houses must attempt to reduce their costs.
A reduction in the cost of providing board in holiday establishments should be sought preferably by distributing overhead
costs over a longer operating period.
I t is desirable t h a t action should be taken to extend the
season during which holidays are in fact taken, account being
taken of the needs of different industries and different countries,
by facilitating by all appropriate means the more complete
utilisation of holiday periods, in particular by spreading paid
holidays or school vacations over a longer period of the year, and
by increasing the advantages given to holiday-makers and tourists
during the slack season.
I t is desirable t h a t special facilities should be granted to
groups and family parties.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR YOUNG P E R S O N S

Recent experience shows t h a t young workers very much like,
for reasons either of economy or of amusement, to pass their
holidays in youth hostels, holiday camps, etc.
I t is desirable t h a t separate holiday establishments for young
persons should be developed.
§ 6. — Recreation during Paid Holidays
Whether or not they leave home, workers on paid holidays
should be able to use their long hours of leisure in developing
their physical, intellectual and other capacities according to
their tastes, through activity of their own choice. There is a
particular problem in the case of urban workers who leave the
town for their holiday and cannot have the recreation to which
they are accustomed. Holiday organisations attempt, so far as
their resources allow, to help the workers to find healthy forms
of recreation.

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS ' LEISURE

It is desirable that measures should be taken so that holiday
organisations and establishments can more easily :
(a) provide workers on holiday with properly equipped
indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, including sports
grounds, fields for games and other arrangements for
open-air sport, swimming pools and beaches, gymnasiums,
etc. ;
(b) make educational and recreational arrangements for
amateur or professional theatricals, concerts, singing,
motion pictures, libraries, lectures on the neighbourhood
or for other informal educational activities, related to
the various interests of these groups and arranged at
their request.
It is desirable to provide, in holiday centres, for games leaders,
trainers and recreation organisers, who might, for instance, be
selected from among qualified social workers or unemployed
teachers, who should receive adequate training for the purpose.
§ 7. — Health and Sanitation
PRELIMINARY MEDICAL EXAMINATION

In some countries it has been considered advisable, with a
view to keeping track of contagious diseases and protecting
holiday establishments against them, that persons desiring to
go to such establishments should have a preliminary medical
examination.
It is desirable to draw attention to the benefits which may
accrue to the population as a whole, and particularly the children,
from medical examination, provided if possible free of charge,
before admission to holiday establishments.
CURRENT MEDICAL ATTENTION

Persons on paid holiday away from home may find themselves
in a position, as regards medical attention, less favourable than
that to which they are accustomed (dispensaries, medical insurance
benefit, family doctor, etc.).
Doctors established at holiday centres should be available
for the workers in question, including isolated individuals and
tourists as well as those in holiday homes.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON RECREATION

FOOD AND LODGING

Holidays provide, as a rule, the advantages of life in the
fresh air, but there may be cases in which elementary health
precautions are more difficult to observe than in the towns — for
instance, owing to the lack of sanitation in rural areas or on
certain steamships used for cruises. It is desirable that the
attention of those concerned should be drawn to this matter.
The importance should be kept in view of the action exercised
by health services, particularly during holiday periods, in the
supervision for health purposes of foodstuffs intended for consumption by individuals and groups, and of the conditions relating
to individual and group accommodation (water supply, washing
arrangements, evacuation of sewage and rubbish, sleeping accommodation, etc.).

PART III
DISCUSSION IN THE GOVERNING BODY OF
THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE ON THE
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE
ON RECREATION

At its Eighty-sixth Session, in February 1939, the Governing
Body of the International Labour Office examined the record of
the first session of the Committee on Recreation, held in London
on 21 and 22 October 1938. The minutes of the Governing Body's
discussion on this item of its agenda are reproduced below.
The Deputy Director said that the record of this meeting had
been before the Governing Body at the Eighty-fifth Session.
The Governing Body had adjourned the discussion of the record,
but had decided that it should be communicated to Governments
immediately.
Mr. Leggett1 said that the British Government took a great
interest in this subject, and hoped that the work of the Committee
on Recreation would continue to be fruitful. The record of the
meeting had attracted much attention in Great Britain, where
an unofficial Committee had been set up comprising many
organisations and including representatives of employers and
workers. The discussions of this Committee, as well as the work
of the International Labour Organisation, would no doubt furnish
very useful information on the various aspects of the problem of
recreation, and especially on holidays with pay. This was a
subject on which the International Labour Organisation could
give great assistance by collecting experience in the various
countries.
Mr. Komarnicki2 said that the Polish Government was following
the work of the Committee on Recreation with interest.
1

Britisch Government representative.
' Polish Government representative.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

Mr. Watt1 said that although he approved of many of the
suggestions in the record of the meeting, such as those concerning
general holiday organisations, associations not working for profit,
workers' educational associations, and workers' sport associations,
there were other matters with regard to which the American
workers considered that the Committee had gone too far. This
applied in particular to the recommendations concerning medical
examinations of workers before they went on holiday and
concerning the advice to be given to workers with regard to
, board and lodging. The American workers at any rate felt
quite capable of choosing where they would spend their holidays,
provided that their employers gave them a sufficient income
for the purpose.
The record of the meeting seemed to him to show a regrettable
tendency to set the workers apart from the community as a whole.
If the workers were to be medically examined before they went
on holiday, the same rule should apply to other classes of the
population. He therefore disagreed largely with the Committee's
approach to the problem. Although he would wish to see an
international organisation advising workers on the available
facilities for spending their holidays, full freedom in this respect
should be left to the workers themselves, without the interference
either of employers or of other well-meaning people.
Mr. Justin Godart2 said that he had been one of the representatives of the Governing Body at the meeting of the Committee on
Recreation, and had taken the Chair at some of the meetings.
He had been glad to hear that Governments represented on the
Governing Body had found useful and practical suggestions in
the record of the meeting, and intended to act on them without
delay.
i
He agreed with Mr. Watt that as a general rule it was for
i the workers themselves to arrange for their own recreation. The
( record of the meeting did not in any way suggest that the
^ organisation of recreation should be controlled by the State.
I t simply pointed out that the help of the public authorities
could, without in any way encroaching on the freedom of the
workers, render them great practical services.
The suggestion relating to medical examination had been
specially criticised by Mr. Watt. It should be emphasised that
1

United States Workers' representative.
« French Government representative.

DISCUSSION IN THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE RESOLUTION

the Committee had had particularly in mind holiday homes for
workers which might be used b y a series of workers in succession.
I t had been thought t h a t in such cases a medical examination
was not an interference with individual liberty, but would protect
healthy persons against the danger of possible infection. Moreover,
the question of medical examination was not raised in connection
with the workers alone. The Committee had suggested t h a t
attention should be drawn to the value for the whole population,
and particularly for children, of medical examination before
admission to a holiday home.
I t had also been thought t h a t it would be well to inform the
workers t h a t there were certain persons, more particularly children,
for whose health it would be better not to spend their holidays
in certain places, such as the mountains or the seaside. The
Committee had considered t h a t this recommendation would be
of real service to workers' or other organisations which dealt
with the organisation of recreation.
The Committee had had two questions on its agenda — t h a t
of the means of facilitating the use of the workers' holidays with
pay, and t h a t of holiday camps for young workers. The Committee
had only had time to deal with the first of these questions. I t
had expressed a desire to meet again to deal with the second
question, and he hoped t h a t the Governing Body would decide
to hold another meeting of the Committee in the near future.
Mr. Leggett considered t h a t it would be unfortunate if the
expression of views on the workers' side concerning the Committee's discussions were confined to Mr. W a t t ' s statement,
which did not in his view convey a correct impression of the
spirit in which the Committee on Recreation had approached
the subject. The question of holidays with pay for workers
had been raised largely a t the instance of the Workers' group,
with the hearty support of other groups ; and it had been considered
necessary to take measures to assist not merely the workers, b u t
large sections of the population, in countries where holidays with
p a y had only recently been introduced. This had not been done in
any patronising spirit. The distinctive feature of the activities of
the Organisation was t h a t it was tripartite and dealt with equals
and not with one class as subordinate to another. I t would be
most regrettable if the activities of the Office in the field of recreation were p u t forward as an example of class discrimination.
He hoped t h a t the Office would continue the study of the
question, and would obtain the assistance of those who wished

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

to help others to spend their holidays a t the lowest cost and
with the greatest benefit.
Mr. Jouhaux1 said t h a t the record of the meeting of the
Committee merely p u t forward recommendations, and did n o t
establish regulations concerning workers' recreation. A t the
same time, he felt t h a t the recommendations showed not exactly
a class spirit, but a certain atmosphere of paternalism. I t seemed
to be thought t h a t the workers could not do anything without
advice and guidance, and were not capable of looking after
themselves. I t was to this t h a t Mr. W a t t took objection, and
he shared his feeling to some extent. Neither the Chairman
of the Committee nor the Governing Body representatives on it
had been actuated by t h a t spirit ; but i t had existed among
some of the experts, and there was some reflection of it in the
Committee's recommendations. I t was well to remember t h a t
the workers could not accept a spirit of this kind, which was not
consistent with their dignity and would certainly run counter
to the object in view.
He felt t h a t the Committee had made a mistake in recommending a medical examination. Rightly or wrongly, the workers
in France would probably prefer to do without holidays rather
than be subjected to a preliminary medical examination. Medical
examination might be desirable in the interests of the population
as a whole, but if so, it should apply in a general way and not
merely to workers going on holiday.
H e had no other criticisms to make of the Committee's report,
which he considered very valuable. H e hoped t h a t its recommendations would be p u t into practice.
Mr. Justin Oodart said t h a t he was surprised a t the suggestion
t h a t there was anything paternalistic in the attitude of the
Committee on Recreation. I t was the first time t h a t any such
suggestion had been made, though the Office had long been dealing
with recreation questions. The Committee could not do otherwise t h a n deal with the question placed before it, which was
t h a t of facilities for workers' holidays with pay.
H e would point out t h a t t h e record of the meeting of t h e
Committee confined itself to suggesting a medical examination
before workers went to holiday homes. This was obviously
desirable in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease in
holiday homes, especially those to which children were admitted.
1

French Workers' representative.

DISCUSSION IN THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE RESOLUTION

Mr. Tizier1 said t h a t he did not propose to reply to the
criticisms of the report which had been made. The report was
not drawn up by the Office, but by the Committee which had
considered the subject of recreation. He would merely call
attention to the conditions under which the Committee had been
set up. I n the report would be found a list of the members,
which showed t h a t within the financial limits available the Office
had endeavoured to make the Committee as international as
possible, and to ensure as varied representation as possible of
all the different tendencies existing among the various bodies,
associations and institutions which dealt with recreation. The
composition of the Committee thus appeared to provide complete
guarantees of impartiality.
As regards the report itself, he would emphasise one point
which appeared to him to dominate the debate and to which
he felt the critics of the report had not paid sufficient attention.
Under Chapter I I , " Guiding principles for combined action ",
the following fundamental principle had been stated : " Such
combined action should respect individual liberty and leave each
person free to use his holiday in conformity with his own preferences,
tastes and aspirations, and according to his own particular
position ". This statement of principle, which had been unanimously adopted by the Committee, provided complete reassurance
as regards the interpretation and sense of the practical conclusions
contained in the remainder of the report. There had been no
intention to impose an obligation on anyone concerned, b u t
merely to place at the disposal of the workers an organisation
which they could use or not use as they saw fit. The Committee's
conclusions recognised their complete right not to have recourse
to the organisations set up to assist them in making the best
possible use of their holidays with pay. On the other hand,
if they desired facilities to be given them, the Committee had
suggested, and did not impose, certain methods which were based
on the experience of various countries.
At its Eighty-fifth Session, the Governing Body, after a very
brief examination of the report, had instructed the Office to
communicate it to the Governments. That had already been
done. The record had therefore become a public document.
I t remained to be seen what further action should be taken.
The Office contemplated publishing a report which would include
1

Assistant Director.

FACILITIES FOB WORKERS' LEISURE

(1) the documentary report submitted to the meeting of the
Committee in London, which merely contained practical
information on the experience in the various countries ; and
(2) the conclusions reached by the Committee in London.
Since certain passages in the report had given rise to differences
of opinion, a third part might be added containing a summary
of the discussion which had taken place in the Governing Body
so t h a t everyone who read the report would be conversant both
with the conclusions of the Committee and the views expressed
by the various members of the Governing Body on them.
Mr. Schürch1 said t h a t he fully understood the reasons for the
observations made by Mr. Jouhaux and Mr. W a t t . As he had
taken part in the work of the Committee in London, however,
he would point out t h a t among the members of the Committee
there were perhaps one or two persons who might have expressed
themselves in the somewhat patronising spirit to which reference
had been made. That, however, fortunately was not the case
in regard to the majority of the members of the Committee or
the experts.
He hoped t h a t the members of the Governing Body would
not be left with an unfortunate impression on this point. The
intention of the Committee was certainly not to lay down rules
for the workers' holidays, but to supply information which would
be useful to those to whom holidays with p a y were granted.
As Mr. Tixier had pointed out, everyone concerned was entirely
free to avail himself or not of the facilities and information.
Mr. Justin Oodart pointed out t h a t the Committee had
expressed a desire t h a t it should meet again as soon as possible
in order to deal with the question of holiday camps for young
workers.
Mr. Mertens2 considered t h a t before a further meeting of the
Committee was contemplated, it would be desirable to consult
the members of the Governing Body who formed p a r t of it. There
were still many problems to be studied in connection with the
utilisation of workers' spare time, such as the question of giving
holidays a t different times to the various workers in the same
industry or in the same undertaking. H e himself had attended
p a r t of the meeting of the Committee in London, and the speeches
of certain members had not led him to desire t h a t the Committee
should meet again.
1
2

Swiss Workers' representative.
Belgian Workers' representative.

DISCUSSION IN THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE RESOLUTION

Mr. Watt said that he fully appreciated much of what was
contained in the Committee's conclusions. His duty, however,
was to express the opinions of the workers whom he represented
as he saw them, and he did not retract anything that he had
said. He would, however, make the following suggestion. If the
Committee was to meet again it would be desirable for it to
approach the problem on a much broader basis, and deal with
certain items to which little attention was paid in the report,
such as greater facilities for recreation, and to pay less attention
to questions of board and lodging and whether or not a worker
living in the city should spend his holiday in the country. If the
problem were dealt with on a much broader basis, all the workers,
including those of the United States, would be in agreement
with the report.
Mr. Tixier said that there were several questions on which
the Governing Body would have to decide. The first was the
publication of the study containing the report of the Office, the
conclusions of the Committee, and a summary of the debate
which had taken place in the Governing Body.
The second question was that which had been raised by Mr.
Justin Godart. There had been a second item on the Committee's
agenda when it met in London, namely the question of holiday
camps for young workers. The Office had drawn up a provisional
report based upon incomplete information. The Committee had
not had time to discuss that report, and the Office had not
pressed it to do so since it wished to complete it. It was now
engaged in doing this, and as soon as the report was ready, it
would ask the Governing Body to authorise a second meeting
of the Committee to consider the question of holiday camps for
young workers, which was already on its agenda.
A third point had just been raised by Mr. Mertens, namely
the question of calling a meeting of the Executive Committee
of the Committee on Recreation, which consisted of the representatives of the Governing Body on that Committee. He thought
that it would be most useful to consult the Executive Committee
as to what further questions should be considered in addition to the two questions already on the agenda of the
Committee.
The suggestions which Mr. Watt had made concerning the
spirit in which the Committee should deal with the problems
submitted to it might be placed before the representatives of
the Governing Body on the Committee who would be asked to

FACILITIES FOR WORKERS' LEISURE

select the questions to be examined, according to the procedure
suggested by Mr. Mertens.
The Governing Body decided that the Office should publish a
study which would include (1) the documentary report submitted to
the meeting of the Committee on Recreation in London, (2) the
conclusions adopted by the Committee at that meeting, and (3) a
summary of the discussion which had taken place in the Governing
Body.
It approved Mr. Tixier's suggestion for the procedure to be
followed as regards the future work of the Committee.