Evening star., 1897-01-30
WORkINGMEN WANT PEACE
President Gompers Advocates the Arbitra-
tion Treaty.
Trades Organizations Opposing Costly
and Destructive 3war.-Re.olu-
ton. of the a. +. of l..

President Samuel Gompefs of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor left Washington
last night for a business tour of the west,
Before starting he spoke to Star re-
porter on the subject Of the arbitration
treaty now before the Senate as follows:
Perhaps there is ne class of people in
the United States or Great Britain having
greater interest in this, treaty than the
wage earners Of both countries. War is at
best brutal, and arbitramenteby force of
arms ever Unsatisfactory The workers of
the world from time ,imniefnorial have been
those who have had to face the brunt of
battle and sacrifice their eAves in the field
Wars have created countless millions of
widows and orphans rendered them de-
pendent and helpless and SCARED the
hearts Of more millions left behind.
1T has destroyed hopes, set the wheels
OF progress backward, and, after all, when
the smoke of battle has passed, the work
ers for generations have always been re-
quired to bear the burdens Of increased
taxation.
In war thousands upon thousands are
taken from the peaceful fields Of industry
and commerce and rushed into a fratri-
cldal war; which in our day means practical
determination; and when the battles are
over. industry and commerce are disar-
ranged; the disbanded armies, either VIC
torious or otherwise, seek employment in
Vdih, tuey llu themselves WlluOul tuc Op-
portunity to earn bread for themselves or
those dependent upon them.
THE workers have always been on the
side OF a peaceful settlement of all disputes.
In all gatherings OF labor this principle has
been declared for. At" the convention in
1897 the Anne ercan Federation Of Labor de-
clared itself upon this question Of interna-
tional o. ala arbitration in the following language:
q" Whereas. The American Federation OF
Labor has been intrusted with the solemn
duty of defending the best interests Of the
working people of America; and
Whereas. The demands of the working
people will never be fully heard in all their
strength and nobility Of aspira ton until the
| nations of the world mutually agree to re-
frain from the fratricidal strife that has
| so often brought misery and desolation
into many millions Of happy homes; and
Whereas, The working class, the class
that always has to bear, the brunt Of brutal
| war. has the most profound interest in the
establishment and maintenance Of peace.
Therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That the American Fedora
| ton Of Labor in convention in the city of
Baltimore assembled, halls with deep salts
faction the arrival of a delegation from
Great Britain and Ireland, charged with
the task of proposing a treaty by which all
| questions which cannot be settled oy ordi-
| nary diplomatic agency, may be referred to
arbitration
Subsequent conventions have reiter-
| ated and emphasized this demand for the
peaceful settlement of all disputes. Labor
recognizes that peace Is as essential to
| successful industry as Is air to lung,
breathing animals: that the spirit of greed
| for gain and power often seeks to divert
| the attention of the people from redress
| from domestic grievances to foreign wars,
quests. With this the workers have neither
| patience nor interest. It. Is against their
| humane sentiments. at variance with their
| interest, and at the thought OF which their
| hearts revolt 'sIcTa
1--WE are not sentimentalists to the de-
gree that we would surrender the rights
| OF our people or the rights Of our coun-
try upon mere declarat tfon The English
| speaking people, however, have great
| mission to perform for'the world, and the
| organized workers of slpoth countries have
unequivocally placed themselves on rec
ord, possessing all the Jbest traits OF hui
| MARTY and patriotism of our time, that
nothing can nor will arise which cannot
and should not be decided by fair tri-
burial of International arbitration
I'm recent article upon the growth and
influence Of the trade union movement. a
| mCst excellent writer, while occasionally
adversely criticising, the trade union move
ing out Of these organisations force and
determination that the workers OF all coun-
tries will fraternize and thus once and foI
all settle these resorts to force OF which
1--WE are not certain that all the terms
| of the pending treaty are the best thn1
could be devised, and 1t may require mod
ihcL tion, but whether this be SO or not the
contend. and it is the earnest hope Of the
organized workers or America, and W.
know it Is that Of our British fellow-work
ers. that an agreement should be reached
that the treaty should be ratified and tht
peoples Of the United States and Great
Britain should. hand In hand, in fail
rivalry with each other, eschew the old
time brutality and barbarian OF war will
Its burdens, woes. walls ana tears.
Tn Fnyn. ~ NJ. Roafuer.