The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1914-12-12
VALUE OF THE LABOR PRESS.

(From the Report of the Executive Council to the
A. F. of L. Convention in PHILADELPHIA ,
There Is no more effective way to control men than
through their minds Control mindstuff material
constitutes control the lives and desnes of men
and women. The material which most largely enters
into the creation and the shaping of public opinion is
In the pages of the newspapers The power that
trolls the of America determines large
political social and economic development truth can
make or break sentiment A truth has the power to
move the heart Of man to compassion or to fire his
soul with some great purpose. Yet the press has the
power of life and death many truths THAT which
is not known for all practical purposes not exist
Facts causes conditions that unknown the public
have no part in determining public opinion and policies
The workers have found that in struggles for indus
trial justice element vitality important
getting the facts about before their fellow
workers and the public. -. -
Public opinion is formed almost entirely by the
press Back of the press is invisible power auto
cratically determining what information shall be pub
shed and what suppressed. That power controls the
great newsgathering agencies 1t extends to the ed
torial 1t is felt in the publishing houses This
invisible autocrat it's business and
property consequently either consciously
consciously it serves those interests
TO give publicity to the of those who contend
Tor reform or humanitarian purposes there must be a
press free from the domination this throtng control
Such press has been steadily growing influence and
NUMBERS The number and the character of the labor
papers published today gratifying The labor
pAoo0 AAoo ooon WOrkerS-th6
OF our peoples to speak the right the right time
OF those bowed by heavy burdens weary hearsthe
victims OF Injustice, heedlessness greed brutality
those whose cause did not have popular favor Many
OF those who have ungrudgngly given toll of heart
and mind to the labor press found reward only in
the consciousness of worthy work worhly DONE Many
weary hour into the preparation of@the news COL
umns and the editorials of ISSUE The difficulties
are d1scouragng but the labor editor knows every
bit of truth however small of fragmentary, he is
able to inject into the thought material the public
an entering wedge to blast away prejudice and misre
presentations Every effort helps ultimate purpose
the freedom and the welfare of humanity.
The labor press has great work to perform Its
business is to get before the people real of life
the truths about living and working The metropolitan
press Is largely commercial NATURALIZATION it LIVING
and working materials stories that ap
peal to popular interests For the labor press the point
is to make truths about living working known to
everyone. These truths have power to move men and
governments.
The labor press must have support and opportunity
to accomplish it's Everyone loyal to the cause
of labor should feel the duty developing upon him to
support financially and morally the labor press that has
done much for the be enabled to do in
finitely more.