The Irish standard., 1914-09-05
Labor Day

BY Samuel GOmpers, President of the
American Federation of Labor.
Once more the workers are to OBJ
serve Labor Day-a day which has
associations entwined in the most
sacred and most homely affairs of
life work. 1t is those things which
deal with daily living and fellowship,
that kindle the deep abiding emotion
things more removed from human
immediate needs and interests. The
purely intellectual becomes more at
tenuated in feeling and emotion, and
rarely inspires the love and devotion
given the things called common. Yet
it needs Imagination and idealism so
to order these common things as to
feel and reverence the heart and
soul in them, to know what they
really are and mean, and to use them
to the best advantage. To one man
piece of bread is-just a piece of
bread. To another man a piece of
bread is some marvellous thing, the
product of labor, nature, and science.
He sees in it the life-essence of the
wheat distilled from the dew and the
sunshine as the grain rippled under
the prairie wind, and the, work of
many hands and minds that harvest
ed and prepared the grain so that it
could nourish his body, mind and
soul. This man is the idealist, he
has the artistic soul, he belongs to
those who understand. Upon such
is laid the duty of interpreting so
that all may learn to see and under
stand.
There are some in the labor move
ment to whom it is not merely an
Organization" who can see it as
part of human life and history. Upon
them is laid the obligation of shar-
ing this vision with all of the work
ers on Labor Day that the day may
be an occasion for Strengthening ties
of devotion and for renewing enthu-
siasm and earnestnes sin the cause.
Such men see in the labor movement
innumerable people, masses, and my
riads of the common people - the
people. that, burdened and sore op-
pressed, had found themselves indi-
vidually helpless to combat the forces
of wealth, power and authority-the
people that asked but the chance to
live and work and enjoy the salts
faction of living worthily and we'll.
Down the ages files the crowds of
common people, SO patiently, so un-
obtrusively, so submissively that
dumb pain catches the heart in re-
Spouse to the human tragedy and
pain of the dwarfed lives and sup
pressed powers. Though the march
of the worlds toilers hurts with it's
pain and its pathos, yet it brings
cheer, gladness and encouragement.
Today, though the common people
dig and delye, go down into dark and
weary places, do the work necessary
to the intricate organizations that
supply social needs, yet many of
them are able, comfortable, and
happy past the conception of former
ages. And how? The labor move
ment.
In some guise, with varying ideals,
the labor movement has existed
wherever there has been need and
oppression of the workers. 1t has led
them up from slavery to freedom,
through the gate of freedom upon the
infinite possibilities of free life that
stretch far, far away in the unfath-
enable future.
And what is this labor movement?
1t is living thing with soul and
spirit, and a personality all it's own.
Those who are weary and heavy
straighten the bent back and ease the
laden cast their burdens upon it,
aching muscles. In new-found free
dom they look up and see the higher
levels and purer heights just beyond.
Men and women that hunger and
thirst stretch out their hands and re,
ceive that which satisfies the present
physical needs. AS the pangs of dis
tress become less sore, mind and
heart are freed of the burden of ex-
istence, ready for things of the spirit.
Those made restless and alert by I'M
satisfied longing turn to this great
human movement and there find a
response to their craving for some
thing that is true and honest, prac-
tical, yet idealistic.
To keep full and strong this tide
of energy, to rouse the purpose and
determination to strive for yet more
and more, is the great purpose of
Labor Day. Let the workers meet
together, review the things done.
realize the mistakes and the victor
les, take counsel with each other, to
ward.
Now more than two million strong.
the trade union movement of Amer
ico iS a rroot forco IN tho fOrUa r6