Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-07-13
Workers Of America
Unite To Keep Peace
COMMITTEE ON Industrial RelatiOns.)
(RY George p. WeAt.l

| COMMITTEE ON Industrial ReIatiOns.)
| (By George p. West.)
Washington, July 13-While every
big special interest newspaper and
every jingoist in the country is shout
/ ing for war with Mexico, Ave official
representatives of the Mexican labor
movement are meeting with the oxecu-
| tive council of the American Fedora
| ton of Labor in complete harmony and
friendship.
At the Federation headquarters in
Washington the common interests of
the peoples of the United States and of
Mexico are being emphasized in the
conferences that are proceeding with
view to removing misunderstanding
and preventing war.
The Washington meetings are his
toric as being the most effective effort
ever made by the workers of two
countries to avoid war. Mexican dele
gates to the conference are in close
touch with First Chief Carranza, while
American labor through President
Gompers, is making its wishes known
| to the American administration.
The Mexican labor representatives
include Carlos Lovera BaltaZar Pages,
Luis Morones, Salvador Gonzalo Gar
cha, and Colonel Edmund Martinez.
They are here at the invitation of
; President Gompers.
, Women and children will join with
the men of Mexico in resisting Ameri-
can occupation, the Mexican delegates
told Washington newspaper CORE
spondents who had asked what would
happen if the American troops are not
| withdrawn.
The interview was arranged in the
office of the Committee on Industrial
Relations by Lincoln Steffens, who led
the questioning with a view to bring
ing out the attitude of the Mexican
people.
1--WE represent so Mexican labor .un
ions with a membership of 100000"
said Carlos Lovera, of Yucatan, and
chief spokesman for the Mexicans.
I'VE realize that it is quite. possible
we shall have to go to war when we
do what we can to prevent it. 1t may
failed in Europe.
"Since we arrived here we have
learned that the American people do
nut w dAl w oil, anu CSpOC1dAAy LAC WoI n
ing people. To a certain extent we
can carry that news to the Mexicans
and give them that impression, that
the American people have no quarrel
with us and do not want war. We be-
lieve the trouble is made by the spe-
cial interests, and not by the people.
'Mr. Carranza does not want war,
nor do the men around him.
i
there is anyone in Mexico that wants
war.
Labor and the government of Mexi-
co are working together. The gov
eminent recognizes US, and the labor
movement agrees to help the Constitu-
tionalist revolution. We had regi-
ments in the field, under our own Of
ficers. They were called the red batal-
lions
when we have a big strike now
the military does not help the en-
ployers. They do not interfere, they
do not help us, but they leave us free
to use the strike weapon. The gov
eminent of Yucatan is helping all they
can We have the 8 hour day and the
English week of "A hours. We quit
work at IL o'clock on Saturday morn
ing and are. paid for the full day
''On the day we left Mexico, we had
the first actual distribution of land in
Yucatan."
The Mexican delegates were told
that Americans say Mexicans are
treacherous. They said that the
Mexicans believed the same thing
about Americans. Asked why, Lovera
said:
In the first place. they war in 1913. |
The United States took California and |
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas near |
ly half our country. General Grant |
and many other Americans have con-
demned that war. After that, the |
United States government and press
tried to support the Diaz government |
which was bad for the Mexican people |
Then there was the part we believed
Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson took
in overthrowing' Madero. He was a :.
friend of Huerta and used his influ- |
ence to put Huerta in, power.
Now we see a punitive expedition |
taking heavy artillery into Mexico to /
capture bandit. They have set their |
military base $50 miles south of the |
border. Besides. they are talking oil
building military railroads Do you
use heavy artillery to chase bandits? |
Even Mr.. Carranza would not be
able to control the people and prevent
war IL the troops stay in Mexico. Mr..
Carranza feels no different about it
from all the people of Mexico"
The Mexicans were asked about
American ownership Of mines and rail-
roads.
Until the revolution" said Lovera,
employees on the railroads with 500
. month were all Americans For
thirty or forty years the Mexicans did
all the track work and all the hard Ia
Dor. under the command Of Americans
No matter how bright or capable
Mexican might be, he could not be pro-