Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-03
Samuel Gompers Reviews Progress
Made by Labor During the Year
Greater Progress Made in the
Securing Shorter Work Day
Than Ever Made Before.
GREAT BOON TO WORKERS

| Washington, Sept. z. - Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation Of Labor, made public
tonight statement on "Labor's
achievements and Issues" for 1916,
in which he characterized the past
year as remarkable one in the
progress Of the. labor movement, es-
pecially in thc shortening OF the
working day and in general labor
legislation. The statement, in full,
is as follows:
Labor day, 1916, brings to the
workers Of America the right to
cheer and confidence in the trade
union movement. There have been
tests and crises that have proved its
fundamental principles; there have
been opportunities that have tested
its practical efficiency. Through them
all the trade union movement has
made sure progress and gained in
confident vision for the future.
Every national and international,
every local union affiliated to the
American Federation OF Labor has
made definite progress in securing
for its members greater advantages
in those things which are fundamen-
tai OF betterment in all relations OF
life. In some organizations the sue
cess has been phenomenal.
Taking the labor movement as a
whole, there has been greater prog
ress in securing the eight-hour day
or the shorter work day than in any
other similar period OF time. The
meaning OF these victories can be in
terpreted only in the light of full UNI
Outstanding of the meaning OF the
eight-hour day. The shorter work
day is something more than an
economic demand. 1t Is a demand
for opportunity, for rest, recuper-
alton, and development; things which
make life more than mechanical
drudgery.
Short Hour Workers Best Paid.
THE workers whose whole periods
are short are essentially different
from those who are SO worn by toll
that they have neither energy nor
mind for other things in life. They
become more energetic, more re-
sourceful workers, with keener men,
tally and greater producing power.
II inevitably follows that the short
hour workers are the best paid
workers. With every reduction in
hours there is always a correspond
ing increase.in wages. Wherever
demands for the shorter workday and
higher wages have been presented
and urged by organized workers dur
ing the past year, they have met with
success. These economic gains have
2 potent relation to the social side Of
life.
Shortening the period OF work
lengthens the period Of development |
and for all of the other activities that
belong to the normal individual. In
crcases In wages give the workers the |
means for taking advantage OF the
increased opportunities OF the shorter
workday. The workers Of short
hours and better wages become very
different citizens from those who are
50 exhausted by the daily grind that
they have neither the time nor the
energy for thought nor aspiration.
These gains mean better homes, bet
ter food, better clothing, time and
opportunity for the cultivation OF the
best and the highest that Is possible
in the life Of man.
Economic achievements are the
basis upon which the workers can
secure social and political progress.
The power which secures these
achievements is the power that will
secure justice for them In every other
relation. Shorter hours and higher
wages give the opportunity and the
means to live better and more pur-
poscful lives.
"Power through economic organi-
cation means political power. There
must be an economic basis in order
to give political activity reasons for
existence and program, BY organ
izing its economic power to secure
political protection and by adhering
strictly to non-partisan political
program, the American Federation OF
Labor has won glorious legislative
victories.
Organization Means Opportunity.
THE object Of legislation which or
ganized labor has sought to obtain
is always to establish larger and bet
ter opportunities for life and freedom.
Organized labor does not seek
through legislation to do things for
the workers that they can do for
themselves. II only seeks to estab-
lish for them opportunities. This
principle applj<s TO workers in pri-
waite industry. In the case of workers
in governmental employment, where
the government is the employer and
conditions OF employment can be
fixed only by legislation. then the or
gained labor movement seeks to do
something more than merely cstab-
lisch opportunity. II must secure
legislation regulating conditions of
employment.
'The record OF the legislative
achievements ofithe labor movement
since 1906, when the non-partisan po-
litical party was inaugurated, is one
of splendid victories. The two most
important are the seamen's act and
the labor sections OF the Clayton
antitrust law. The greatest thing in
both Of these acts is the advance
ment Of human freedom |
Tho problem OF human freedom
was not ended by the work of Lin
coin. There still remained class
bound to involuntary servitude, the
seamen. The seamen's act brings
freedom to these workers, II makes
American soil sacred TO freedom, a
country upon which bondman may