The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-01-28
Want Neutral Nations Called in Con
ference
A STRONG RESOLUTION
BY Soester |. Anthon

| Inc members Of the Washington
State Federation of Labor are in favoI
Of preparedness, judging by the mum
Der OF resolutions dealing directly OF
indirectly with that subject which
were passed at the Yakima conyen
tion last week, but they are distinctly
not in favor of preparedness by way
Of greater armament. Rather are they
in favor of the preparedness created
by removing the incentives to war
Moreover, in case there should be
war they wish the fighting to be done
by the capitalistic classes, which are
expected to reap any material bene-
tits accruing from it. They would
even force the same classes to finance
future wars and preparations for war.
TO SEIZE ALL SUMS OVER $4,000
The most drastic preparedness reso-
luton of the three passed almost with
out debate on the convention floor.
This was resolution %, formulated by
E. B. Ault, and providing for the con.
fiscation, by the government, of all
bank deposits, stocks and bonds of
over $4,000, which should be put at
the disposal of the war department
for use as it's chiefs see fit.
The startling resolution opens with
the statement that conscription of the
people of this country as a prepared
ness measure has already been sug-
gested and that both Theodore Roose.
welt and Woodrow Wilson are in ia.
vor of the creation of a citizen sol.
diery
TT is proved by the European war"
says the resolution, that the people
go to the battles and the capitalists
stay at home" The text also points
out that the capitalists reap the bene-
fit of wars, and in case this country
became involved in war there would
be great danger of the repetition of
the Spanish-American war scandals.
Take Over Factories, Mills. Railroads
'Now, therefore, says the recon-
mendation we move that congress
be requested to enact a law authoriz-
ing the var department to seize all
bank deposits over the sum of $4,000
and all stocks and bonds over the
value of $4,000 held by any individual;
all railroads. factories mines. mills
and other means Of distributing and
producing supplies of war and supplies
to feed the people in case of war the
same to be put at the disposal of the
war department for use as it sees fit.
There is to be no compensation, this
being an application OF the same prin-
ciple that demands that the working
men of this country endanger and
sacrifice their lives without compen-
saton"
The other radical resolution calls
for a conference of the neutral nations
of the world, to be called by the
president of the United States, to of,
fer plans for mediation TO the warning
nations Of Europe. Like the praced-
ing resolution, this one passed with
out discussion. 'While this nation is
neutral" says the resolution. "it is
not Indifferent The war creates a
state of fear and crowds out the real
issues of our nation by creating an
artificial issue of preparedness
against an unnamable. non-existent
danger
Proper Basis for Enduring Peace
The president Of the United States
should be called upon to convene a
convention from the neutral nations
to offer mediation among the belliger.
ents." The resolution goes even fur.
ther and suggests the basis for a per
manent and durable peace. Included
in these are the evacuation of invad-
ed territory the restoration of such
countries as Alsace-Lorraine to the
nations from which they were wrest.
ed, greater autonomy for the citizens
Of the European countries, the remov.
al of the restrictions against the Jews
which still exist in some countries,
provision for an international arbi-
tration council and, possibly the most
radical, the progressive disarmament
of all nations of the world.
Rrnnl- aauI......- - L.---