Denver labor bulletin., 1916-07-15
Ep0ChiCal Event in Wash
ineton July 4
President Wilson and Cabinet Re-
view Parade Of Labor Hosts
and He Delivers Address to
Vast Audience Of Nation
al Trade UnioniStS
Especial Correspondenee.)


WASHINGTON, July 6.-Dedication of
the new home of the American Federa-
tion of Labor, with President Wilson,
members of the cabinet and prominent
labor leaders participating. featured the
celebration of Independence day in the
national capital
The exercises were preceded by la
bor parade, with thosuands OF organized
workers from thruout the country in line.
The line Of march was from Peace mon
umeut, at the foot OF the capitol, up
Pennsylvania avenue and past the new
seven story labor building. which oocu-
pies a site at the northwest corner Of
Ninth street and Massachusetts avenue.
Secretary Of labor Wilson. former
president Of the United Mine Workers
Of America, the first trade unionist in
a presidents cabinet was master Of
ceremonies. He recountcd. in n general
WAY, the advance OF labor since the birth
of the American Federation. thirty-five
years ago. and, pointing TO the new home
Of the Federation. said: This temple
Is symbolic OF these gains"
Labor Not a Commodity.
President Gompers said that men arc
not free because the constitution says
30. unless they take advantage of the
opportunities afforded them. He spoke
at length on tho cnactments by the last
Congress, removing labor unions from
trust classification. and said that in the
declaration. labor is not n commodity
or an article Of commerce. was the
recognition Of vital principle for which
the Fcdcration has long coniendcd. Mr..
Gompcrs appealed TO citizens 20 sustain
the President in his efforts to vaoid war,
but said that II war. and all its horror-.
wa. to come the trade union movement
could be expected to do its pa-r. Pro-
longcd applause greeted Mr.. Gomp"ts'
remarks.
Mrs. Wilson was with the President
and Vice President Marshall and most
Of the members OF the cabinet were in
the spcakers' stand
Suffragist Interrupts P1esiient-
While tho President was delivering the
dcdicatory address. Miss Mabe, Vernon
Of Nevada, n member Of the WomRn's
party. created n stir by intcrruptinr
the scpakcr with loudly raj 'rd demand
20 know why the President had tired 10
block the suffrage moscinrut.
The President was standing at the rail
Of tho spcakcrS' stand addressing tho
crowd Of 10000 persons in tho street,
Miss Vernon was with scu.rg,l other suf-
frarists. including Miss Alice raul and
Miss Naude Younger. both leaders in the
Congressional Union and the Woman's
Party. For time she had listened TO
the speech Suddenly. while the lIcsi
dent WIS discussing tho advantage of
settling difference by calm discourse IN
preference 10 fighting. Miss Vernon
icapcd 10 her feet and began shouting
at him.
Dedicated to Common Counsel.
Policemen succeeded in quieting the
Young woman without complying with
her insistent requests that she be .jecten
The President stood silent for moment
and then continued talking as tho moth
ing had happened.
In his address the President paid trib-
ute to labor and trade unionism snd
dedicated the new structure to common
counsel and common understanding He
referred to recent labor legislation and
particularly the clause of the Clayton
antitrust law which declares that labor
Is not commodity.
81 am sorry there were any Judges In
the United States who had to be told
that labor was not a commodity. hut n
part OF mans life" the President said.
Primer of Human Liberty.
"Tbc declaration that labor is not
commodity IL return to the primer of
human liberty. But IL there are judges
in the country who have to have the
primer of liberty / am willing to open
I, for them"
The President hoped for ths time when
labor and capital could understand cnch
other better md that capital particularly
would come to a better understanding
of labor.
Capital should be humanizcd,' lie said,
by being brought in comprchending con-
tact with conditions of labor.
'It takes n multitude Of minds to
comprehend the United Statcs,' th Pres
idcnt continued. "A great building like
this should be devoted TO processes wi ich
pool our understandings. Nobody ia great
enough by himself to run this country:
Tho people of the country have TO pool
their Understandings that the nation may
properly be governed"
Recognition Of Union Labor.
Mr. Gompcrs had called particular at
tcntion to the fact that the President OF
the United States had recognized the or
d.