The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-05
GOMPERS, IN LABOR DAY ADDRESS, GIVES PRAISE
 TO WILSON'S POLICIES

Lewiston, Me-, Sept. 5.-In a Labor day address here, Samuel Gompers. president of the American Federation of Labor, praised President Wilson's administration for its achievements in the interest of the laboring man and denounced the decisions of the su- preme court in the Danbury matters and Arizona anti-alien law cases, which he pointed out were participated in by Charles E. Hughes, the Republican Presidential nominee. In lengthy discussion of the threatened railway strike he defended the attitude of the brotherhoods and while he praised President Wilson for his efforts to settle the controversy he Iunaualif1edly denounced any attempt at legislation to compel arbitration.
 "The demand of ,he railroad broth erhoods is e clear cut isssue," said he. "They now make the simple demand that their lives and theif physical well-being shall be protected and that they shall be required to work only such a reasonable period of time as industrial experience has shown to be expedient. For the eight hour prin- ciple has been universally accepted by ~oo,a+v The eight hour "-"~kr'an '~ /" ; better, a more resourceful, moro productive orter than the one who labors long hours.
 "The railroad brotherhoods have i not refused to accept arbitration. They | have declared that the eight hour work day involves a principle of hu- man welfare that cannot be disputed i and therefore cannot be arbitrated. They are willing to submit every other issue, all of which are arbitrable, to a mutual satisfactory tribunal. In this position they are in accord with every organization or organism that has ever declared for the principle or | arbitration. Not even the most ex- trayaeant advocate of world peace through the process of arbitration does not exclude certain fundamental prin- cipIes as not justifiable or not arbi- trable. The railroad brotherhoods are standing firmly for a fundamental principle of human welfare
 "The railroad men presented tneIr demands and made their fight in a simple, direct manner. They have re- lied entirely upon their economic or eaniation. They have not sought any special privilege, any legal protection,
 or endeavored to utilize any govern mental agency to establish their just demands.
 They have secured attention and won favor to their cause because back of their contentious was an organiza- ton that represented power and ser- vice.
 They have made a virile, straight forward fight, and they deny that railroad presidents or managers ought to be given the special privilege or the advantage that would accrue from compulsory arbitration. Their posi- ton is in accord with the position of the American Federation of Labor.
 "Compulsory arbitration or sso- called investigation is simply a way to re- strain free necessary action on the part of wage earners and to make 1 them more easily dominated by em- ployers It only makes the striker a criminal and gives authority for jail ing workers who quit work.
 "Employers appreciate the impor- tance of the shorter work day; they know that it means more independent
 workmen, workmen not so readily
 held in submission. It is necessary for the. protection and the best inter- ests of the workers to whom the law
 will apply, as well as to all of the
 workers of the state, that every man shall, do his best, that every woman in
 Maine shall aid to secure the ap- proval of this act.
 "The effectiveness and the possibili- ties of the organized labor movement
 have never been more clearly demon
 strated than they have been by recent
 events There is no limitation to the
 possibilities of economic influence
 The fact that has been demonstrated
 by the present European war is that
 all bedrock power is economic. Every thing of fundamental concern in na- tional life and national development