The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-09-08
| LABOR
Federation Leader Endorses Presi
dents RecOrd-Issues Statement
In Reply Former BulI-MoOser

The hope of the G. o. p. that Ray
mond Robins, chairman of the pro
gressive national convention, wouiu
be able TO swing the labor vote of Chr
cago to- Mr.. Hughes Is shattered by
the public statement issued by JOIN
Fitzpatrick, president of the Chicago
Federation of Labor.
Fitzpatrick is one Of the big ma.
tional figures in the labor movement
and in the American Federation OF
Labor, He is and has been for years
a close friend of Raymond Robins
but their personal association has not
carried Fitzpatrick into he Hughes
camp with the former progressive lea
der.
Mr. fitzpatrick has sent to Demo
cratic national headquarters state
ment for publication, declaring that
the reelection of President Wilson
means the realization of the hopes
for the future of the common people
and is the only hope for the estab-
lishment and perpetuation of ma
tion Of free men and women"
Although Fitzpatrick does not en-
ter into any argument with his
friends, he heads his statement, "A
Reply to Raymond Robins"
The statement of the Chicago labor
president follows:
Chicago, Aug. 20, 1916.
For years organized labor con-
tended for certain fundamental
and remedial governmental action
to protect, conserve and advance
the rights, interest and welfare OF
the working people. Under pre-
vtous democratic or republican
administrations controlling big
business, the rights of the workers
were flOuted and almost totally ig-
nored. Under the present admin
istration three of the most impor-
tant questions advocated by the
organized labor movement have
enacted into law:
list. The Clayton act, amend
ing the Sherman antitrust law,
which declares that Labor is not
a commodity, nor an article of com
merce. This amendment compels
the federal judges 10 regard the
workers as human beings and not
as property or commodity at the
behest of big business, whom they
were prone to serve.
"2nd. The seaman's bill, which
ended the last yestige of human
slavery which was tolerated by the
United States.
Human beings employed in ma
rine and seafaring are no longer
regarded as property or used as
slaves.
"The Statue of Liberty in New
York harbOr, proclaiming that
Liberty enlightens the world, is
only the declaration of the fact.
The enactment of the seamens' law
is the consummatiOn of the declara-
tion. And now we have human Ii
berty established in the shipping
industry.
''3rd. The child labor bill, which
is the first plank in the prepared
ness program of the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor and which has
been urged upon our lawmakers
all these years without success.
This fundamental demand of the
people is now law and completes
the trinity of measures which in
spires hope and confidence in the
minds and in the hearts of the peo-
pie and gives us the courage to
still believe that this form of gov
ernment, republic can endure
upon the face of the earth
THE administration that sue
cessfully handled the most vital af-
fairs of this republic while a great
crisis has confronted the European !
nations, and has successfully pro-
ceeded in reconstructing its own
foundation, so that this will be a
republic in reality, as shown by the
enactment of these three great
measures, must and surely is deep !
ly imbedded in the hearts of all
loyal and liberty loving citizens.
And just as sure as the Creator en-
trusted the affairs of this republic
in the hands of a man endowed |
with the necessary wisdom, cour-
age, foresight and understanding
of the needs of the hour, as is pres
ident Wilson, just so sure may we
be that it is intended that his re-
election means the realization OF |
the hopes for the future of COM
mon people and is the only hope for
the establishment and perpetuation
of a nation of free men and women.
JOHN FITZPATRICK"