The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-19
Says People Should Get Rid
Not Only Of Glass Division
But of Class Consciousness
ADDRESSES DELEGATES
FEDERATION OF LABOR
Establish Justice With a Heart
In lt-Wants All to Join
In Common Movement for
Humanity

Washington. Nov. 13.-President
Wilson made a plea for the wiptng
out OF ali class distinctions and a
closer union OF the American people
In an address to delegates of the
American Federation of Labor at the
White House today.
The President said that nothing
worse could happen to this country
than for the people to imagine they
Were at odds with one another. and
&c Join In tho common movement
for humanity
Text OF Address
Following Is the text OF the i'resi-
dents address:
Mr.. Gompers. ladies and gentlemen:
Il need not say that, coming 10 me
as you do on such an erraud, l am
very deeply gratihed and very great
iy cheared. 1t would be impossible
fo- me off hand TO say just what
thoughts are stirred In rae by what
Mr.. Gompers has said to me as your
spokesman. but perhaps the simplest
thing | can say Is. after all. tho meat
OF the whole matter. What | have
tried 10 DO is 70 set rid OF any class
division IN this country. not only, but
Of any class consciousness ana feel
Ing.
THE worst thing that could hap
pen TO America would he that she
should be divided into graafss and
camps in which there were men and
women who thought that they were
at odds with one another. that the
&Spirit Of America was not expressed
except In them. and that possibilities
!. OF antaSonism wsrs the OILY things
that we had to look forward u.
Spirit the Esssenca
AS Mr.. t4ampea's said, achievement
In comparatively small matter. but
the spirit In which things are dono is
Of the essence of the whole thing. ana
what / am striving FOR and what
hope you are striving for, ia TO blot
out all the Ines of division in America
and create = Ini'y OF spirit and o.
purpose founded upon this tho 1on-
eciousnass that we are all men and
women OF the same sort aad thst IL
we DO not understand each other. we
: are ret tFsfe americans. If va ann d
-enter into each others thoughts, If We
cannot oomprsf end each other inter-
egts, II We cannot serve each others
essen tiAl welfare. then we have not
yet qualified az representatives of the
American spirit
Nothing alarms America 30 rnuch
.as riffs divisions. the drifting apart
-ief- elements among people ant;
the thing we ought ali 70 strive for
In 10 close Up every rift, and the only
way to do it so far as I can see, Is
TO establish Justice no. only. but Jus
sice With a heart TN It, justice with
a pulse in IT. justice with sympathy
, in II. Justice can be cold ana for
bidding or Il can be warm and well
come. and TIE latter IS the only kind
of Justice that Americans ought to
desire,
This Feeling Growing.
81 do not believe / am deceiv.ng my
.sseif when ] say that think this spirit
10 growing in America l pray God IL
may continue to grow, and all have
to say is To exhort every one whom
.my voice reaches here or elsewhere to
come INTO this common movement OF
humanity"
The only other address was by
Samuel Gompe-s. president OF the
American Federation of Labor, who
conveyed to the President the con-
gratulations OF that body upon hts
reelection and heir wishes for a
successful administration Mr.. Comp
.ars said that the purpose OF the fed
eration was to strive for freedom and
!, justice for the great body of toilers
, represented in it's membership as well
labor He said that the delegates
regarded the President as being In
sympathy with them and that the
achievements of his four years in Of
fee had shown this,
After the Presidents address the
delegates we're formed IN line for the
purpcse OF shaking hands and the
President greeted every one in turn.
The delegates adjourned their con-
vention al Baltimore at noon AVID
came to Washington by special train,
there being nearly 500 in the party
including the wives of number of
the delegates. They spent several
! hours at the new temple OF the fed
Z GRAFTON at Ninth and Massachusetts,
Avenue. and at O'Clock marched
TO the White House. preceded by a
hand and headed By Lr. Gompers and
members of the executive council
When the procession swung into
Madison Place from l Street, tho
band struck up medley Of patriotic
airs. ending with MARYLAND. My
MARYLAND" as the doors leading to
s A. Jrhfta House were raached