The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-04-08
WORLDS TRADE UNIONISTS INVITED To
LABOR PEACE CONGRESS

Washngton.-Pres Gompers has
issued an invitation to trade union cen
ters throughout the world to send rep
resentativcs to a Labor's World Peace
Congress, to be held at the same time
and in the same city as the representa-
tives from the different countries will
meet to determine the terms OF peace
at the close Of the present war. The
A. +. OF l.. Convention, held Novem-
Der, 1914, four months after the war
began, adopted resolutions indorsing
this plan. At the A. +. of l.. Conven-
ton, last year, detailed plans we're ap-
proved, although President Gompers
suggests that this plan sis necessarily
flexible and broad"
The letter has been translated in
French, German and Spanish, and is
forwarded under authority OF the A. F..
Of /. Executive Council.
President Gompers assures the
worlds organized workers that the
American Federation OF Labor does not
offer any plan or theory as to what the
members of the congress shall do, and
that its sole interest is to organize this
Worlds Congress OF Labor that demo-
cratic ideals may be included in the
terms OF peace. He says, in part:
The proposal to hold labor CON
gress was generally discussed by the va
rious national labor organizations dur
ing the past year, and some OF them
have officially approved the plan.
"In other countries thought is con
centratcd on the immediate and com
pelling problems of daily ife-problems
so urgent that all else must wait upon
the future. We appreciate the intense
strain with which our fellow workers
OF Europe await the outcome of the
days struggle on the battlefield and the
ultimate decision of the war
Everywhere the wage carnerS by
service have proved their loyalty to
concepts of honor, their patriotism
their value as men and women. In the
past they have borne not only the bur
dens of fighting during the war, but
have been weighted down by the war
debts and rcadjuStments attending "A
return OF peace conditions.
The workers can refuse to be the
victims Of the blundcrers, the evil plans,
the ambitions OF those responsible for
this war In their struggle against OPP
preston have been born warnings for
human freedom, for better opportuni-
ties, Tor justice in life and work Dur
ing the centuries they have made prog
rcsS. 1t has been a long fight from
slavery to the present degree of free
dom
mere IS great opportunity in the
immediate future for democracy and
freedom. A century ago the fcudal sys-
TEN died III the NapolcOnic wars that
convulscd Europe, and the Third Estate
established their right to freedom and
participation III the affairs OF govern
mcnt and society.
Slowly but surely the workers have
been making demands for recognition
OF their rights as human beings and a,
members OF society, and have cstab-
liShcd many of them.
I'm appreciation OF their dignity and
value, 1t is the duty Of the wage earn
crS to make demands upon the world
assembled i'll the next World Congress
that nothing touching the lives of the
workers shall be determined without
taking counsel with them. Such a de
mand made by the personal representa-
tlvcS OF the wage carncrs assembled il
the same place and at the same time a
the World Peace Congress, would hav
a tremendous effect upon the spirit an,
the determinations of that congress-
Such a demand would set higl
standards OF democracy and would Civ
prominence to principles of human wei
fare that could not be ignored.
The labor movement is the grca
humanizing, dcmocratizing force in tn
affairs OF nations, and it must have
place wherever the welfare OF the wag
carnerS is concerned y