The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-23

The Labor Representation Commlt-
 tee, consisting of President Gompers Vice-President O'Connell and Secre-
 tary Morrison of the A. F. of L., has
 issued a call to organized labor to consider the issues involved in the present political campaign at reg
 ular or special meetingI of their
 unions. and urges that allNworkers go
 to the polls on election day, Novem- Der z, and protect their interests. The Labor Representation Com
 nnittee was appointed by the execu- tive council of the A. F. of L., in 1906, when the American Federation ot Labor decided to more vigorously urge its nonpartisan political policy that trade unionists disregard politi- cal lines and reward their friends and punish their enemies. The success of this policy has been unaqualed in the history of the worlds trade union movement and
 the Labor Representation Committee following its usual policy, presents the tissues Involved in this campaign and
 calls on all workers to go to the polls on November and vote as their con- science directs for labor. justice, free dom and humanity.
 To the Officers of all Organized Labor: f Greetings: Never at any time with
 in the last fifty years have the work CTS had more at stake in any politl- cal campaign. than in the one that is k to be decided in the election Novem-
 Der z.
 l. During the present administration Fand particularly in this campaign this campaign there has been devel- opeN a clear-cut issue between the T workers the producers-and those 1 who manipulate the products of the labor of ethers-the ,exploiters.
 The issue is represented in the cam paign by the conflicting interests rep
 resented by~ Labor and Wall street.
 Labor represents the masses of the
 nation, their rights as human beings.
 the possibilities and the ideals of hu-
 man development. Wall street rep resents the powers of greed and ex- | ploitation that have mercilessly used l human beings in order to pile up vast | unearned fortunes and to carry out
 their purposes of restricting the rights and opportunities for men to work and
 enjoy the products of treir. toll.
 During the present administration the organized labor movement has
 been able to secure recognition for the rights of human beings and op- portunity for all to participate in tile affairs of the nation in degree that has never before been accomplished.
 The dignity of human life and the value of the cooperation of those whose work are necessary to the pro- cesses of industry and commerce have been given an important place in con- sidering all problems that concern the nation. This recognition has taken the form of legislation necessary to protect the interests of wage-earners and in the ideals of humanity that have guided and directed national policies both at home and in our rela- tions with other nations.
 Though half of the world has been involved in terrific conflict and it seemed at times as though our nation must be drawn into the vortex of human slaughter, yet the chief execu- tive of our land has been able to manage the affairs of the nation and the interests of our citizens so that without the horrors of war he has established and maintained protec- tion of human life and human rights in the somewhat vague domain of in ternational law. Without involving this nation in war, he has secured for us all of the protection and all of the benefits that would have accrued from a successful international war. and by diplomatic correspondence, has achieved the victory of embody- ing concepts of humanity in interna- tional activity, at least insofar. as America is concerned.
 What has been true in the case of the European war is also true in the case with the relations between our country and Mexico. Mexico had been engaged in conclusive effort to secure freedom and to shake off the despotic control of personal rule and spoilation to benefit those who have been granted special privileges. In their vague uncertain efforts to free themselves the people of Mexico may have made mistakes. Have the peo- pie of the United States always been free from error? Mexico is trying to work out it's ideals of rights and jus tice.
 The interests that have been seek ing to plunge our country into war not only with European countries but also with Mexico are the interests that are represented by the most selfish ana most COnSc1enCeleSS element or Wall street. These elements have not stopped with an effort to use existing mistakes and wrongs as an excuse for war and have not hesitated to en- deavor to create situations that brought the nation to the very brink of war. It was only by the determin- ed resistance of the citizens who un- .derstood that an element of reason ableness was injected into the situa- tion and action prevented until the true facts could be discovered and the will of the masses of the citizens could prevent the\ evil purposes and designs.
 So far as the internal affairs of our country are concerned, the organized labor movement, as the authorized representative of the wage-earners, has secured recognition of that de- mand to degree never before realiz- ed. Men from among those who do the nations work have occupied high places in the councils of the nation and have had hearing and an in fiuence when matters were under consideration that affected the inter ests and the welfare of the masses.
 During the past four years, there has been enacted by Congress and signed by President Wilson human itarian protective legislation unpre cedented in amount and scope. Legis- lative enactment has secured to wage
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