The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-05
LABOR ASSERTS
ITS LOYALTY
Loyalty to Ideals of Freedom
and Democracy Requires
Loyalty to America
SAMUEL GOMPERS
OUTLINES PURPOSE
Democracy Will Not Be
Served by the Victory
of Autocracy"

Minneapolis, Sept Samuel Com
pers. president Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, and chairman of the Amer
lean alliance for labor and democracy
which opened its national conference
here to-day, outlined the purpose of the
organization as the assembling for the
support of the government "all the moral
and material powers of the working class
of the nation"
at shall be our task" he said "to
interpret Americas democratic spirit
and purpose in this conflict TO our fell
low workers, especially those of foreign
birth, and to combat every form of
propaganda, no matter by whom il may
be carried on, which tends TO weaken
the loyalty and devotion of the masses
and their willingness TO strive and sac
rifce for the nation and its high pur-
pose"
The complete declaration of principles
as announced by Mr.. Gompers is as fol-
lows:
"As believers in the great and splen-
did vision of democracy and information
alism, the fraternalism and solidarity
of all peoples, we assert at this time our
unqualified loyalty to the republic of the
United States OF America and our deter
mination to do all that lies in our power
to win the war in which it is engaged.
Loyalty to the ideals of freedom,
democracy and internationalism requires
loyalty to America.
"Disloyalty to America in this crisis
is disloyalty to the cause of freedom, de-
mocracy and internationalsm.
mo national selfishness impeled this
republic to enter the war. The impeiling
motive was the consuming idealsm born
with the establishment OF this republic |
itself to preserve freedom not only for
itself but for all nations, great and |
small, and the body of international law
which all the free democratic nations of |
the world respect and observe and only |
the brutal autocracies seek TO dishonor
and destroy. In such a conflict real
standard bearers of democracy and true
can have no hesitation
in supporting our republic which has
made it's own the cause and interests
of all free peoples II is therefore in
truth not capitalists war but free
mans war.
Fully impressed by these facts. real.
izing that noble internationalism is
Implicit in our American conception of
rational existence, it shall be our pUr
pose to bring to the support of the gov
eminent all the moral and material pow
n of the working class OF the nation |
It shall be our task to interpret Ameri
as democratic spirit and purpose in this 1
conflict to our fellow workers espe {
tally those of foreign birth, and to COM
rat every form of propaganda, no mat
er by whom it may be carried on, which i
ends to weaken the loyalty and devotion !
# the masses and their willingness to |
trive and sacrifice for the nation and
is high purposes. y
"We shall strip the mask from those !
Who in the name of democracy, anti-mil
tarism, and peace are engaged in the $
propaganda of treaehery to all
hat these noble words represent. We b
repudiate the claim that this c
which, be it remembered y
rings joy and comfort to German au- n
ocracy, has the support of the labor
1ovement of America. Not even at the f
chest of the so.called peoples council s.
ill the organized workers of America b
rostitute the labor movement TO serve
he brutal power responsible for the in e.
lmous rape of Belgium-the power that t,
,ould subject Russia to a worse despot Il
IN than that of the Romanoffs.
Democracy will not be served by the OF
ictory of autocracy by letting the Dec m
ration of Independence be supplsnted A
V the kaisers fiat b,
"Militarism will not be checked by sur OF
,nder to the power which has organized Il
Il the resources of civilization to the
I'D of imposing its brutal iron rule on al
he world. di
peace will not be secured to the world es
rough the subsection of the free and b
,mocratic nations. di
we shall be as loyal to the struggle ri
II freedom and democracy at home as di
the struggle for freedom and democ tn
cy in international relations.
ITO the men and women of the Amer 10
an labor movement, and TO all sincere II
lends of democracy and International vi
m, we call for loyal support to Amer WI
a and her allies in this great struggle. Ca
Il US make our beloved republic strong of
ID victorious for the sake of humanity, pr
ID thus insure for our children and lCr
cir children the priceless heritage of Ri
,erty and democracy Let us, at the ca
me time, stand shoulder to shoulder Ri
the fight against the foes of democ- W
cy within out own borders, resolved Pc
yer TO rest until the goal Of democ tel
cy, industrial, political and interna
NAL has been attained sci