The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-11-17
PRESIDENT WILSON AND LABOR.

PRESIDENT WILSON AND LABOR.
The address of President Wilson
at the opening session of the Ameri-
1can Federation of Labor at Buffalo
Monday marks the beginning of
new era in the political and eco
nomic history of the nation. Mr.
Wilson is the first president of the
United States to appear in the coun-
ellis of organized labor. He came
not to speak 1.-The words of authority,
but the words of counsel, the words
which men must speak to one an
other, who wish to be frank in a
moment more critical perhaps than
the history Of the world has ever
yet known" and President Wilson
did not speak in vain. His speech
will be read with interest and en-
thusiasm in the home of every
American workingman and every pa
triotic wage-earner will respond to
it's sentiments with zeal and 10y
atty capable of no double meaning.
The president first pledged that
the government would support labor
in the maintenance of it's rights.
''There must be no reduction of
Standards" he declared. while we
are fighting for freedom we must
see. among other things, that labor
is free; and that means a number of
interesting things. 1t means not
only that we must do what we have
declared our purpose to do-see that
the conditions Of labor are not rem
dered more onerous by the war-but
also that we shall see to it that the
instrumentalities by which the con-
ditions of labor are improved are not
blocked. That we MUST do" Could
anything be more honestly or more
frankly put to give hope and encour-
agement to the American men of
labor? Surely they have a friend
and champion in Woodrow Wilson.
Now with this assurance of friend
ship the President asks every person
in the land to get behind the govern
ment in this great crisis. Labor's
future is wrapped up in the defeat of
German militarism and the triumph
of democracy. Freedom cannot
breathe the same air with Prussian-
ism and live. It's fate depends as
much upon the loyalty of labor as it
does upon the valor of our troops.
The situation is such that the full
man power of the nation, on the
farms, in the mines, on the rail-
roads, in the workshops and factor
les, must be kept in constant and
in uninterrupted motion. 1--WE must
stand together night and day until
the war is over" says the President.
There must be no cessation of in
dustry. Nobody has the right to
stop the processes of labor until all
methods of Cancellation have been
exhausted. And l do not speak to
you alone. l have found labor, in
many instances, more reasonable
than the other side.''
In this presentation of the matter
President Wilson appeals to the good
sense and patriotism of all. Work
ingmen are not getting square
deal. Wages and prices have lost
their balance. Perhaps the machin-
cry recently set in motion by the
government for the control of prices
will relieve conditions when it shall
operate more smoothly, but in the
meantime labor is not being paid a
living wage and profits are piling up
tremendously. In spite of this fact
organized labor will go the limit to
prevent strikes. Union men know
the priceless value Of liberty. They
know that if Germany wins the war
opportunity for further advancement
will be destroyed, and with this in
mind they are prepared to make
every sort of sacrifice to bring VIC
tory to our country and her allies in
their titanic struggle against the
most powerful and brutal machine
the world ever knew.
1t becomes crime akin to treason
to call a strike at this crucial hour
without first giving the government
an opportunity to adjust BY concilia-
ton the grievances complained of.
The workingmen who fail to utilize
the agencies provided for such pur-
pose and who at this time rush pell-
NELL into a strike have little regard
Tor our country's welfare, and the
sacred cause for which she is fight
ing.
On the other hand no patriotic en-
1loyer worthy Of the name" will take