The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-03-24

their beliefs, their demands and their
purposes through voluntary agency
which they have established-the organ
lied labor movement. This agency is not
only the representative of those who di-
rectly constitute it, but it is the repre-
sentative of all those persons who have
common problems and purposes but who
have not yet organized for their achieve
ment.
Whether i'll peace or in war the organ
lied labor movement seeks to make all
else subordinate to human welfare and
human opportunity The labor move
ment stands as the defender of this
principle and undertakes to protect the
wealth-producers against the exorbitant
greed of special interests, against prof
iteering, against exploitation, against the
detestabe methods of irresponsible
greed, against the inhumanity and crime
of heartless corporations and employers
Labor demands the right in war times
to be the recognized defender of wage
earners against the same forces which
in former wars have made national ne
cesity an excuse for more ruthless me-
thods.
AS the representative of the wage
earners we assert that conditions of
work and pay in government employ
ment and in all occupations should con-
form to principles of human welfare
and justice.
A nation can not make an effective de-
fense against an outside danger if
groups of citizens are asked to take part
in war though smartng with sense
of keen injustice inflicted by the govern
ment they are expected to and will de-
fend
The cornerstone of national defense
is justice in fundamental relations of
life-economic justice.
The one agency which accomplishes
this for the workers is the organized
labor movement. The greatest step that
can be made for national defense is not
to bind and throttle the organized labor
movement, but to afford its greatest
scope and opportunity for voluntary eff
fective corporation in spirit and in ac-
ton.
During the long period in which it has
been establishing itself, the labor move
ment has become dynamic force in
organizing the human side of industry
and commerce. 1t is a great social fac
tor, which must be recognized in all
plans which affect wage-earners.~
Whether planning for peace or war
the government must recognize the or
ganized labor movement as the agency
through which it must cooperate with
wage learners.
Industrial justice is the right of those
| living within our country. With this
right there is associated obligation In
war time obligation takes the form of
service in defense of the republic against
enemies.
We recognize that this service may
be either military or industrial, both
equally essential for national defense
We hold this to be incontrovertible that
the government which demands that
men and women give their labor power,
their bodies or their lives to its service
should also demand the service, in the
interest of these human beings, of all
wealth and the products of human toll
property.
We hold that if workers may be asked
in time of national peril or emergency
to give more exhausting service than the
principles of human welfare warrant,
that service should be asked only when
accompanied by increased guarantees
and safeguards, and when the profits
which the employer shall secure from
the industry in which they are engaged
have been limited to fixed percentages.
We declare that such determination
of profits should be based on costs OF
processes actually needed for product.
Workers have no delusions regarding
the policy which property owners and
exploiting employers pursue in peace or
in war and they also recognize, that
wrapped up with the safety of this re-
public are ideals of democracy, a heri-
tage which the masses of the people re-
ceived from our forefathers, who fought
that liberty might live in this country
a heritage that is to be maintained and
handed down to each generation with
undiminished power and usefulness.
The labor movement recognizes the
value of freedom and it knows that
freedom and rights can be maintained
only by those willing to assert their
claims and to defend their rights, The
American labor movement has always
opposed unnecessary conflicts and all
wars for aggrandizement, exploitation
and enslavement, and yet it has done its
part in the worlds revolution, in the
struggles to establish greater freedom
democratic institutions and ideals of hui
man justice.