The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-09-05
AMERICAS DEMOCRATIC
SPIRIT INTERPRETED
LABOR CLASS OF THE NATION, SAYS GOMPERS,
IS INTENSELY LOYAL
ASSOCIATED Press)

Minneapolis, Sept. 5.-Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor and chairman Of
| the American Alliance for Labor and
/ Democracy, which opened its national
conference here today, outlined the
| assembling for the support of the
government "all the moral and mater
| ial lowers of the working class of>the
nation"
"It shall be our task" he said, "to
/ interpret Americas democratic spirit
and purpose in this conflict to our
fellow workers, especially those of
foreign birth, and to combat every
whom it may be carried out, which
tends to weaken the loyalty and devo-
tion of the masses an dtheir willing
ness to strive and sacrifice for the,
nation and its high purpose"
The complete declaration of prin-
ciples as announced by Mr.. Gompers
| is as follows:
Gas believers in the great and
splendid vision of democracy and in
ternationalism, the fraternalism and
solidarity of al peoples, we assert
at this time our unqualified loyalty
| to the republic of the United States
| of America and our determination to
| the war in which it is engaged.
Loyalty to the ideals of freedom,
democracy and internationalism re-
quires loyalty to America. ~
"Disloyalty to America in this
ic1c 4a ~
freedom, democracy and information
alism.
"No national selfishness impeiled
this republic to enter the war. The
impelling motive was the consuming
ment of this republic itself to pre-
| 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 dis
honor and destroy. In such a conflict
real standard bearers of democracy
and true internationalists can have
| no hesitation in supporting our re-
cause and interests of>al free peo-
Piles. 1t is therefore in truth not
Capitalists war; but a freemen's
war.
"Fully impressed by these facts,
realizing that a noble International
ism is implicit in our American con-
ception of national existence, it shall
/! be our purpose to bring to the sup
port of the government all the moral
and material power of the working
class of the nation. 1t shall be our
task to interpret Americas democrat
ic spirit and purpose in this conflict
to our fellow workers, especially those
of foreign birth, and to combat every
form of propaganda, no matter by
whom it may be carried on, which
tends to weaken the loyalty and de-
votion of the masses and their will
| ingness to strive and sacrifice for the
nation and it's high purposes.
"We shall strip the mask from
those who in the name of democracy,
anti-militarism and peace are engaged
in the nefarious propaganda of treach-
cry to all that these noble words rep
resent We Indignantly repudiate
the claim that this propaganda
which, be it remembered, brings joy
and comfort to German autocracy-
has the support of the labor move
ment of America. Not even at the
behest of the so-called peoples coun-
ell will the organized workers of
America prostitute the labor move
ment to serve the brutal power re-
sponsible for the Infamous rape of
Belgium-the power that would sub
iect Russia to worse despotism than
that of the Romanoffs.
| EDemocracy will not be served by
the victory of autocracy, by letting
the declaration of independence be
supplanted by the kaiser's fiat.
"Militarism will not be checked by
surrender to the power which has
organized all the resources of civlll-
zation to the end of imposing its
brutal iron rule on the world.
"Peace will not be secured to the
world through the subjection Of the
free and democratic nations.
"We shall be as loyal to the strUg-
gle for freedom and democracy at
home as to the struggle for freedom
and democracy in international rela-
tions.
E'To the men and women of the
American labor movement, and to all
sincere friends of democracy and IN
ternationalism, we call for loyal sup
port to America and her allies in this
great struggle Let US make our be
loved republic strong and victorious
for the sake of humanity, and thus
Iinsurefor our children and their chill
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