The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-05
is FREEMAN WAR.
NOT CAPITALISTS
G0MPERS.
Disioyalty to America Is
Disioyalty To the Cause
of Freedom.

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 tho
purpose of the organization as the as
sembling for the support of the govern.
ment "all the moral and material
power OF the working class of the ma
ton"
1T shall be our task" he said, ito
interpret Americas democratic spirit
and purpose in this conflict to our fell
low workers, especially those of ter.
eign birth, and to combat every form
of propaganda. no matter by whom it
may be carried on, which tends to
weaken the loyalty and devotion Of the
masses and their willingness to strive
and sacrifice for the nation and its
high purpose"
The complete declaration of pripct-
pies as announced by Mr.. Gompers is
as follows:
las believers in the great and splen.
did vision of democracy and interna-
tionalism, the fraternalism and solidar.
ity OF all peoples, we assert at tdis
time our unqualified loyalty to the
Republic OF the United States OF
America and our determination 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 re-
quires loyalty TO America.
"Disloyalty to America in this crisis
is disloyalty to the cause OF freedom,
democracy and internationalism.
mo national selfishness impelled
this Republic to enter the war. the
impelling motive was the consuming
idealism born with the establishment
Of this Republic itself to preserve free.
dom not only for itself but for all IA.
lions, great and small, and the body of
international law which all the free
democratic nations OF the world re
spect and observe and only the brutal
autocracies seek to dishonor and de.
stroy. In such a conflict real stand.
ard bearers of democracy and true in
ternationalists can have no hesitation
in supporting our Republic which mas
made its own the cause and interests
Of all free peoples. 1t is therefore IN
truth not Capitalists war;" but
Freeman's war.
Fully impressed by these facts
realizing that a noble international
ism is implicit in our American cor.
ception OF national existence, it shall
be our purpose to bring to the support
of the government all the moral aud
material power OF the working class
OF the nation. 1t shall be our task to
interpret Americas democratic spirit
and purpose in this conflict to our fell
low workers, especially those of for.
etgn birth, and to combat every form
OF propaganda, no matter by whom n
may be carried on, which tends In
weaken the loyalty and devotion of the
masses and their willingness to strive
and sacrifice for the nation and itc
high purposes.
I'VE shall strip the mask from those
who in the name OF democracy, aati.
militarism, and peace are engaged in
the nefarious propaganda OF treach-
cry to all that these noble words repre-
sent. We Indignantly repudiate the
claim that this propaganda-which, be
it remembered, brings Joy and comfort
to German autocracy-has the sup
port Of the labor movement Of America.
Not even at the behest OF the so-calIod
peoples council will the organized
workers of America prostitute the Ia.
Dor movement to serve the brutal
power responsible for the infamous
rape Of Belgium the power that
would subject Russia to worse des.
potism than that OF the Romanoffs.
Democracy will not be served by
the victory Of autocracy, by letting the
Declaration Of Independence be sup
planted by the Kaiser's fiat.
"Miitarism will not be checked By