The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-09-21
LEAD OF LABOR UNION
~e..,nolv Commends Course of
president Wilson; Pledges
labor Unions to Support the
Government in Prosecution
Of the War.

Samuel mpe PicoIuSh. VI tne
AMERICAN Federation of Labor, late
today pledged the united support Of
orcanized labor to the government ir
rs prosecution of the war, assaile6
neace propagandists and denounced
he futile activities of those who
would split labor's ranks on the ques.
tion of war.
He attacked the arguments of those
vbo declare the working masses want
neace. and challenged prof. erman
focieties to step forth into the open
and match their disloyalty against
J labor's loyalty.
It was the keynote speech Of the
conference of the American alliance
for labor and democracy, of which
Mr.. Gompers has just been named
permanent chairman, and was punct-
hated by applause from the 200 &C.
credited delegates-labor leaders and
former leaders of the socialist party
assembled in the auditorium.
John Spargo, former member of
the executive committee of the So
cialist party nominated Mr.. Gompers,
and was himself named vice chair
man. Frank Morrison, secretary of
the American Federation of Labor.
was elected secretary and T. ]. Mead
of Maryland assistant secretary. Com
mittees on permanent organization
and resolutions were named.
Several Paciists Present.
Several members OF the PEOPLES
Council of America for Democracy
and Terms of Peace, barred from
meeting in Minnesota and other
states, wefe scattered throughout
the audience, including c. F. Kruse.
president of the International Broth
erhood Welfare Association, and the
council leaders, Mahlon Barnes and
D. Shier. There was no attempt to
remove them.
ITO ask the government to state
its terms of peace 10Y is playing into
the hands Of the enemy" said Mr..
Gompers, referring to one of the
Peoples Council demands.
The Alliance, which met here to
offset the work of such organizations
as the Peoples Council, and "to
more completely A~mericanize labor"
will establish local branches through
out the country.
and" predicted Mr.. Gompers.
Frank P. Walsh of Kansas and other
speakers, "in three months the wave
of patriotism will have swept aside
the disloyalists and thrown their ac-
tivities open to the eyes of the world"
Compers Addresses Mass Meeting.
Mr.. Gompers spoke before local
business men this noon, and tonight
addressed a mass meeting. Before
his late afternoon address, the newly
organized alliance made public it's
declaration of principles.
Mr.. Gompers tonight said in part:
"A moments thought will decide
that there never was in all the world
a great country that was so altruistic
in purpose and idealistic in it's prac-
tlees as is the republic of the United
States. With thinking men and wo-
men count myself honored as one
OF the critics of the shortcomings of
our government and our. country. l
am not given to hide or to gloss
over the wrongs which are commit
ed against our people.
Under all circumstances l have
protested against a wrong committed
against the meanest and humblest
OF our people in the United States.
and have tried to be helpful so that
the wrong should be righted and the
right conceded and guaranteed, be-
cause l realized that we in the United
states have not yet reached the acme
OF perfection industrially, politically,
]udicially or socially. Is that a reason
why | should befoul my own nest?
that a reason that / should lack in
appreciation of that which has been
lone and that which has been ac-
complished?
Take country for country, take
tne countries at war against each
other and see where liberty and a con-
and freedom prevail, and be-
yond question it will be admitted by
hose who are fair enough to see the
right and dare to utter the right,
nat the democracies of the world
are now engaged in one great titanic
struggle to free the world from au-,
imperialism and militarism
with n fell stroke.