The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-13
Makes Masterful Appeal to
American Workingmen to-
Do Larger Bit in War
STERN REPRESSION
FOR INDUSTRIAL FIGHTS
Neither Employees Nor EN-
ployers Will Be Allowed to
lmperil Nation-Rights of
All to Be Preserved
BY ROBERT Il. SMITH.


Buffalo, n. Y, November 1.-THE
threatened pacTflst revolt In the ranks
OF organized labor. fomented by
agents of the kaiser. was nipped In
the bud by President Wilson before
the American Federation of Labor
convention today in his masterful APP
peal to the American workingnaan to
do bigger bit in the winning Of the
war.
There may be peace resolution
introduced by some individual Boil
shevtki. hut 1t win not have the sup
port OF more than "a mere handful
of the delegates, Labor. as repre-
scented by the convention. left no
doubt tonight in the minds OF observ-
ers that IL means TO back the admin
issration 10 the last ditch In carrying
on the war "a complete victory.
PresldeI. Wilson's ringing address
marked tho clenlng of the cenven-
tton as the most momentous meeting
In the history OF the American work
ingmaR. In HIS customary clear-fcut
and concise language the president
laid down the policy OF the govern
ment in dealing With both capital and
labor In the conduct Of the war
Leaving no room for misinterpreta
ton. the president declared that he
xG4la- tss---s---
tanning the ,highes possible produe-
tieity In industry.
He called for the closest co~opera-
t.on Of employees mad employers and
made II clear that the government
would intervene to the Limit OF As war
powers to prevent the waste If con-
nlcis between labor and capital His
listeners perce.ves 3 vsfsf sigrgfcance
In his remark: Horses that kick over
A. - -
He handled the pacifists without
gloves. He told the delegates he
wanted peace. but insisted the only
WAY TO get 1t was br crushing Ger
many.
What am opposed to Ii not the
feeling OF the pacifists, but their stu
ptdity," he said. Amy people that
.-cempounds with the present German
gavarnnnert tn coaspoundinw with
their own destruction. want peace.
but | know how to get 1T
At the same time the president
. deeply deplored the spirit OF mob vio-
fence against pacifists.
II have been very much distressed
by the mob spirit that displays itself
here and there In the country" he
said Il have no sympathy with men
who take punishment into their own
n hands, / want TO enter my earnest
protest against lawiessness anywhere
in any cause. Democracy means, first
OF all, that we can govern ourselves
The man who takes the law into his
hands In not the right sort of man to
cooperate in the development of free
Institutions"
Governor Whitman. following the
presidents speech. made an address.
declaring The people of New York
we're supporting the administration
hole -heartediy In the conduct of the
war and would continue TO do so.
The opening sessions of the con-
ventions were taken up largely with
customary preliminary formaHsics
and the transaction of real business
| will not begin till tomorrow
William H Wilson. secretary OF
labor, himself member of the fed
Grafton, telegrarhcd from San Fran
cisco his regret at being unable to he
present and urging his old comrades
In labor to put aside all controversy
until the war Ia won.
ITO rne.f he wired, the prime me-
cessity is to lay aside our family quar-
reIs until we have disposed Of tho
enemy from without"
President Wilson stayed In Buffalo
;.aat long enough to deliver his mes
saxe to labor. He left the convention
hall immediately after he had nm
ished speaking and went at once to
tho train to return to washington.
Thirteen hundred student of1lccrs
from Fort Niagara, acting M hia
escort. gave his visit In Buffalo mill
tary aspect.
The greatest precautions were MAIN
tanned BY the local authorities to safe
guard the president. Tho hour OF his
arrival was kept secret and the crowd
was not permitted to enter the hall
until after the president's party had
mounted the speaker's p latform. II
was dismal. gloomy day. but
nearly SIX thousand parsons brayeA
the rain 70 hear the president
prestdent Wilson said III part:
| think that In order TO realize Just
what this moment OF counsel II It II
very desirable that We should remind
ourselves just how this war came
about ana Just what II - for.
you can explain most wars very
simply, but the explanation Of this u
HI nof u sfmptc tn roots run deep iato
| iii the obseure soils of histnry and in
,sav view this y the last decisive issue
d hstwesrl the old principles Of power
ana the new principles Of freedom.
49, rms NJ wna started by Germany.
Her authorities deny that they started
III 4 But am willing to lot the state
EE vsanf made await the verdict OF HIS
u fnry. And the thing that media to be
@ explained 4 Why Germany started the
WE 1ar.
s1 Germany n tho world wa4as envi-
81 shls ! position u any nation has ever
Ss ne.abied. The whole world stood at
n Ansiratjon u her wonderful tntellec-
M p s.Al and material achievements and
NJ m ~ iEto1lec<uAl men Of the world
M ~ Is school 70 her. ~ q univer-
a.