Evening journal., 1917-09-03
LOYAL LABOR RALLY
LAUDED BY WILSON
Letter From President to
GOmpers Denounces
Those Who Ignore
U. S.
PLOT AGAINST
COUNTRY IS SEEN

WASHINGTON. sept 3.--Hearty APP
proyal of the conference Of the Amer
can Alliance for Labor and Democracy
ia be held al Minneapolis tomorrow
and the task 10 Will undertake OF sup
pressing dlsloyslly has been given by
President Wilson in letter 60 Samuel
Gompers. president OF the American
Federation Of Labor and chairman OF
The alliance.
The letter. made public yesterday
dcn0unces those who seek 30 ignore
Americas grievance against Germany
and insist that q nation whose citi-
zens have been fOully murdered under
their own ilag whose neighbors have
been invited to join in making con-
quest Of its territory and whose pa
tience in pressing the claims of jus
tice and humanity has been met with
the most shameful policy OF turbulence
and treachery, does not know its own
mind and has no comprehensive rea-
son for defending itself"
The letter TO Mr.. Gompers: Il am
sure that you understand that my in
ability to accept the invitation 20 adj
dress The Minneapolis conference Of the
American Alliance for Labor and De-
mocracy is due to official necessity and
not in any degree 20 lack of appre-
citation Of the importance Of the oc-
casiOn. The cause you and your fell
low patriots uphold is one with the
cause we are defending with arms.
While our soldiers and sailors are doing
their manfu work TO hold back reac-
ton in It's most brutal and aggres-
siye form we must oppose at home the
organized and individual efforts Of
those dangerous elements who hide
disloyalty behind a screen Of specious
evasive phrases.
IL have read with real pride the
names of the men and women who are
10 take part in the Minneapolis con-
ference. Not one but has record OF
devoted service to fundamental democ-
racy; not one but has fought the long.
hard fight for equal justice, Drawing
every bitterness that the humblest life
might know larger measure of happi-
noes.
"With all my heart ! want them TO
feel that their devotion to country Is
In no wise a. betrayal of principle. and
that IN serving America today they are
serving their cause no less faithfully
than in the past. myself have had
sympathy with the fears of the work
| ers of the United States; for the ten
| dency Of war is toward reaction. and
/ TOO often military necessities have
been made an excuse for the destruc-
I ton Of laboriously erected industrial
and social standards These fears hap
pity, have proved 10 be bsseless With
/ quickened sympathies and appreciation.
| with new sense of the invasion and
nsidious dangers Of oppression, our
people have not only held every inch OF
| ground that has been won bv wears Of
] struggle. but have added 10 the grains
OF the twentith century along every line
Of human betterment. Questions OF
wages and hours of labor and industrial
readiustmentN have found a solution
which gives 10 the toiler a new dignity
and q new sense Of social and economic
security. / beg you 10 feel that my
support has not been lacking and that
the Government has not failed at any
point in granting every Just request ad-
Vanced by You and your assistants IN
the name of the American worker
NO one who is not blind can fail
tn see that the battle line Of democ-
racy for America stretches today from
the fields Of Flanders to every house and
workshop where toiling, upward striv-
ing men and women are counting the
treasures OF right and Justice and lib
erty which are being threatened bv our
present enemies.
1T has not been a matter OF sur
prise To NE that the leaders in GER
tain groups have sought TO ignore our
grievances against the men who have
equally misled the German people
Their insistence that a nation whose
rights nave been grossly violated.
whose citizens have been foullv
murdered under their own Gag. whose
neighbors have been invited 10 join
IN making conquest OF its territory.
whose patience is pressing the claims
or Justice and humanity has been met
with the most shameful policy of
turbulence and treachery, their insis-