The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-11-16

that kick over the traces will have
to be put in a corral" The presi
dents references to Mr. Gompera
were loudly applauded. ss
1 "While we are fighting for free.i
dom," Mr. Wilson asserted, after
these references, atwe must ssa
among other things that laBof :is1
free. We must see to it that tiaes
instrume entalities by which the con-
ditions Of labor are improved, arsI
not blocked and checked, nobody
has q right to stop the the . processes @ Z OH d
labor until all the I methods 81 81 coiissI Con-
Citation and settlement have been
exhausted 5. IS i59ss
The president took occasion also|
to denounee the mob spirit which
he said, is displaying itself haras
and there in this country He de-;
claredt that IT our men have not i 81
self control they are 8 not capable esMof| M
that great thing which s Ne VI, cali Il desnis
oeratie go1ernrneii t, :, sc q
A pledge Of loyalty to tie gosgfisl,
ment was contained III the aaislsnaiIis
report Of the executive council of
the federation which was subfmttsH
to the convention today. This rssI
tport, according to the usual II sprocs-s
Edure, was referred to- committees
named BY Mr. Gompers and its il sew
EeraE sections VIII he taKeni, 4 rip upa Ibys
the convention as spon as reportsi; p d
hack 3 q ). IS. ,ssS
Demand for .ad 4uate AID rSi sdsss ii;s'
Erect" representatio4 q wage .. earn: 81 4
err at the world peace conferenessis
made in the annual report Of fhs
laxecutive council Of the American
Federation Of Labor, submitted to:
day to the Federation ii, convention
here. The report declares that tligs
/ world war must WIPE fs out oit All xasss @
ltiges Of the old conceit that tie ns4ss
ton belongs to the ruler = is;
Questions raised by the war., oc.ss
l!cupy virtually the entire report NO
troom is left for doubt that the Un.5
lited States government has the un-s
.animous support of organized Am
erican labor in the war and IL Is:
asserted with equal emphasis that
tie vital interests Of tile average;
|lfitizen demand that he have q Soicst
I'm the .readjustments to come Win
1.-THE dawn Of peace. z, e
| Optimism over labor achieve
ments in the last year is tempered
with warning that benefits obtain-
ed from emergency opportunities
must be based on principles Of hui:
man welfare and not the result Of
taking advantage Of the nationE|
necessity. Freedom ST expression il,
upheld, but the report says thoss.
who abuse the freedom of the press
Ito undermine the nations free inS$l
stitutions should be punished q as
traitors. .3,.YJt; !,
President Wilson's war address to:
congress is included in the report
| with the declaration adopted by a.
meeting of union officials last March
when it was seen to be Inevitable
that the European confagration
would spread to America. Under.
the heading Labor and the War"
the report says: s, II
"Under all circumstances it is the
duty Of any government to protect
its people against wilfull and whole
sale murder. -. A people unwill-
ing to make the supreme sacrifices,
in support of the government which
undertakes to make that principle
good are undeserving to live and
enjoy the privilege Of. free, demos,
cratic government" FL e
The duty of wage-earners in the
war is emphasized particularly in,
1.-THE section of the report devoted to-
"Peace Terms" whcih advocates an
international agreement TO- secure
peace and the settlement Of the pre-
sent war without "vindictve" in
IDENTITIES or territorial changes. The
section says: ~
"It is an imperative duty from
which there is no escape that wage
earners as well as all other citizens
of this republic support our govern
ment in its righteous effort to de-
| fend principles of humanity and to
establish democracy in internation-
al relations. Because we desire.
permanent peace it is our duty to
fight and sacrifice until these pur-
poses can be achieved.
"When nations can send represen-
tatives to negotiate peace terms in
/ accord with this concept, we main