Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-12
LABOR CONVENTION
HEARS PRESIDENT IN
PLEA FOR SUPPORT

Samuel 0ompsrs and the labor leaders
support Of the government
All Methods Exhausted.
Nobody has the right" said the Pros
n ssSS the Of eoneson
been exhausted. And I do not speak to
you alone. I have found labor in many
instances more reasonable than the
Che resident appealed for cooperation:
~ said that he would like to see all
the critics exported"
He said. 1--WE must get down to business
I'VE never show ourselves Americans
by going Off in separate groups. to talk
by ourselves, but by cooperating In
common enterprise which Is to release
the spirit of the world from bondage" he
declared.
Tho President denounced organizations
which he said are trying to destroy the
should BE- dealt justice. II am opposed"
he said, TO our taking the law into our
own hands. as much as dislike the ac-
tivities OF these organizations"
Not the Man to Cooperate.
'-The man who takes the law into
operate in any development of laws
and institutions" the President as
serted. I'VE must not only take COM
mon counsel. but we must obey common
counsel
Instrumentalities must be devised
where they do not exist. said the Pres
ident. to bring the proper amount of
cooperation between labor and cap
''The reason I came away from Wash
ington," he continued. is that l get
lonely down there. There are so many
people in Washington who know
things that are not so. There are SO
many people in Washington who do
not know what the rest of the people
Of the country want, 1 have to come
away to find out"
The President concluded by saying:
TIN with you il you are with me-" ex-
planning he did not mean he wanted
cooperation with himself personally,
but as the representative Of the whole
United States government.
overshadowed Other Interests.
The coming of President Wilson
overshadowed the interest in all other
proceedings of the opening session of
the convention. Already recognized as
one of the most important conventions
in the history of organized labor in
this country. this feeling was intensi
fed by the announcement that the
President was coming to speak to
labor and through labor to the Ameri-
can people"
The Presidents car was detached
from regular train at q suburb early
today and brought into Buffalo as a
Drawn up at the Buffalo railroad
station was a regiment of troops from
Fort Niagara, which escorted the Pres
ident to the convention auditorium.
The arrival Of the troops at the station
soon attracted huge throng to greet
the chief executive, who has not been
here since his last presidential cam
paign. Great crowds also gathered
early at the auditorium.
Police Take Precaution.
Bunalo's police were out in force to
protect the President along the line of
march from the station. Mr.. Wilson
was on the program as the first speak
er, and his address was awaited with
the most intense interest by the $50
delegates, who gathered at convention
headquarters and marched to the hall !
in body. headed by band and led
by President Gompers. Mayor Fuhr-
man and prominent Buffalo business
men.
Next in Importance to the Presi-
dents address was the report of the
executive council. the keynote Of the
Preliminary committee
arising from the war would occupy a |
large part Of the weeks deliberations. |
and so far as their proceedings were |
made public there was every indfca- |
ton that the policies Of President
Gompers and his associates on the
council would be upheld.
Stirring Appeal to Working1nen.
with an appeal to all American work
ingmen to place their full and undi-
vided force behind the fighting men at
the front. and a stirring picture Of what
labor may expect II Germany wins the
war, President A. A. Landon OF the Buff
falo Chamber Of Commerce today wei.
coined the American Federation Of
Labor.
A former labor leader himself, who
has seen first hand in Europe how
troops in the field give their lives and
sSos oE naqsh wsn M M asaoa
appealed to all labor to sink everything
in q tremendous effort to do it's part to
win the war. President Wilson de-
clared Mr.. Landon. has said we are
not only fighting a war for democracy.
but war for industrial freedom and
self protection, war to conserve that
which we now have. A victory for
Germany would mean slavery for the
American people for generations to
come, and the people who work will be
the greatest sufferers.
A Bitter Lesson From England.
st was in England when the Princess
Pat Canadian regiment was literally
cut to pieces. You know they went
in q full regiment Of 2,400 men and
came out with $50 men and eight off,
GERS. and the most of them wounded.
The artillery had run out Of shells and
they had to crawl out on their bellies.
leaving approximately 1900 men be-
hind. dead and missing. They even had
to witness one of their officers crucified
before their very eyes.
"And what was happening In Eng
land? Necessary munitions were de-
1ayed three weeks for the reason that
the workmen were taking their usual
summers holiday.
German Agents Everywhere.
"And now we are in this war We
are still washing our dirty linen and
we have not as yet settled down to a
man propaganda is a broad one in
your delegates. and why not? They
were in the house Of parlia-
ment in England: they were in the
duma of Russia; they were in the
chamber of deputies Of Italy: they
were in the chamber Of deputie6 in
France; they had Greece by the throat,
and. II such Is the case, why should
they not be in our own legislative
bodies-national. state and municipal?
And Il there. I repeat. why not here?