The sun., 1917-09-06
GOMPERS BIDS
LABOR BACK US.
Pacifists' Aid to Germany in
Russia Barred at Loyalty
Meeting.


American Alliance for Labor and De-
mocracy. organised to counteract the
activities of pacihsts and pro-GeSman
propagandists and TO bring the nations
labor forces up solidly behind the Gov
ernment in its prosecution Of the war.
opened a three day loyalty conference
here to-day.
f.. Hall. president Of the State Fed
Grafton Of Labor. called the meeting to
order and Frank p. Walsh. chairman of
the United States Commission on Indus
trial Relations. acted as temporary chair
man.
Several members of the Peoples Coun-
Gil Of America for Democracy and Terms
Of Peace, barred from meeting in Min
nesota and other States. were scattered
through the audience. including C. F.
Kruse, president Of the International
Brotherhood Welfare Association. and
one of the council leaders. Mahlon
Barnes. There was no attempt to re-
move them.
After the appointment OF a commit
tee on permanent organization the dele
gates recessed until midafternoon and
then received the committees report.
which followed by an address b!
Samuel Gompers. president Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor.
Gompers Praises Nation.
"A moments thought will decide tina,
| there never was in all the world a great
country that was so altruistic In purpose
and idealistic in its practices as is the
! republic Of the United States" said Mr.
Gompers. with thinking men ant
women count myself honored as one
, OF the critics of the shortcomings Of
our Government and our country. I an
not given to hide or to gloss over tn,
wrongs which are committed against oui
! people.
Under all circumstances I have pro
| tested against wrong committed
| against the meanest and humblest o
our people in the United States and hav,
tried to be helpful 30 that the wron,
should be righted and the right con
ceded and guaranteed because / realized
that we In the United States have no
yet reached the acme of perfection in
dustrially, politically. judicially or so
cially. Is that reason that I shoul
lack in appreciation Of that which ha
been done and that which has been &C
complished?
Take country for country, take tn
countries at war against each other
and see where liberty and conscienc
tion II win be admitted by those VIII
are fair enough to SEQ tho right and t
dare to utter the right that the democ
I racies OF the world are now engaged /
one titanic struggle to free the worl
from autocracy, Imperialism and mill
tarism with one fell stroke"
shocked by War.
Mr.. Gompers said ne had not believe
the war possible. And" he continued
IT doubt if there were many who wer
30 thoroughly shocked as ! was wit
the breaking out Of the European wa
But it had to come. and I have aske
myself. as would ask those other me
who have not yet awakened from the
delusion, Is 1t not time to recogniz
when your country and your home
being ravaged and overridden?"
'Is it not time to recognize that II
} red blood in a man demands that
| shall safeguard himself and his fello
man or he ought to perish IN the strui
gle?
"Now there are some people who ha'
} said that this question Of the declaratio
} Of war should have gone to refere
r dunn vote. wonder II there were
, band Of a dozen or more men who we
surrounding your home and who d
. erty and while you were considering Il
subject they were dischargins their r
!, volvers, killing your wife and your CHI
= rem, whether you would call meetii
! for the deliberatton of the subject and
: vote as to whether yoY should defer
I'VE want peace but to ask the Go
: ernment of the United States now
: state specifically the terms Of peace
to play. consciously or unconsciousl
= into the hands Of the enemy.
r After referring to reports of Germ'
s defeats in Flanders. the speaker shout
. amid applause:
}. Back. back. back from Flander
4 back from Serbia, and back. back fro
l- France. and then perhaps we must d
d tsrmins the conditions of peace. but n
q until then"
Traitor Is Called scab.
J. Continuing. Mr., Gompers said:
hold that traitor to his country
\ upon a par with the scab to his trat
As the result Of the efforts made by I
American Federation Of Labor befc
,. war WAS declared the rights to whi
"a the toiiers and the masses of our peol
q are entitled will be guaranteed by
II Government
y. Speakers at to-day's session denounc
IT as disloyal and seditious the activit
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