Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-13
GERMANY PURPOSE
THREATENS ALL MEN.
ASSERTS PRESIDENT
Esprit of Freedom Does Not
Suit Plans of Pan-Germans,"
Concentrating Power Against
Free Peoples

| AUDITORIUM, BUFFALO, N. Y, Nov.
12.-President Wilson made a personal
and eloquent appeal here today for the
full support of organized labor for
the government in the conduct OF
the war. Speaking before the annual
convention of the American Federation
of Labor. he declared the war could not
be won unless all factions unite in a
common cause, sinking their differences.
The president paid warm tribute to
Samuel GomPers, president of the feder-
alton, and virtually called upon the fed
Grafton to give him united support. He
denounced pacifsts and critics. He ap-
pealed for cooperation.
Discussing Germany, the president de-
clared fatty that Germany had started
the war and that he was willing to
await the verdict of history on that
statement.
New instrumentalities for better CO.
operation between labor and capital was
one statement by the president which
was of prime interest to the delegates
to the convention. The president alluded
to the present war "as the last decisive
issue between the principles of power
and the new people of freedom. -
| 81 believe" he said, that the spirit
of freedom can get into the hearts Of
Germans and find as fine a welcome
there as IT can find in any other hearts
But the spirit of freedom does not suit
the plans of the panLGermans. Power
cannot be used without concentrated
force against free peoples if It is used
by free people"
WOULD ENSLAvE AUSTRIA.
| You know" he continued, how many
intimations come to us from one OF
the central powers that it Is more anx-
ious for peace than the chief central
|
the people in that central power know
that if the war ends a sit stands, they
will in effect themselves be vassals of
| Germany, Notwithstanding that their
populations are compounded of all the
people of that part of the world, and +
Notwithstanding the fact that they do
not wish in their pride and proper spirit
lof nationality to be absorbed and domi-
mated"
Referring in another part of his speech
to Russia. the president said:
| May L not say 1t is amazing to
me that any group of people should be
so ill-informed to suppose, as some
groups in Russia apparently suppose.
that any reforms planned in the interest
of the people can live in the presence
of Germany powerful enough to under
mine or overthrow them by intrigue or
force, any body of free men that COM
pound with the German government
compounds for its own destruction"
FULL TEXT OF SPEECH
The text of the presidents speech fol-
| lows: ...-
SMr President, Delegates Of the
American Federation of Labor, La
dies and Gentlemen: / esteem it
| great privilege and real honor to
| be thus admitted to your public
councils. When your executive
committee paid me this compliment
cepted the Invitation because it
seems to me that this above all
other times in our history, Is the
time for common counsel for the
this is the last decisive issue be-
tween old principles of power and
the new principles of freedom.
drawing not only of the energies
but of the minds of the nation to-
gether. L thought that it was a
welcome opportunity for disclosing
to you some of the thoughts that
have been gathering in my mind
during the last momentous months.
l am introduced to you the
president of the United States, and
yet 1 would be pleased If you would
put the thought of the office into
the background and regard me as
one of your fellow citizens who has
come here to speak, not the words
of authority, but the words of
counsel, the words which men
should speak to one another, who
wish to be frank in a moment more
critical perhaps than the history
of the world has ever yet known.
moment when it is every mans
duty to forget himself, to forget
his own interests, to fill himself
with the mobility of a great ma
tional and world conception, and
act upon a new platform elevated
pFoir Of fn
elevated to where men have views
of the long destiny of mankind.
ISSUE TO BE DECISIVE
think that in order to real
ize Just what this moment of coun-
sci is it is very desirable that we
should remind ourselves just how
this war came about and just what
il is for You can explain most
wars very simply, but the explana-
ton of this is not so simple. Its
roots run deep into all the obscure
soils of history, and of my view Z
The war was started by Germany
Her authorities deny that they
started it, But 1 am willing to let
the statement l have just made
await the verdict of history. And
the thing that needs to be explain
ed is why Germany started the Ear
Remember what the position of Ger
ranv in world was-as enviable a
position as any nation has ever at
tanned. The whole world stood at ad-
miration of her wonderful intellec-
tual and material achievements ana
all the intellectual men of the world
went to school to her. As a univer-
sitv man. l have been surrounded by
men trained in Germany, men who
had resorted to Germany because no
where else could they get such
thorough and searching training,
particularly in the principles or
science and the principles that