The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-06-29

part Of our predecessors, that meant
going to Jail and even death to win,
that freedom Of the old country,
we've all challenged by military auto
crazy. am convinced that if it
was only the land and property of
Europe that was at stake and prime
ipIe was involved, it would not be
worth the sacrifice that is being
cXacted, while no king in Europe was
worth the sacrifice of single life
! appeal to you to use your imagin-
alton to realize what that cost means
in human life Loreburm stated that
the loss in killed and wounded in
Europe was fifteen million.
| give to you the fraternal greet
ings from a country whose heart is
bleeding, whose homes are desolate;
from the women whose boys are
gone, whose husbands have said good
bye for the last time from the
child who calls for daddy" only to
see the empty chair; from the woman
whose travail is in anguish-I bring
YOU fraternal greetings from all of
these, and express the hope that
this war may be the last, that demo
cracies may triumph and the peoples
cf the world may devclope that great
God-givcn life. As passed
through your great country
thought of its tremendous space, anC
even then it was only particle Of
the great globe, much Of it unoc-
cupied, and | was satisfied that old
Mother Earth from her bosom was
able to feed and clothe all the hu-
nan family. Decay will bring suf-
ficient death to regulate the popula-
TWO SPECIAL Y 7ST 7STSSS
ton without determination by one
another. There is room for all people
to live in peace and plenty if her
resources aIe organized and devel-
oped. Therefore, in spite Of the black
cloud hanging over the world and
the apparent mockery of speaking of
the International, when the war cloud
has passed the people at conflict will
begin to develope greater freedom
rid Of the military octopus that has
held them down, and even yet | be-
lieve that the brotherhood of man
will not be mere platitude of the
platform, but will be an achievement
of the forces of labor"
Can any man read the foregoing
without a quickening of the pulses,
a stirring of the blood a belief that
out of it all viii come opportunity
for the masses of earth never before
known in history. Those millions of
men in the trenches of Europe, pawns
of the greatest military machines
the world ever knew, cannot fail to
learn the lesson Of efficiency, Of dis
cipline, or organization, that is bring
ing its mighty combined power to-
ward the one goal of human de-
struction. Military genius has re-
duced to an exact science the art of
killing and each Of the nations, while
flinging its man power with reck
less prodigalty on the foe while in
actual combat, during a lull in the
fighting bends every effort to keep
the minds of the men cheerful, their
bodies we'll nourished and active.
After period at the front the men
are sent back in turn behind the
lines to recuperate and every known
resource to amuse and comfort the
men called upon. Why? To ere
ate superior man power, Think .
you the millions are coming back
from the war without the lessons of
governmental efficiency burning like
red hot brand within them? The
SYSTEM OF PRIVATE AND PUB
Lie EXPLOITATION OF THE
WORKER FOR PRIVATE PROFIT
is SURELY DOOMED AND THE
GREAT WAR is BRINGING THAT
HAPPY TINE FORWARD BY
LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
The trade union movement is
mighty potent force today in hu-
man society and its influence will
be felt more and more as the days
go by. 1t will be a determining
factor, representative Of the mass
Of labor for which it speaks in bring