The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-10-06

'Prlvate employers have taken advan-
tage of the war situation to seek to
extend the hours of employment and
to require fntolerable conditions. In
many cases tho employees have re-
volted against such processes and in
some cases have been branded by
greedy employers as nnpatriotics- be-
cause OF such opposition. ->
''The first concern Of this nation is
the well-being of its working people.
Its working people are the foundation
of its existence. They are loyal and
self-sacrificing to the last Degree And
because of their loyalty to America
they will not permit employers moved
by greed to inflict conditions out of
all harmony with the spirit of the
American nation.
IN the San Francisco strike, for
example, the working people were
willing to negotiate with the employ
ers through the machinery provided
by the government. The employers
were not willing to do this. This
Alliance insists that whatever odium
there may have been in connection
with this strike should have been
placed upon the employers.
1T may be we'll for the public to
know that labor's loyalty to the Amer
lean government does not mean serv-
ility to greedy employers. There have
been strikes Of organizd workers and
doubtless there will be more. Labor
is contending for a great principle
and it must meet in combat any and
all who oppose that principle, whether
these enemies be within or without
Democracy Is Watchword.
Essential democracy is the watch
word of the labor movement; it is the
goal of this alliance.
democracy can never countenance
the plundering of the people by any
profiteering group.
This alliance insists that one of the
gravest menaces America has to meet
is the menace Of that profiteering
group which places greed above
country.
1T is regrettable that energy must
be expanded against enemies within
at a time when the enemy from with
out presses so brutal1y at our gates;
it is regrettable that there are within
our borders any who will stoop to
take advantage of the nations need
for the sake of gain. But it is 50 in
every nation.
"As a helpful word, we point to
that clause in our declaration of prin-
ctples adopted at our national confer
ence in Minneapolis, which says:
1--WE declare that industrial enter
prises should be the servants and not
the masters of the people; and that in
cases where differences between own
ers and workers threaten a discon-
tinuance Of production necessary for
war, the government should assume
complete control Of such industries
and operate them for the exclusive
benefit Of the people, .,-; ...'
And also to the following two
sentences from the same declarations:
"'We declare that a sturdy defense
of the interests Of laborfs wholly COM
patible with supreme loyalty>to the
government.
.'"'Our loyalty to the government is
the loyalty Of free men who will not
acquiese in any surrender of princi-.
ple'" ....s ~. -.
And we cite the actions Of the
president of the United States, his ut
terances and his written statements,
as being in complete harmony with
the viewpoint here oppressed SOL
emn warning to those who would
plunder our people for gain that they
must desist, they must stop, or be
stopped. America requires loyalty
and devotion and service America
stands for democracyde democracy in
which the common people may find
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