New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-12
PRESIDENT SPEAKS
To AMERICAN LABOR
Tells Federation That All Ameri-
ca Must Stand Together
THE PACIFIST STUPIDITY

4 I'VE Must Stand Together and the
Horses That Kick Over tho Traces
Must Be Put dn Corral, He Tells
| Delegates and Crowd.
!. Buffalo. Nov. 1.-THE coming of
President Wilson overshadowed the
interest In all other proceedings of
the opening session Of the s7th an
| nual convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor here today. already
recognized as one Of the most import
ant conventions in organized labor's
history in this country. This feeling
/ was intensified by the announcement
that the president was coming Ito
speak to labor and through labor to
the American people," The prest-
dents car was detached from regu-
lar train at suburb early today and
! brought here.
Drawn up at the Buffalo railroad
station was a regiment OF troops from
Fort Niagara, which escorted the
president to the convention auditor
1um. A huge throng at the station
!
not been here since his last presiden-
t1al campaign.
Samuel Gompers. president of the
Federation. in introducing Mr.. Wilson,
referred to him as this man Of des-
tiny, spokesman for freedom, inter-
prefer of the aims and spirit Of our
time, leader of thought and action
among the nations Of the earth"
Mr.. Wilson began by saying he es-
| teemed 1t a privilege and an honor to
be present, as 1t seemed to him time
above all others for common coun-
sci, "a time for drawing the ener-
gies of the nation together
The president referred to the pres
ent as "a time more critical than the
world has yet known
! 1t was important in that this mom-
ent of counsel to remind ourselves
how the war came about" he con-
tinued. "This is the last decisive is
sue between the old principle Of pow
er and the new principle of freedom.
He said "the war was started by Ger
many, her authorities deny it, but I
am willing to await the verdict Of
! history on the statement have just
made
Germany had place in the SUM-"
] the president continued. "Why was
she not satisfied? What moro does
she Want?'
He described Gcrmany's expansion
& :, nation. You have one answer to
the question why she was not salts
fled in her methods of competition"
he said, telling how the government
Of Germany had laid hold on indus
try and controlled competition. He
said it was not cnly industrial control
of labor but political control as we'll.
The Berlin-Bagdad railroad project
was designed to run the force Of
threat down the hanks of half doZ-
en- other nations.
The president referred to Germany's
map of Europe and said that If she
can keep that, she will control the
world, provided the present authori-
ties that control Germany can con-
| tinue to control.
Power cannot be used against free
people when the power is controlled
by the people," he added. statement
which the audience loudly applauded.
Germany is determined that the po-
litical power Of the world shall belong
to her 1t is amazing to me any
groups should be so misinformed, as
in certain circles Of Russia, as to be-
lieve that they can live without dam
ger from. Germany.
IT oppose not the feeling of paci-
fists, but their stupidity. The pacl-
fists do not know how to get peace,
but do"
The president referred to the send
ing of Col. House to Europe as "hav-
ing sent a greater lover of peace than
any man in the world. but I didn't
send him to negotiate peace; I sent
him to determine how the war Is to
be won.'
Taking up the labor question IN this
country the president said:
"If we are true friends OF free
dom we will see that the power and
productivity of the country shall be
kept at maximum. Nobody shall be
allowed to stand In the way. The
government won't keep them from do
ing this, but the spirit Of the Amer
lean people will.
1--WE must stand together night and
dav until the war is over,' said the
president, adding, "while we are
fighting for freedom we must ensure
the freedom Of labor. The horses that
} kick over the traces must be put in a
corral"
The president praised the work Of
Samuel Gonpers and the labor lead
ers' support of the government,
"NobOdy has the fisht, he salu, 10
stou the processes of labor until all
methods of conciliation have been ex-
hausted. And l do not speak to you
alone. I have found labor in many in
stances more reasonable than the
other side
The president appealed for Cooper
(Coniinued on Eleventh Page)