The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-03-23
MOST VIGOROUS ARAIGNMENT
OF MILITARISTIC TENDENCIES


written the following ringing letter
to Samuel Gompers, President of the
American Federation Of Labor. Mr..
Pinchot is a deep student of poiltico-
which is threatened to the apathetic
citizens of this country. Read this
letter:
March 10, 1917.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers, President,
American Federation of Labor,
Washington, D. G.
My Dear Mr.. Gompers:
/ take the liberty of writing to you
in regard to proposition which is,
| think, both vital and immediate.
Though not member of the labor
group, and l therefore address you
with all humbleness, | have long be-
lieved that the labor movement stands
as the main hope of democracy in
this country And l know that in
particular the American Federation
of Labor has been a great and eff
fective instrument of progress, both
for labor and the general public. It's
recent service in defeating the Padg
ett amendment, in preventing the re-
peal of the eight hour law for those
employed by the government and on
government contracts, in obtaining
the Seamen's Bill, in preventing COM
pulsory arbitration, in opposing the
espionage bill, etc, has again shown
the conscience and power of the
Federation as an active agent of civ
ilization.
Political parties are essentially sell
fish. Reform and civic bodies are all
right in their way, but they gener-
ally devote themselves to superficial
movements, that do little harm, ex-
cept to waste the energy of those
who might be usefully employed. Sup
ported and directed by the exploiter
class, they are eternally trying to
find some way to help the poor, with
out interfering with the privileges
of the rich The church does not
play helpful part in the economic
struggle; its tendency is to sustain
privilege But the labor group is es-
sentially different; it stands out as
the only organized body in which
there is great hope-the only one that
is ready to make sacrifices for the
fundamental principles of democracy.
The labor group is vital, because it is
not fighting for dividends and privil-
eges, but for humanity's basic needs
of the spirit as well as the body.
Within the last year, a new menace
to labor and to democracy has arisen.
1t is compulsory military service.
Many men, who are patriotic and dis
interested, are mistakenly standing
for compulsory military service. 9th
ers, who are not so patriotic or dis
interested, are also standing for it.
| wonder if either of these groups,
wonder if you yourself have thought
out what compulsory military serv-
ice has meant to Europe, and what it
will mean to the United States, and
especially to the labor movement.
Whether we call it democracy or
liberty, the best thing we have here
in America is national ideal toward
which the progressive forces, and
especially the labor movement, are
constantly working. This ideal is
that the citizen shall have the most
possible freedom and initiative in
thought and action, and the best pos
sible opportunity to make a living;
and, at the same time, to develop
along natural and constructive lines.
This American ideal vigorously re-
pudiates the old European system,
which forces the citizen into rigid
mould designed for him by the gov
erning classes of society.
If the fight for democracy is to
be won in this country, we have got
to keep one thought clear and one
principle sacred. The initiative and
independence of the average man
must be protected. 1t is the sole
foundation of our democracy. The
moment you find the American citi-
zen disciplined to authority and train
ed to look for leadership to super
ior class, at that moment you have
lost democracy and with it all that is
vital or valuable in American life.
You take boy of eighteen or
nineteen, at the time when he is just
beginning to build the permanent
structure of his character; you put
him in uniform and drill him; you
make his body automatically obed-
lent to the orders of his officer (gen-
orally a member of the privileged
L..