The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-06-09
JONES
TALKSA7 VIRGINIA
Well-Known Union Man Says
Present Struggle Will Has,
ten World Democracy.

VIRGINIA, June 1.-Senator Rich
ard Jones Of Duluth delivered the
Memorial day address in this city.
Discussing the relation of Memorial
day to the present war situation, Sen
'ator Jones said: \
This conflict will but accelerate the
coming of the day when man will
have the opportunity to develop the
best that is in him. 1t will hasten
democracy. Our only regret is that
other and less bloodless, means can
not be employed. But this is not our
fault. Militarism and all that goes
with it stands in the way. 1t stops
the march of progress and we are, l
believe, taking the only means left to
us, to join in one final effort that will
stamp it out as we would a plague.
wv. r. Alger said that true states
manship is the art of changing ma
ton from what it is into what it
ought to be-
IF this sentiment is true, and be-
lieve it is, then our duty as patriotic
citizens is to study the conditions,
moral and economic, of our country;
face them like real men and women
diagnosis of the case requires. Let us
follow the example Of the men whom
we honor today and who possessed
the courage and the determination to
sacrifice all in a cause that was just.
We cannot perform our duty as re-
sponsible>and patriotic Americans by
closing our eyes to the 1njustlces
which must needs cause social unrest
and impede our progress as an en-
lightened nation.
Are we trying to make it easier for
men to do right and more difficult for
them to do wrong? This is the ques-
ton that confronts us, the real sub
stance of the social problem.
"True patriotism involves more than
fighting our enemies abroad. 1t also
means that when this conflict is ended
we must eliminate those forces in our
industrial and social life which sap
the life-blood of the people and rob
them of their just inheritance.
There will be a national house
cleaning as soon as we can get around
to it. 1t will be thorough and sweep
ing. We shall institute regime when
men will be kings and when kings will
wear the garb of the civilian. This
conflict will develop men: who are big
enough to meet the tasks that will
face them.
1.-THE period of the Revolution gave
US Washington, Jefferson and Frank
lin. The Civil war gave us Lincoln,
Grant and Lee; men Of experience and
vision, who felt it their patriotic duty
t. change this nation from what it was
into what it ought to be.
Forget Party Lines.
"And at this time in our national
life we forget party lines, we Danish
political animosities and join one with
another in the bond of comradship,
Americans all, and thank God there
is in Washington today a man at the
helm of the ship of state who is big
enough for the job.
I'VE meet to celebrate the deeds of
those men Who were called upon to
give all they possessed to establish a
principle. They gave gladly, unset
.fishly, generously. The cause for
which they fought and bled was to
lift humanity to a higher level, to
ameliorate the conditions under which
men shall live. They gave their lives
to that cause, and the things we do
here and what we say here are but
feeble recognition of their noble deeds.
"Our mission should be to continue
that work now and after this war is
ended. Our resources and our insti-
tEtions will be put to a grilling test.
Patriotic citizens over the land will
applaud the sentiments of Samuel
Gompers, speaking for the great
American labor movement, in sending
Ills now famous message to the work
ingmen of the new Russia, pleading
with them to make common cause
with us to abolish all forms of auto
cracy and despotism, and to establish
and maintain for generations yet un-
horn the priceless treasures of JUS
tice, freedom, democracy and human
ity.'"