The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-11-15
WILSON WANTS
LABOR TO help
WIN THE WAR
President Says 1t Is Only Way to
Bring Peace.
ASKS FOR UNITED SUPPORT
Executive, In Address to American
Federation at Buffalo, Attacks
Paeifists as Stupid, Scores
Critics and Warns of Ne
cessity of Coop
Grafton.

| Grafton.
Buffalo, N. Y, Nov. 13.-In the most
stirring speech of his career, Presi-
lent Wilson addressing the American
Federation of Labor convention here,
pledged now all the power and re-
sources Of America to the destruction
Of the Prussian military autocracy, de-
| clared victory is the only road to peace
and called upon labor for redoubled
efforts towards the winning of the war.
Flags the Pacifists.
With fire unparalleled in all his
previous war speeches, the president
t1ayed the pacifist movement and made
1t clear that the patience of the gov.
ernpent Is near exhaustion In deal.
! Ing with the obstructionists.
Six thousand delegates and visitors
| cheered the president with an enthu.
siasm he has not met before in the
war. 1t left no doubt among his party
as to where labor is standing In the
conduct of the war.
'"This is a great privilege and
great honor" said the president. 81
gladly accepted the invitation because
1t seems to me that it was welcome
opportunity to speak to you some Of
the thoughts which have been gather
ing in my mind for the past few
months. I would be glad If you re.
gard me, not as the president, but
| man seeking counsel.
r. Causes OF War.
II think that in order to realize of
just what moment this counsel is, II
would be well to remind ourselves just
how and why this war came about.
"The war was started by Germany.
Her authors deny it, but / am willing
to await the verdict of history. Why
did Germany start the war? Remem-
Der the position of Germany In the
world. The whole world stood in ad-
miration Of her intelligence and mate
! rial achievements.
"As a university man have been
surrounded by men trained in Ger
many, Nowhere else could they get
such training. Her Industries were
perhaps the most competent in the
world. She had access to all markets
In the world, but men in those markets
feared Germany because of her almost
Irresistible competition.
"Her Industries were perhaps the
best in the world. Her label, Made
In Germany was a guarantee of good
workmanship. She had a place in the
sun. Why was she not satisfied
What more did she want? There
was nothing in a world of peace she
did not have, yet she was not satis-
| fed.
There Is no important industry In
Germany upon which government has
not laid its hand to direct and, If
necessary, to control 1t.
"They were the same kinds of COM
binations that we have tried to prevent
by law. The conditions of competition
were thus controlled by the German
government.
"A political control which would en-
able to control all labor and industry
Of the world was behind 1t all.
Look at the map Of Europe-Ger-
many, in thrusting again her peace
proposals upon us, talks Of Belgium,
northern France, Alsace-Lorraine.
Those are deeply interesting, but they
are not talking about the heart Of the
matter.
Vast Dominion.
Look at the map of Germany's do
minion. l saw a map the other day
appropriately printed in black, and the
black stretched all the way from Ham.
burg to Bagdad. r..
IF she can keep that, her power can
disturb the world, always provided she
exertS the present influences in the
country and the government can still
control
Germany is determined that politI-
cal power of thesworld shall belong to
her. There have been such ambitions
before; they have been real. But new
er before were they based on such an
exact and scientific plan Of dominion.
Power Of Freedom.
Power cannot be used against free
peoples, If it is used by free peoples.
"What am opposed to is not the
feeling of the pacifist, but their stu
pidity, My heart is with them, but
my mind has contempt for them.
ANY people that compounds with
the present German government Is
compromising for its own destruction.
~ want peace, but I know how to
get 1t and they DON'T
A great cheer went up as the presi-
dent spoke these words.
"You will notice sent a friend of
mine, Colonel House, to Europe, who
is rs great lover of peace as there
is in the world, but / didn't send him
on a peace mission. / sent him on a
mission to find out how the war can
be won.
"He knows, as know, that the way