The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-07

American Federation of Labor Not Al.
lied With Peace Propa gandists, bu,
! Is Warmly Supporting Preparedness
In Defense of Nation-ldea of Move
ment Is Pan-Ameriean Federation.
Committed to program OF prepared
ness for the defense Of the United
States, the American Federation of La
Dor has embarked upon a movement to
band the working men Of the western
hemisphere into pan-American fedei-
alton to resist in their respective couna
tries dominance of militarism:
Endorsement of the project has been
obtained from all of the Latin Ameri-
can countries, and correspondence Is
now being carried on with these ma
tons by conference committee located
In Washington looking to the holding
In Washington In the near future Of q
great congress, at which every country
In the Americas would be represented
and a permanent organization would
be effected.
The proposed federation will have as
Its nucleus the 100000 organized ID
borers of the United States and the
more than 100000 enrolled In the fed
erations of the Latin American coun-
tries.
While the federation now contemplat-
ed would include only organized labor
In North, South and Central America
and the islands Of the West Indies,
this move is the first step toward a
world federation that would embrace
all nations and strive for common
aims. This truly international devel-
opment must wait, however, for the
restoration OF peace in Europe.
Resistance to military dominance of
any one Of the pan-American countries
over any other is the primary purpose
Of the proposed federation. 1t has
other aims, however, that look to pro-
motion Of material benefits under a
policy Of peace.
Through its efforts its promoters
foresee not only an establishment of
fraternal relations between the several
countries included, but a stimulation
Of commerce and the establishment of
closer trade relations generally.
The conference or provisional COM
mtttee which is now established In the
American Federation of Labor building,
Washington, is composed Of Samuel
Gempers, president of the AmerieSn
Federation Of Labor, chairman, John
Murray Of California, secretary, and
Santiago Iglesias, representing the or
gained workers of Porto Rico, and
Carlos Loveira, representing the organ
lied workers of Yucatan, Mexico.
In launching this movement the
American Federation of Labor was not
allying itself with peace propagandists
and antipreparedness elements in the
United States. Reminded that the
declarations against militarism might
leave this impression, Mr.. Gompers said.
ANY inference drawn from the man
ifesto which we have issued setting
forth our plan that we are against pre-
paredness for defense is unwarranted.
am member Of the advisory COM
mission of the council of national de-
Tense and spent every day of a recent
week in conference with that council.
I'VE are taking every action for pre-
paredness in defense of the rights and
interests of the people and the nation.
I'VE hope by our organization of the
Pan-American Federation of Labor to
prevent the exercise Of military domi.
nation Of any one Of the pan-American
countries over another. We hope to
give the peoples Of each of the Latin
American countries the opportunity of
working out their own problems and
developments so that the Latin Ameri-
can republics may cooperate for the
common defense and have opportunity
Of attainment of the highest ideals of
all our peoples"
Carlos Loveira and Baltasar Pages.
Mexican representative of labor, have
toured all of the Latin American coun-
tries in the interest of the proposed
federation, and Mr.. Loveira said that
absolute assurances or cooperation had
been obtained from the heads of organ
lied labor in each country visited.
One Of the principal. benefits which
will inure to the United States through
the establishment of the federation,
Mr. Loveira believes, will be the eradi-
cation of the impression held by many
Latin Americans, particularly the
masses, that the people of the United
States are obsessed with commercial
ism and dollar chasing" This impress
sion, he added, has initiated strongly
against permanent trade development
with the Latin Americans. A closer
relationship, he declares, is necessary
to promote trade between the United
States and her sister republics.