The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-05
COMPERS SAYS
We ARE WACINC
FREEMAN'S WAR
In Speech to Labor Dele
gates He Elays Peace
Prostitutes

Minneapolis, Sept. 5-Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor and chairman of the
American Alliance for Labor and
Democracy, which opened its national
conference here today outlined the
purpose Of the organization as the as
sembling for the support of the gov
eminent "alI the moral and material
power of the working class Of the ma
ton"
at shall be our task he said, "to
interpret Americas democratic spir-
It and purpose in this conflict to our
fellow workers. especially those of
foreign birth, and to combat every
form of propaganda, no matter by
whom it may be carried on, which
tends to weaken the loyalty and de-
votion of the masses and their will
ingness to strive and sacrifice for the
nation and it's high purpose
The complete declaration Of prin-
ciples as announced by Mr.. Gompers
is as follows:
"As believers in the great and
splendid vision of democracy and in
ternationalism, the fraternalisn and
this time our unqualified loyalty to
the Republic of the United States OF
America and our determination to do
all that lies in our power to win the
war in which it is engaged.
Loyalty to the Ideals Of freedom,
democracy ands internationalism re-
quires loyalty to America. 4
"Disloyalty to America in this cri-
sis is disloyalty to the cause Of free
dom. democracy and International
Ism.
ma national selfishness impelled
this Republic to enter the war. The
impelling motive was the consuming
idealism born with the establishment
Of this Republic itself to preserve
freedom not only for itself but for
all nations, great and small, and the
body of international, law which all
the free democratic nations of the
world respect and observe ana only
the brutal autocracies seek to dis
honor and destroy. In such conflict
real standard bearers of democracy
and true internationalists can have no
hesitation in supporting our Repub-
lie which has made it's own the cause
and interests of all free peoples. It is
therefore in truth not a Capitalists
war;" but a Freemen's war.
Fully impressed by these facts,
realizing that a noble International
ism is implicit in our American con-
ception of national existence. it shall
be our purpose to bring to the sup
port of the government all the NOR
al and material power of the working
class of the nation. 1t shall be our
task to interpret Americas democrat
ic spirit and purpose in this conflict
to our fellow workers, especially
those of foreign birth, and to COM
bat every form Of propaganda, no
matter by whom 1t may be carried
on, which tends to weaken the loyal
ty and devotion of the masses and
their willingness, to strive and sacri-
flee for the nation and it's high pur-
poses.
I'VE shall strip the mask from
those who in the name of democracy,
anti-militarism, and peace are en-
gagged in the nefarious propaganda, of
words represent. We indignantly re-
pudiate the claim that this propa-
ganda-which, be it remembered,
brings joy and comfort to German
autocracy-has the support of the la
Dor movement of America. Not even
at the behest of the so-called peoples
council will the organized workers
of America prostitute the labor move
ment to serve the brutal power re-
sponsible for the infamous rape of
Belgium-the power that would SUBJ
Ject Russia to worse despotism than
that of the Romanoffs.
Democracy will not be served by
the victory of autocracy, by letting
the Declaration of Independence be
supplanted by the Kaiser's fiat
"Militarism will not be checked by
surrender. to the power which has
organized all the resources of civilf-
zation to the end of imposing its bru-
tai iron rule on the world.
''Peace will not be secured to the
world through the subsection OF the
fyee and democratic nations
I'VE shall be as loyal to the strug-
gle for freedom and democracy in in
ternational relations.
ITO the men and women Of the
American labor movement, and to all
sincere friends Of democracy and in
ternationadsm, we call for loyal sup
port to America and, her Allies in
this great struggle. Let us make our
beloved Republic strong and victor
fous for the sake of humanity and
thus insure for our children and their
children the priceless heritage of
liberty and democracy. Let us, at the
same time, stand shoulder to Shout
der in the fight against the foes of
democracy, Industrial political and in
ternatiOQa1 has been attained