Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-13
MILITARY TRAINING
FAVORED LABOR
National Leaders Announce
Support for Universal
Army Schooling
WILL SHARE IN SSUE
wASH1NGTON. March is.


Organized labor Of America today vir-
tually declared for universal military serv-
ice. The doctrine has been formally sub
scribed to not only by the millions of mem
bers OF the American Federation OF Labor.
but OF the 100000 or more members Of the
four big brotherhoods OF railways employees.
subscription TO the doctrine was an
nounced In 2400-word pamphlet issued by
the Labor Council. which. under the presi-
dencN or samuel fompers, concluded a
day-and- half session here early today.
The big Significant phase of the labor
councils action, II was pointed out by one
OF the highest authorities in planning for
national defense Is the fact that Gompers
Is an officer of the National Defense COun-
ell. aud AS such sits IN council with the
members OF President Wilson'S cabinet and
the nations biggest capitalists when that
body meets.
We speak for millions or Americans "
the pronouncement begins We are not
sect we are not a party We repre-
sent the organizations held together by the
pressure of our common needs We repre-
sent the part OF the nation closest to the
Fundamentals Of life. The power and use
Of industrial tools is greater than the tools
Of war and win In time supersede agencies
Of destruction.
"A world war IL ou. The time has not
come when war his been abolished
Whether we approve il or not we must
we must reckon The present European
war threatens At any moment
10 draw our own country INTO the
conflict"
The pamphlet then goes ON to point ont
that new methods and tactics of modern
war present problems vastly different from
those Of past wars.
I'm no previous war" reads a norton
has the organized labor movement taken a
directing part Labor has now reached
an understanding Of it's rights its power
and resources and must make def
mite constructive proposals
Labor demands the right in war times
to he the recognized defender of wage
earners against the same forces that i'm
previous wars have made national necessity
an excuse for more ruthless methods
Heretofore. it is declared labor has borne
the brunt of wars terrors and depriva-
tions,"
Industrial justice is the right Of those
living within our country the statement
continues. with this right there IL asso-
cated obligation.
I'm wartime obligation takes the form
Of service in defense of the Republic against
enemies.
We recognize that this service may be
either military or industrial, both equally
essential for national defense
we held this to be incontrovertibIe that
the Government which demands that mon
ana women give their labor mower their
bodies or their lives to its service should
demand also the service in the interest
OF human beings. Of all wealth and the
products OF human toil-property."
After denouncing influences which have
forced unequal sacrifice from labor in
previous wars, the sta atement says:
our labor movemenr dsrrusts and pro
tests against miltarism because it knows
that militarsm represents privilege and IL
the tool Of special interests. exploiters and
despOts"
But while il opposes miltarism 1t holds
that II is the duty Of nation to defend
itself aga inst injustice and invasion Z.
THE labor movement demands however
that clear differentiation be made against
military service for the nation and police
duty. and that military service should be
carefully distinguished from service In in
dustrial disputes"