Norwich bulletin., 1918-09-02
President Sons
 Labor Day Message
Calls For Support of Labor With All Its Concentrated Power.

men of a single army. of many parts ! but commanded by single oblga- tion, by President Wilson IT Labor Day message made public tonight at the White House. That object is to win the war "the war of all wars which labor should support and sup port with all it's conSecrated power"
 At first. the president says. this hardly seemed more than a war of defense against military aggressio1 low it is clear that it is more than war to alter the balance of power of Europe, that Germany was striking at what free man everywhere desire and must have the right to determine their own fortunes. Labor day, 1918, therefore, is supremely significant, he declares, because:
 "The laborer is not only as much needed as the soldier. It is his war. i The soldier is his champion and rep resentative. To fail to win would be to imperil everything that the laborer has striven for and held dear since | freedom first had its dawn and his struggle for justice began"
 1 The presidents message follows: l "My Fellow Citizens: Labor Day, | 1918. is not like any Labor Day that
 we have known. Labor Day was all
 ways deeply significant with us. How 1 it is supremely significant. Keenly 1 as we were aware a year ago of the enterprise of life and death upon i which the nation had embarked, we did not perceive it's meaning as clear 1 ly as we do now. We knew that we
 were all partners and must stand and
 strive together. but we did not realize 1 as we do now that we are all enlisted
 men, members of a single army, of
 many parts and many tasks but com
 manded by a single obligation our faces set towards a single object We now know that every tool in every
 essential industry is a weapon, and
 weapon wielded for the same purpose that an army rifle is Bielded-a wea pon which if we were to lay down no
 rifle would be of any use
 And a weapon for what? What is
 the war for? Why are we enlisted? Why should we be ashamed if we Iwere not enlisted? At first it seemed hardly more than q war of defense l against the military aggression of Germany Belgium had been violated, France invaded and Germany was afield again, as in 1870 and 1888, to
 work out her ambitions in Europe; and it was necessary to meet her
 force with force But it is clear now 1 that it IS much more than war to
 alter the balance of power in Europe. IL IS now JIdlu. was SsIIh-
 ing at what free men everywhere de-
 sire and must haVe-the right to de-
 termine their own fortunes, to insi-t
 upon justice and to oolige govern ments to act for them and not for the priVate and selfish interest of q | goVernminS class. It is war to
 make the nations and peoples of the
 orld secure against every such power
 as the German autocracy represents. It is war of emancipation. Not until it is won can man anywhere live free
 from constant fear or breathe freely
 while they go about their daily tasks and know that governments are their
 servants. not their masters.
 This is, therefore. the war of all
 wars. which labor should support and
 support with all it's concentrated power The world cannot be safe. mems lives cannot be secure. no mans rights can be confidently and success fully asserted against the rule and mastery of arbitrary groups and spe- cial interests so long as governments like that which after long premedita- tion drew Austria and Germany into
 this war are permitted to control the
 destinies and the daily fortunes of
 men and nations, plotting while hon s est men work, laying the fires of which innocent men, women and chill Z dren are to be the fuel.
 | You know the nature of this war , It is a war which industry must sus tain The army of laborers at home is as important, as essential as the 2 army of fighting men in the far fields , of actlal battle. And the labor is not , only needed as much as the soldier Ii is his var The soldier is his cham l pion and representative. To fail tC :, win would be to imperil everythins | that the laborer has striVen for ano held dear since freedom first had its
 dawn and it's struggle for justice be- ' gan. The soldiers at the front know 2 this. It steels their muscles 10 thinl !. | Ci it. They are crusaders. They ar, I fighting for no selfish advantage fcl q their own nation. They would des' , pise anyone who fought for the sell U fish advantage of any nation They $ are giving their lives that homes ev.
 erywhere as well as the homes. they
 }lcve in America, may be kept sacred
 and safe. and men everywhere be fre' ' as they insist upon being free The 2 are fighting for the ideals of thei | own land-great ideals, immorta = ideals. ideals which shall light tn . way for all men to the places wher y justice is done and men live wit z Iiifted heads and emancipated spirits . JEat IS the reason they nSnL Wltl . solemn joy and are invinclble!
 Let us make this, therefore, a da,
 of fresh comprehension not only o
 what we are about and of renewed an
 clear eyed resolution but q day of con y secration also in which we devot y ourselves without pause or limit t y the great task of setting our ow1 e country and the whole world free t s render justice to all and of making It impossible for small groups of politi
 cal rulers anywhere to disturb ou
 reace or the peace of the world or i
 any way to make tools and puppet II ot those upon whose consent and upo ,, whose power their own authority an v, their own very existence depend.
 We may count upon each other
 The nation is of single mind It
 taking counsel. with no special clas! {, It is serving no private or single in o terest. Its own mind has been clear " ed and fortified by these days whic
 burn the dross away. The light of o Inow conviction has penetrated to ev iY cry. class amongst us. We realize a we never realized before that we ar ,. comrades dependent upon one anothe z, irresistible when united poweres .; when divided. And so we join hand ,n to lead the world to new and bette I- day.
 H1Ll.l lDonoononda