The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-06-10
No Action Should Be Taken
Which Cannot Be Justified
to the Men in Service
SAYS GOMPERS TO
AMERICAN LABOR
Annual Session of American
Federation Of Labor
Starts at st. Paul


ing weapon, irresponsible diplomacy
must perish; democracy, justice, freedom
and absolute confidence between govern
ments and people must be established,
is the verdict OF American labor upon III
country's participation In the war, ex
pressed day by the report of President
Samuel Gompers and the executive coun
Gil of the American Federation of Labor
TO the annual convention in session here
Workers in war production are prac'
tcally part of the fighting force the
report declares. NO action should be
taken in the shops or on the field not in
harmony with the purposes of the war
No strike should be inaugurated which
cannot be justified to the man risking his
life on the firing line in France.
"A crisis in world affairs has been
reached. The battle lines of our allies in
France are menaced by the forces that
represent autocratic government. Each
day and hour of the coming months will
hold in fateful balance the destiny of
the governments and the peoples repre-
senting the ideals which bring into being
and maintain governments directed by
the people themselves.
America was drawn into this world
war by the challenge of those autocratic
forces which enthrone might as their
chief aim. With the growth of achieve
ments of our republic, this nation has
stood as a beacon light to all the OPP
pressed peoples of the earth. Our insti-
buttons have radiated to the remotest
parts of the globe, concepts of govern
ment guided and maintained by the will
of its people. As a people imbued with
the highest ideals of justice, the fact that
the allied armies have their backs to the
wall fighting the minions of autocracy
makes the present moment assume
ragged and dangerous front and moves
us to the solemn duty of self -examina
our full part"
With equal emphasis insisting that
Just labor policies govern war production,
he report declared:
"Those contributing to production
'hould have part in its control
Every worker has right to be freed |
rom all avoidable uncertainties of EN-
,loyment, both from those arising
through poor labor administration and |
rom mismanagement in production and
he efforts of speculation in raw mate
ias or finished products.
in looking toward the future, we feel
eenly that the nature of social develop
,ent viii depend largely upon the prin-
iples which workers shall demand as the
asis for relationships.
"We are each day building labor's
ouse of tomorrow. If that structure
to endure the test it must be founded
pom the bed rock principles of equality
nd democracy in relations between men.
THE present war is an extraordinary
pportunty to determine those prin-
piles This life and death struggle be- |
Eeen the nations of the world is a lab
ratory which is disclosing the strength
+ weakness of every social relationship {
nd institution. War is forcing us back
} the essentials of life. War is a funda '
'entally cooperative action of organic !
,ciety. The present war is on such c
gantic scale that every part of ma {
onal life is involved. The whole ma
on is in the war. The spirit of war t
,tivity and organization is essentially B
'cal The national organism is at stake '
8 war necessity we are seeking the 7
'inciples which will assure the most t
icient cooperation. This cooperation
ust come from the two primary forces o
society--the possessors of creative la d
n power and controllers of capital" il
In behalf of labor, offering this CO. C
eration, the report renewed its declara- o
On that labor cannot be classed as 8
and demanded equal right s.
representation and equal voice on all 3
encies determining matters affecting =
cir interests and welfare, whether in II
ivate or government employment. II
Progress made towards this end VI
rough the shipping board and ordnance sc
partments of the army" the report
VS., Indicates what must become an 81
cepted custom in all production" In Il
me governmental aspects of war pro- u
ction, the report asserted the repre- W
nation has not been accorded. 1t sug- a
SITS that all producing enterprises be If
tipped with labor manager" as well fr
a chief engineer and other executives, W
d said that there ought to be in he
irge of all labor problems of produc- er
N high-powered trained labor man" fr
IN addition to its presentation of alb m
act principles, much of the volume OF :.
, annual report was taken up to-day |
tn recent history of the federation's /
ivities as they had to do with the i'm
nse conversion of national industrial
Adjustments to war service, particu
ly citing the insistence of its officials WI
the maintenance of the eight-hour
z. Considerable time was devoted TO
war labor board creation, and TO ~
road labor policies. 1t dealt likewise sa
length upon the adoption by various
ties, West Virginia, Maryland, New
sey, New York, Rhode Island and 10
nth Dakota of compulsory labor laws, an
expressed anxiety that the idleness no
med by the laws should not include
t resulting because of differences be-
'en employers and their employees" EN-
the spread of the legisls- An
!, the report defines the federation's the
ition towards the policy as not hos
If due guarantees for the protection
he rights of workers are incorporated av,
he war emergency measures" Jol
Labor turnover" the report attacked str
even less desirable for the worker Civ
n for the employer, and advocated a. col
'medy its labor manager plan, involv-
1t said, intelligent and sympathetic ]
erstanding of the needs Of workers drr
what constitutes fair dealing" II i
TO permanent industrial the
regular conferences be sir
en- committees Of employees and the -
lagement, to meet all problems, and N
rted that 1T is fundamental for eff II
cy in production that the essentials 81
cam work be understood and followed d
ALL a
- ~