The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-10
FIRM STAND FOR
SUPPORT OF WAR
URGED IN REPORT
OF LABOR Chief
''Autocracy, Militarism,
y and Secret Diplomacy
e. Must Go''-Gompers
BIG CONVENTION
OPENS AT ST. PAUL
Workers In War Prodr1c-
ton Virtually Part Of
Fighting Forces

l. st. Paul, Mimi, June 10.-"Autoc-
Taey, milttarism, and its most dan
gesous supporting weapon. 1rrespon-
gtble diplomacy, must perish democ-
tGacy, Justice, freedom and abso-
a1te confidence between governments
ana people must be established and
[ triumph" is the verdict OF Ameri-
can labor upon its country's partici-
patton in the war. expressed today
! by the report Of President Samuel
SSOGnpers and the executive council
OF the American Federation OF La
tboE to the annual convention in ses-
a9op here.
workers in war production are
practically a part OF the fighting
FORCE" the report declares. mo ac-
ton should be taken in the shops or
on the field not in harmony with the
| purposes OF the war. No strike
! should be inaugITated which cannot
life on the firing line in France.
Crisis In World Affairs.
"a crisis in world affairs has been
t reached, The battle lines Of our
allies In France are menaced by the
! forces that represent autocratic gov
eminent. Each day and hour of the
coming months will hold in fateful
balance the destiny OF the govern
ments and the peoples representing
1.-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
iaUtocEatic forces which enthrone
might as their chief aim. With the
growth Of achievements Of our re-
! public, this nation has stood as a
! beacon light to all the oppressed
peoples of the earth. Our 1nstttu-
tons have radiated to the remotest
parts of the globe, concepts Of a
government guided and maintained
| by the will Of It's people. Asa peo-
! pie imbued with the highest ideals
OF Justice the fact that the allied
armies have their backs to the wall
lighting the minions OF autocracy
makes the present moment assume a
ragged and D dangerous front and
! moves as to the solemn duty OF self
exandu nation, to determine whether
! we are doing our fun part"
Just Labor Policies.
. With equal emphasis, insisting
that just labor policies govern war
production, the report declared:
%Those contributing to production
should have part in its control
''EFery worker has a right to be
freed from all axoidable uncertain
ties of employment, both from
those arising through poor labor adj
ninistration and from misna.nage-
ment in production and the efforts of
speculation in raw materials or fin
isted products.
ain looking toward the future, we
feel keenly that the nature Of social
development will depend largely up
on the principles which workers shall
! demand as the basis for relation
ships.
''We are each day building laboTs
house Of tomorrow. If that struc-
tuTe ts to endure the test 1T must be
founded upon the bed rock principles
of equality and democracy in rela-
ttOns between men.
''The present war is an extraordin-
airy opportunity to determine those
! principles. This life and death strug-
I gle between the nations Of the world
! fg a laboratory which is disclosing
the strength or weakness Of every
aocia1 relationship and institution.
! War Is forcing us back to the es-
sentials OF life. War is q funda-
mentally CO. cooperative action of or
ganio society. The present war is
on such a gigantic scale that every
part OF national life is involved. The
whole nation is in the war. The
! spirit of war activity and organiza-
ton is essentially social. The ma
,tlOuaI organism is at stake. AS a
war necessity we are seeking the
principles which will assure the most
efficient cooperation. This Coop
| GRAFTON must come from the two
primary forces Of society-the pos
SCISSORS Of creative labor power and
controllers OF capital"
VI Labor Not a Commodity.
In behalf Of labor, Offering this CO.
/ operation, the report renewed its
! declaration that labor cannot be
,classed as a commodity, and de-
lTaanded equal right to representa-
ftion and equal voice on all agencies
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