The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-02
WILSON CALLS
ON LABOR TO
HELP WIN WAR
Labor Day Proclamation Ranks
Army of Labor With Army
Abroad.
EVERY TOOL IS A WEAPON
Declares, I'VE Are All Comrades, IRE
sistibie When United, PoWerless
Dlvided"-"All Must Join
Hands to Lead World to
New and Better Day."

New and Better Day."
Washington, Sept. 2.-Pledging anew
to the world the conservation Of every
strength Of arm and brain In America
to the winning Of the war, President
Wilson, In his Labor day proclamation,
ranked the army of labor working at
home with the army abroad. He said !:
my fellow. citizens:
Labor day, 1918, Is not like any La
Dor day that we have known. Labor
day was always deeply significant with
us. Now It Is supremely significant.
Keenly as we were aware year ago
of the enterprise Of life and death upon
which the nation had embarked, we
did not perceive Its meaning as clearly
as we do now.
I'VE knew that we were all partners
and must stand and strive together,
but we did not realize as we do, now
that we are all enlisted men, members
OF a single army of many parts and
many tasks. but commanded by sin
gle obligation, our faces set toward a
single object.
Calls Every Tool Weapon.
1--WE now know that every tool in
every essential industry is a weapon,
and weapon welded fer the same
purpose that an army rifle is welded,
a weanon without which, If we were
to lay 1t down, no rifle would be Of
any use.
"And a weapon for what? What is
the war fort Why are we enlisted?
Why should we be ashamed If we were
not enlisted? At first It seemed hardly
more than war of defense against
the military aggression of Germany.
Belgium had been violated, France
invaded and Germany was afield again,
as In 1870 and 1885, to work out her
ambitions In Europe; and 1t was nee
essary to meet her force with force.
But it Is clear now that it is much
more than a war to alter the balance
Of power In Europe.
Germany, 1t Is now plain, was strik-
Ing at what free men everywhere de-
sire and must have-the right to de-
termine their own fortunes to insist
upon justice and to oblige governments
to act for them and not for the private
and selfish interest Of governing
class.
mot until 1t Is won can men any
where live free from constant fear or
breathe freely while they go about
their daily tasks and know that gov
70 hn}r hot
masters.
"Nar Of All Wars' for Labor.
'"This Is, therefore, the war of all
wars, which labor should support and
support with all Its concentrated
power.
1.-THE world cannot be safe, mems
lives cannot be secure, no mans rights
can be confidently and successfully as
serted against the rule and mastery OF
arbitrary groups and special interests,
SO long as governments like that which,
after long preme citation, drew Austria
mitted to control the destinies and the
daily fortunes of men and nations
plotting while honest men work, laying
the fires of which innocent men, WON.
en- and children are to be the fuel.
"You know the nature of this war
It is war which industry must sus.
tain. The army Of laborers at home is
as important. as essential, as the army
Of fighting men in the far fields Of &C
tual battle.
"And the labOrer Is not only needed
as much as the soldier. It Is his war
The soldier is his champion and repre-
sentative. To fail to win would be te
imperil everything that the laborer has
striyen for and held dear since free
dom first had its dawn and his strug
gle for justice began.
Soldiers Are Crusaders.
1.-THE soldiers at the front know this
It steels their muscles to think of it
They are crusaders. They are fight
ing for no selfish advantage for. thei1
own nation. They would despise any
oEe who fought for selfish advantage
OF any nation.
'They are giving their lives thai
homes everywhere, as well as those
homes they love In America, may BIZ
kept sacred and safe, and men every
where be free az they insist upon be
ing free. They are fighting for tn,
ideals of their own land, great ideals
immortal ideals which shall light th'
way for all men to the places wher,
Justice Is done and men live with liftet
heads and emancipated spirits. Tha
is the reason they fight with solemn
Joy and are inyincible.
Let us make this, therefore, a da,
Of fresh comprehension. not only. O