The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-09-02
AMERICANS ARE
ALL ENLISTED
IN SINGLE ARMY
People Of u. S. Commanded
by Single Obligation Wilson
Says In Proclamation.

Says In Proclamation.
WASHINGTON. Sept All Ameri-
men. single army, OF many parts. but
commanded by single Obligation, by
President Wilson in Labor day mes
sage made public Sunday night at the
White House. That object Is to win
the war. "the war Of all wars. which
labor should support and support with
all its concentrated power" The pres
dents message follows:
my Fellow Citizen Labor day,
1918, Is not like any Labor day that
we have known. Labor day was al
ways deeply significant with US, there
fore is supremacy significant now.
keenly as we were aware q 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. We 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 q single
army OF many parts and tasks, but
commanded by q single obliga ton, our
faces set toward a single object. We
now know that every tool in every
essential Industry is a weapon, and a
weapon welded for the same purpose
that an army rifle Is wielded-a
weapon which II we were to lay down
no rife would be Of any USE
Meet Force With Force.
And a weapon for what? What is
the war for? Why are we enlisted?
Why should we be- ashamed II we were
not emil sted? At FIRST It seemed hard
ly moro than q war of defense against
the military aggression of Germany.
Belgium had been violated, France In.
vaded. and Germany was afleld again
as In 1870 and 1866, to work cut her
ambitions in Europe; and 1t was nee
essary to meet her force to force But
II Is clear now that It Is much more
than war to alter the balance OF
power In Europe Germany, 1t is now
plain, was striking at what free men
everywhere desire and must have--the
right to determine 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. II Is a war to make
the nations and people OF the world
secure against every such power as
the German autocracy represents. It
Is war OF emancipation. Not until
II Ia won can men 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. therefore, Is the war of all
wars, which labor should support with
all Its concentrated power. The world
cannot be safe: mems lives connot be
secure: no mans rights can be con-
fldently and successfully asserted
against the rule and mastery Of arbi-
trary groups and special interests. so
long as governments like that which,
after long generalization, drew Austria
and Germany into this war are per-
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, wo-
men and children are to be the fuel
Industry Must Sustain War.
You know the nature OF this war,
1t Is war which industry must sus.
tain. The army Of laborers at home
is as important. essential, as the army
or fighting men In the far fields Of ac-
tual battle. And the laborer is not
only needed as much as the soldier: It
Is his war. The soldier Is his cham
pion and representative. To fail to
win would be to imperil everything
that the laborer has striven for and
held dear since freedom first had It's
dawn and his struggle for justice be-
gan. The soldiers at the front know
this. II steels their muscles to think
OF 1t. They are crusaders. They are
fighting for no selfish advantage for
their own nation. They would despise
anyone who fought for the selfish ad-
vantage OF any nation. They are CIV
ing their lives that homes everywhere,
as we'll as the homes they love in
America. may be kept cacred and safe.
and men everywhere be free as they
insist upon being free. They are fight
Ing for the ideals Of their own land
great ideals, immortal ideals. ideals
which shall light the way for all men
TO the places where justice Is done
and men live with lifted heads and
emancipated spirits. That Is the rea-
son they fight with solemn Joy and
are invincible!
Let us make this, therefore, a day
or fresh comprehension, not only of
what we are about and of renewed ana
clear-eyed resolution. but day Of con-
secration also in which we devote our.
selves without pause or limit to the
great task OF setting our own country
and the whole world free to render
Justice to all and OF making It i'm
possible for small groups OF political
rulers anywhere to disturb our peace
or the peace Of the world. or in any
way to making tools and puppets of
those upon whose cansent and upon
whose power their own authority and
their own very existence depend.
we may count upon each other.
The nation Is OF single mind 1t is
taking counsel with no special class.