The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1918-06-21
PRESIDENT SAMUEL G0MPERS TELLS CONVENTION
Stirring Speech By Head Of The
American Federation At St.
Paul Follows Rousing Well
come To 435 Delegates.

Twice the delegates arose and cheered
wildly during the delivery of this adj
dress and frequently they applauded
with marked vigor. There was tre-
mendous demonstration for President
Wilson at the mention of his name.
Address of President Gompers.
The stirring address of President
Gompers follows in full:
"When we met in the thirtyseventh
annual convention of the American
Federation our convention was appro-
piately designated as 'Labor's War
Convention
And there we set forth in unmis-
taxable terms the purpose of the
American works of this great human
struggle. 1t was ratification of the
declarations of the responsible rep
resentatives of organized labor of
America made a month before our
country entered into the world strug-
gle. And after the lapse of eight
months from the holding of that con-
ference at Washington on March 18th,
in November, in official session the
voice of organized labor representing
the toilers of this North American
continent emphasized with unani-
nous vote that with the insistence
and maintenance Of democratic insti-
tutions at home we would stand be-
hind the government and her allies
to fight and sacrifice in order that
freedom and democracy might prevail
over the whole world.
Somehow or other this thought
has made very weighty impression
on my mind All over the world, in
each of the countries, there hac
grown up seperatist movement
among the workers. There is not q
country outside of the United States
except in Germany, where there was
not division among the organized
labor forces. 1t seemed to me that
along with the preparation and plans
of the autocratic militarist govern.
ment of Germany for the greatest
military machine that has ever exist
ed in the history Of man at the same
time propaganda was inauguratec
throughout the world to divide The
organized labor forces within these
countries. The attempt had beer
made long ago to bring about the
same situation in America.
When the War Began.
ut is not necessary that l shoulC
now more than refer to the way anC
the manner and the means by which
the world war began in 1914. 1t i.
doubtful whether there were men il
ali the world who loved liberty whC
were not shocked when the war began
"There were numbers of men anC
women in the United States who wer,
impatient because we had not entered
into the world war to make that strug
gle shorter and so that liberty and th,
meaning of liberty should be safe
guarded at once.
But, be that as it may, more thar
two years elapsed, and the democ
racies of France and Britain were il
the struggle and made the suprem,
sacrifice which nations could. A
last there came the blows admins
tered to the people and the govern
ment of the United States.
Innocent men and women ant
children were sent to an untimel!
grave through the ruthlessness, tn,
brutality and the atrocities of tn,
German Imperial Government. An(
yet our government hesitated. l
put the men of America to a sever,
test that they might withhold thei
patience.
81 wonder whether there was no