The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-16
Doing Its Share To Win the
War For Humanity
ADDRESS OF Mr.. SMITH
Splendid Meeting Was Held At
The Mankato Theatre
Last Night

you when say stay on the job.
Give until every ounce of energy
is expended. 1t is easy for the
government to get men and
money. What it needs is skilled
mechanics in the ship yards, mu-
milton plants, in the railway
service, and on the farms
wherever anything is being done
to help win the war;
Labor is going to stand solid
Iy by ito promises to stick by the
president whole heartedly during
the duration of the war.
"This war is going to do more
to bring labor and capital to-
gether than anything could have
done.
"Men of labor today don't wish
to strike They merely want
their just dues. During the month
of July, the Department of Labor
mediators satisfactorily interviewed
in $50 disputes; in July they set
tied 12O."-From address of John
r. Smith at Mankato Theatre.
Labor, do your part, show your
pride in this nation, keep your
promise to the government and stay
on the job until the boys over there
send back the glorious news that
they have conquered and that the
world is free for humanity said
Hon. John t. Smith of Missouri In
an address at the Mankato theatre
last evening. Remember the Lusi-
tania, the Tuscania and the little
children and women of Belgium who
were disfigured and ruined for life
by a brutal and inhuman foe."
MI. Smith stated that he was one
of twelve men, sent out by Secretary
Wilson of the department of labor to
tell the laboring people of the great
work they had done and to inspire
them on to greater things. He stated
that at the opening of the war Pres
ident Wilson and other members of
the cabinet had wondered how labor
would stand on the war question.
Seeing the need for action, PreSi-
dent Samuel Gompers of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor called a
meeting of all the representatives of
every union in the country and these
men met and unanimously passed a
resolution pledging their support to
the government. A few days later
the United States declared war and
since that time, the speakers said, la
Dor has stood nobly by her promise.
Little Has Been Sacrificed.
"You have bought Liberty bonds,
you have bought Thrift Stamps and
Baby bonds md you have given lib
10 I,o 0f
try. When someone asks what you
have sacrificed for the war no man
should point to these things" said
Mr.. Smith, "to buy government bonds
and Thrift Stamps is an investment
. ure and simple, we would not be
thrifty Americans if we did not jump
at such chance. To subscribe to
the Red Cross and the Y. M C. A.,
or the knights of Columbus funds is
a privilege which every true citizen
should welcome. In reality, Ameri-
ca has sacrificed little or nothing for
this war"
Men who have left their homes
and gone to the shipyards or to the
munition factories have met slight
hardship but nothing compared to
the men in the trenches. There is
no whistle for those boys that ends
'neir days labor and calls them home
warm house and waiting meal
n the cold bleak stretches of No
ans Land they must fight to the
litter end, through hot and cold
gainst brutal and inhuman foe"
Tribute to Soldiers
Closing his remarks with tribute
: those brave boys in their recent
ghting, Mr.. Smith said the end was
OF far distant and pleaded with la
or to keep on the job and do their
work as they should do it, as the u en-
ever across were DUNG 1t, until the
struggle was over and final victory
rested with the allies
John Temple presided at tbc
meeting and at the opening of the
program the audience stood and sang
America. Mayor l.. l.. Champlin gave
short address before Mr.. Sn.ith
was introduced. He stated that Amer
J lea had two great armies working for
the good of the nation, the man in
khaki over there. the men in over.
oils ever here. Both, the mayor said,
were playing vital and an import
ant part in the struggle, both were
Indispensable to the nation and boil,
had and. would continue to stand
firmly at their post of duty.
Following the address by Mr.. J. T.
Smith, Attorney John E. Regain spoke
briefly. Mr.. Regain stated that he
felt at home among a labor gather
ing because few years ago he was
affiliated with a trade union of this
country.
AFTER what l have heard tonight
/ feel that labor is doing it's full part
in The war and ere long / may again
be affiliated with that union
in the tanks of the toilers," stated
Mr.. Regain.
Should Labor or Fight.
The speaker stated that every pa
triotic American citizen at this time
should be laborer or fighter. He
said there was no room for the loaf
er and the Stacker in the ranks of
the army or of the civilians Of the
country. Speaking of the circulation
of false rumors Mr.. Regain stated that
this was a matter that should be
guarded against by every loyal pat
riot. He said Mankato has expert
enced the harm that the circulation