South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-18

, Dor = IL in absolute harmony
with the fundamentals endorsed by
the Buffalo convention Of the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor
Great Struggle Ahead.
we are at war for those ideals
our first big casualty list has
/ brought TO every home the harass
and the sacrifices Of war. This is
I only the beginning. A gigantic
struggle lies just ahead that will test
I TO the uttermOst the endurance and
\ the ability and the spirit Of our
\ people. That struggle will be fought
out in the mines. farms. shops, mills.
ship yards as well as on the battle
fields. Soldiers and sailors are help
1 less if the producers do not do their
part. Every link in the chain CT
| the mobilization of the fighting
\ force and necessary supplies is in
/ dispensable to winning the war
against .nilitarism and principles of
lunfreedom
The worker that fastens the
| rivets in building the ship is per
| forming just as necessary war ser
| vice 10 OR republic as the sailor
who takes the ship across or the
gunner in the trenches.
! This is a time when all workers
must soberly. face the grave impor-
lance Of sheir daily work and decide
industrial matters with a conscience
mindful Of the world relation Of
each act.
The problem of production, in
ldispensable TO preventing unnces-
sary slaughter of fellow men Is
/ squarely Up to all workers-aye, TO
employees and employers. Produc-
! ton depends upon materials, tools.
management and the development
and maintenance OF industrial mo-
rale. Willing cooperation comes not
only from doing justice but from
/ receiving justice. The worker is a
! human being whose life has value
and dignity to him. He is willing
to sacrifice for an ideal but not for
the selfish gain Of another. Justics
begets peace. Consideration begets
cooperation. These conditions are
| essential TO war production. Pro
duction is necessary to win the war.
Where Responsibility Lies.
Upon the government and upon
employers falls the preponderance
| Of responsibility TO securing greac-
est efficiency from workers. Stand
ard Of human welfare and consid-
Grafton of the human side Of pro
duction are part Of the technique
of efficient production.
Give workers a decent place 10
live-prOtect them against condi-
tiOns to take all their wages for ba-e
existence. give them agencies where
by grievances can be adjusted and
Industrial justice assured. make il
plain that their labor counts i'm the
winning a war for greater freedom,
not for private profiteering-and
workers can be confidently expected
to DO their part. Workers are loyal.
They want to do their share for the
republic and for winning the war.
This is labOr's war. IL must be
won by labor and every stage in
the lighting and the final victory
must be 20 count for humanity. That
result only can justify the awf1l
sacrifice.
I'VE present these matters TO the
workers of free America, confident
ly relying upon the splendid spirit
and understanding which has made
possible present progress, to enable
us TO fight a good fight and TO es-
.tablish principles Of freedom
throughout the whole world. We
regret that circumstances make i'm
possible continuous close personal
relations between the workers of
America and those of the allied
countries. and that We cannot have
representation in the inter-allied Ia
Dor conference about TO convene IN
London.
Their cause and purpose are our
cause and purpose. We cannot meet
with representatives OF those who
are aligned against us in this world
war for freedom but we hope they
will sweep away the barriers when
they have raised between us. Free
dom and the downfall Of autocracv
must come in middle Europe. We
doubly welcome the change if it
comes through the workers OF those
countries.
While this war shall last. we
shall be working and lighting shout
der 20 shoulder with fellow workers