Denver labor bulletin., 1918-08-10
THERE CAN BE NO COM
PROMISE WITH ENE-
MES OF NATION.
President Wilson's Statement of
War Aims Accepted by Organ
lied Labor, and Common
People Everywhere Are
Hungry for Wider
Opportunities.
BY SAMUEL GOMPERS,
President of the American Federation
Of Labor.

President of the American Federation
Of Labor.
This is a time that does not
permit neutrality. Each must
stand up and be counted-for
those who are not with US arc
against US. The President of the
United States has delivered a
series of messages to Congress,
each defining more sharply than
previous declarations, some phase
of Americas war aims that had
come to the front in public
thought. Approaching the vital
part which labor has in this war
and should have in contributing
to the formulation of peace terms
which will follow it, the executive
council of the American Fedora
ton of Labor at its regular meet
ing Washington, February 1917.
adopted the following:
We are face to face with n world
crisis. We are in world struggle
which will determine for the imme-
diate future whether principles Of
democratic freedom or principles Of
force shall dominate. The decision
will determine not only the destiny
Of nations but Of every community
and Of every individual. No life will
be untouched.
Can BE No Compromise.
Either the principles Of free de-
mocracy or of Prussian militaristic
autocracy will prevail. There can be
no compromises. So there can be no
neutrality among ntaions or individ-
uals-we must stand up and be
counted with one cause or the other
For labor there is but one choice.
The hope Of labor lies in opportu-
nifty for freedom. The workers Of
America will not permit themselves
to be deceived or deceive themselves
into thinking the fate Of the war will
not vitality change our own lives. A
victory for Germany would mean =
PAN German empire dominating Eu-
rope and exercising n world balance
of power which Germany will seek to
extend by force into world control.
Prussian rule means supervision,
checks, unfrcedom in every relation
Of life.
Prussianism has its roots in the old
ideal under which men sought to rule
by suppressing the minds and wills
Of their fellows; it blights the new
ideal Of government without force or
chains-political or industrial-pro-
tected by perfect freedom for all.
Unless the reconstruction shall soon
come from the German workers with
in that country it is now plain that an
opportunity to uproot the agencies of
force will come only when democracy
has defeated autocracy in the military
field, and wins the right to recon-
struct relations between nations and
men. The peace parleys Between Rus
sia and Germany have shown the fu-
tility Of diplomatic negotiations until
Prussian militarists are convinced
they cannot superimpose their will on
the rest Of the world. Force is the
basis of their whole organization and
is the only argument they will un-
derstand.
Future of Free Nations.
Spontaneous uprisings in Germany
in protest against the militarist gov
ernment have shown that the German
government is still stronger than the
movement for German emancipation.
German freedom is ultimately the
problem of the German people. But
the defeat OF PruSS1an aut0cracy on
the battlefield will bring an opportu-
nifty for German liberty ut home.
We have passed the period when
any one nation can maintain its free
dom irrespectively Of other ntaions.
Civilization has closely linked nations
together by the ties Of commerce, and
quick communication, common inter-
ests, problems and purposes. The fu-
ture Of free nations will depend upon
their joint ability to devise agencies
for dealing with their common affairs
SO that the greatest opportunity for
life, liberty and pursuit Of happiness
may be assured to all.
Not n Sect or Party.
This matter Of world democracy il
Of vital interest to labor. Labor is
not a sect or party. It represents
the invincible desire for greater op-
portunity Of the masses Of all nations.
Labor is the Drawn, sinews and brains
of society. It is the user Of tools.
Tools under the creative power Of
muscle and brains shape the mate
rials Of civilization. Labor makes
possible every great forward move