The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-10
AM MER|CAN LABOR
RENEWS LOYALTY To
U.S.. GOVERNMENT
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF
FEDERATION OPENED TO-
DAY AT ST. PAUL.
GOMPERS IS PRES|D|N G
Speakers Sound Warning to Ger
man Military Chiefs - Several
Thousand Delegates Represent
All Quarters of the Globe.

St. Paul, MINI, June l0.-With
speakers sounding warning to the
German military chiefs and assert
ing anew the loyalty of organized
labor to the American government,
the annual convention of the Amer
ican Federation OF Labor got under
way here today.
Several thousand delegates and
visitors from all parts OF the globe
were present
President Samuel Gompers re-
sponded to addresses OF welcome.
St. Paul, June l0.-"Autocracy,
mllitarism, and its most dangerous
supporting weapon, irresponsible
diplomacy, must perish; democra-
cy, justice, freedom, and absolute
confidence between governments
and people must be established and
triumph is the verdict Of Ameri-
can labor upon its country's par
ticlpation in the war, expressed to-
day by the report OF President Sam
uel Gompers and the executive
council OF the American Fedora
tion OF Labor to the annual con-
vention in session here.
Workers in war production are
practically part OF the fighting
force, the report declares. No ac-
ton should be taken in the shops
or on the field not in harmony with
the purposes OF the war. No strike
should be inaugurated which can
not be justified to the man risking
his lite on the firing line in France.
a crisis in world affairs has been
reached. The battle lines OF our
allies IN France are menaced by the
forces that represent autocratic
government. Each day and hour of
the coming months will hold in
tatetul balance the destiny Of the
governments and the peoples rep
resenting the ideals which bring into
being and maintain governments di-
rected by the people themselves.
Might Enthroned.
America was drawn into this
world war by the challenge of those
autocratic forces which enthrone
might as their chief aim With the
growth OF achievements OF our re-
public, this nation has stood as
beacon light to all the oppressed
peoples OF the earth. Our institu.
tions have radiated to the remotest
parts OF the globe, concepts of a
government guided and maintained
by the will OF its people. As a peo-
pie imbued with the highest ideals OF
justice the fact that the allied armie,
have their backs to the wall fight
ing the minions of autocracy makes
the present moment assume rag
ged and dangerous front and
moves US TO the solemn duty of
self-examination, to determine
whether We are doing our full part"
With equal emphasis, insisting
that just labor policies govern war
production, the report declares:
Those contributing to produc-
tion should have a part in its con-
troll.
Every worker has right to be
freed from all avoidable uncertain
ties OF employment, both from those
arising through poor labor admins
tration and from mismanagement in
production and the efforts OF spec
ulation in raw materials or finished
products.
"ln looking toward the future, we
feel keenly that the nature of So
cial development will depend large
ly upon the principles which work
ers shall demand as the basis for re-
lationships.
Equality and Democracy.
~We are each day building la
bor's house of tomorrow. If that
structure is TO endure the test il
must be founded upon the bed rock
principles OF equality and democ-
racy in relations between men.
The present war is an extraordi-
nary opportunity to determine those
principles. This life and death strug-
gle between the nations of the
world is a laboratory which is dis
closing the strength or weakness OF
every social relationship and insti-
tuition. War is forcing US back to
the essentials of life. War is a fun
damentally cooperative action of
society. The present war
IS on such a gigantic scale that ev-
cry part of national life is involv-
ed. The whole nation is in the
war. The spirit of war activity and
is essentially the prin-
ciples which will assure the most
efficient cooperation. This coop
Grafton must come from the two
primary forces of society-the pos
session of creative labor power and
of capital"
In behalf of labor, offering thu
the report renewed IN