The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-18


common interests, problems and purposes.
The future of free -ations will depend upon
dealing With pheF % aags sc the
the greatest opportunity for life, liberty
and pursuit of happiness may be assured
to all.
Vital Interest 90 Labor.
This matter of world democracy is of
vital interest to labor.
Labor is not a sect or party. 1t repre-
sents the invincible desire for greater op-
portunfty of the masses of all nations.
society. 1t is .he user of tools. Tools under
the creative power of muscle and brains
shape the materials of civilization Labor
makes possible every great forward move
ment of the world. But labor is insepara-
Bile from physical and spiritual life and
that this titanic struggle for democratic
| freedom can be made.
The common people everywhere are
They have shown the willingness to spend
or be spent for an ideal. They are in this
war for ideals: Those ideals are best ex-
pressed by their chosen representative in a
message delivered to the congress of the
United states January s. setting forth the
program of the worlds peace. President
Wilson's statement of war aims has been
unreservedly Endorsed By British organized
fundamentals Endorsed by the Buffalo con
Tention of the American Federation of
Labor.
Struggle Lies Ahead.
We are at war for those ideals Our
Ilrst big casualty list has brought to every
home the horrors and the sacrifice of war
| This is only the beginning gigantic
! struggle lies just ahead that will test
to the uttermost the endurance and the
ability and the spirit of our people. That
Struggle Will be found out in the mines,
farms, shops, mills, shipyards, well as
on the battlefields. Soldiers and sailors
ther pPE the % f, do nGt
the mobilization of the fighting forces and
necessary supplies is Indispensable to
winning the war against militarism and
principles of unfreedom.
The worker who fastens the rivets in
| building the ship is performing just as
| necessary war service to our republic as
! the sailor who takes the ship across or
! the gunner in, the trenches:
| This is Il time when all workers must
| soberly face the grave Importance of their
daily work and decide industrial matters
| with conscience mindful of the world
relation of each act.
Problem of Production.
The problem of production indispen-
| sable to preventing unnecessary slaughter
ers-aye to employees and employers. Pro
! duction depends upon materials, tools,
management and the development and
! cooperation comes not only from dom z
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
peace. Consideration begets cooperation.
| These conditions are essential to war pro-
duction. Production is necessary to win
| Upon the government and upon en-
ployers falls the preponderance of respon-
| sfbility to securing the greatest efficiency
! from workers. Standard of human well
fare and consideration of the human side
of production are part of the technique of
| effective production.
| Give workers decent place to live,
| protect them against conditions to take
all their wages for bare grievances, give
! them agencies whereby grievances be
| adjusted and industrial justice assured,
make it .plain. that their labor counts in
not for private profiteering. and workers
can be confidently expected to do their
part Workers are loyal: they want to
winning the war.
| 1t Is Labor's War.
| This is labor's war. 1t must he won
by labor land and every stage In In the fighu ing
| humanity. That result only can justify
! the awful sacrifice.
1--WE present these matters to the work
| ers of free America. confidently relying
! upon the splendid spirit and understand
ing which has made possible present prog
| gress to enable us 70 fight a good fight
| and to establish principles of freedom
turnout the whole world. We regret that
workers of America and those of the al
\ lied countries and that we cannot have
representation in the inter; allied labor
Their cause and purpose are our cause
and purpose We cannot meet with repre-
! sentatives of those who are aligned against
us in this world war for freedom, but we
: hope they will sweep away the barriers
| which they have raised between Free
| dom and the downfall OF autocracy must
come in middle Europe. We doubly well
! come the change if it comes thru the work
| ers of those countries.
! while this war shall last. we shall be
working and fighting shoulder to shoulder
| with fellow workers of Great Britain,
/ France and Italy. We ask the workers
| of Russia to make common cause with us.
| for our purpose is their purpose. that.
! finally. the freedom lovers of all countries
| may make the world safe for all peoples
! to live in freedom and safety.