Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-02
.GOnlpers' Greeting to|
 All Organized Labor
SAYS WORKERS ARE co-EoUAL WITH SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
LABoR's PART IN WAR
Asserts That the Final Outcome of the Conflict Will be Determined by the Industries = Declares continuousl Production is Indispensable.

WaSh1nSlOn, Jan. I.-lns NeW Years greeting to all organized labor, Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor. calls upon representative and or |nizers to make plain to their fellows the issues involved in the war and the obligation that devo1ves upon all citizens. He also emphasizes the importance of seeing to it that the spirit and meth ods of democracy are maintained at home while the country is fighting to establish them in international rela- tions.
 Nation at Stake.
 War means victory for our cause or danger to the very existence of ouf nation." says the address. With our nation at stake, Individuals cannot in- terpose opposition to the war-a war declared by, the will of the nations representatives. Under the exigencies of war, opposition to the war declared by constituted authority becomes trea- son.
 While this Is true, there is even more than ordinary need for the main l tenance of the rights of men and wom- I en and for careful scrutiny and the fullest discussion of policies and methods before their adoption. The
 
 and contentious is while policies are
 In the making. Issues of the War. !, 'grhe fighting and the concrete Is- lsues of the far are so far removed lfrom the people of our country that not all of our citizens have a full un- [derstanding of the issues Involved, An
 understanding of the principles if au- !tocratic force, which the central pow fers desire to substitute for the real principles of freedom, makes clear tc
 all citizens of this republic the effect of our possible defeat upon their own
 lives and activities.
 Labor's lrtsrest In the Conflict.
 'Tn addition to the fundamental prIn Eciples at issue. labor has an additiona interest in the war. This war is 1T the last analysis peoples war
 labor,s war. The final outcome will be Idetermtned instha,-faeteries, in the mills the shops, the mines. the farms, the in sI austfies eFld ti1e trangpefta atfon agen Il.cies of tho Various countrfes Tina tgroap of countries which can most sue tbcessfully organize It's agencies of pro, tduction and transportation and wfici lean furnish the most and effectiv, Iagencies with which to conduct tn, war will win
 II The workers have part in thi
 war co-equal with the soldiers ant Isailors on the ships and Tn the trench
 esq l Continuous Production Indispensable I Continuous production is an indis ipensable prerequisite to production o necessary war supplies. The govern . lment as well as the workers them selves is .vitally interested in maintain ing such conditions that there shall b ino occasion for interruption in pro ,1 duction.
 , ''The chief responsible agents of tn { government have showna desire to b fair and an understanding of the hui
 man elements involved in this problem : The organized labor movement ha | also shown an equally broad under standing and grasp of the situation"
 MT. Gompers quotes at length fror
 the declaration adopted by labor's rep
 resentatives meeting here on March 1 , and from the resolutions of the Buf [ falo convention of the American Fed , eration of Labor outlining the attitud :, :, fef organized labor toward war work