The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-08-12
LABOR HAS
KEPT THE FAITH
Secretary Alex. Ironsid G
Scores Men Of Alien Birth
Who Are the Exceptions
THEY GET THEIR
LIVING HERE
But Refuse to Help It's Cause
Should Be Trans
ported

Burlington, Aug. l2-Before the ex-
eeutive board of the state branch of the
American Federation of Labor, whose
meeting to-day was held in lieu of the
usual convention or organized labor in
Vermont, Sec Alexander Ironside of
Barre, in submitting his yearly report,
declared that tabor, without fear or
favor, organized and unorganized, has
kept the faith with the president, and
that labor stands by the president and
Samuel Gompers until the finish" The
report refers to the fact that the vast
majority of labor men have contributed
to Liberty bonds, the Red Cross, war
chests and war savings investments.
There remains, however, an element, a
small element, which manages in one
way or another to ignore the call that
has been made upon it in the hour of
the nations peril Most of these men,
says the report, "are of alien birth,
who have come to these hospitabIe shores
and received everything that goes to
make man free and Independent; yet,
nevertheless, these same people hide be-
hind the skirts of Old Lady Neutral
They call themselves men without
country and if that be true, their place
is in No Mans Land"
Proceeding in the same vein, the re-
port adds: 1--WE have stood for this
quasi-neutrality far too long; we see our
sons and brothers going across the sea
every day without whimper, and God
bless them, for they have worthy mis-
sion to perform, that of liberating the
world. We see these men who have but
one object in view, and that is the al
mighty dollar, keeping sailing the money
down, while men are doing and dying for
the great cause. And we are tired of
seeing their game 60 on. We believe
that if this country is good enough to
live in, it Is good enough to fight for and
1t is not enough forever to debar these
men from citizenship, which Is to be
done, we feel that the time is ripe, rotten
ripe, when these men should be given i'm
mediate transportation to their nearest
home port, where they can bask in the
sunlight Of neutrality and mendacity to
their hearts content"
Touching upon the progress made BY
labor in the past year, the report re-
fers to organization effected among the
electrical workers and the garment
workers of Barre. The slate workers OF
Poultney have also formed a new or.
ganization. Among the trades to which |
have come substantial wage increases
are the granite workers. polishers, black |
smiths, quarry workers, paving cutters, |
Jumpers, boxers, derrickmen, scale work. |
ers, carpenters, paper makers, pulp and !
sulphite workers. The strong need of
adhering to the union label is again
urged in this years report, which goes
on to enumerate favorable labor legis- |
lation passed by Congress, and cites a
new immigration law, granting of or
ganic law to Porto Rico, federal eight |
hour law, increase in wages for federal |
employees, the re-ensctment of the |
Hughes amendment, prohibiting the de-
partment of justice from using funds for
prosecuting members of labor and farm !
ers' organizations, passage of the yoca-
tional trade training law. Other legisla- |
ton is mentioned in the course Of long
description of what the national legisla- !
tors have done and hope to do for the !
betterment Of mankind
The report closes with a stirring ap.
peal for the most rigid prosecution Of |
the war. President Wilson is Landed for |
his friendliness toward labor, and at The |
conclusion the secretary says: To-day |
we in America are all Americans. There |
is not drop Of mixed blood in our veins. |
No matter from what lands our fathers /
and mothers may have sprung, no matter
what flag some of our brothers may to-
day be fighting, we who are here in
America are Americans. If any of us are
not, there it were well that such be on