Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-07-12

wage Garner anu Oh Ine people OI our
country as a whole. The membership
of this organization is a driving force
for good and today holds an honored
POSITION in the front line of the great
American movement.
1--WE are assembled for the pur-
pose of devising ways and means, if
we possibly can, to better our condi-
tions and to bring about a greater
scope of democracy in industry. In
our deliberations we may make some
mistakes. Organized labor does make
mistakes but so does every other
human institution. Governments, big
business, sociologists, scientists,
| churchmen, all make mistakes-but
they are not measured by the mis-
takes they make but by the good they
accomplish, and so should organized
labor be measured. (Applause.) The
question naturally arises, Has organ
lied labor justified it's existence?
What has it done? Has it been
beneficial to society? Has it been
helpful to government? Let US see.
The first free school in the United
States was established in Massachu-
setts by the agitation of wage earn
ers and their demand that their chill
dren should be given an opportunity
for education and that priceless boon
not be confined to the rich alone. 1t
was organized labor, more than any
thing else, that stimulated industry
in this country by its demand for
higher wages and better working
conditions which forced employers to
install labor saving machinery and
thus greatly increase production. 1t
is bringing about gradually, even
though slowly, a better distribution
of wealth and higher standards of
living. 1t has greatly shortened the
hours of labor. In every war that
our country has had the wage Garner
has taken part and in the present
world conflict there is not a field of
activity in which organized labor is
not engaged-and let me add that it
is not with the patriotism of the
profteer but by the true patriotism
of love of country, for the wage
Garner knows that the flag, which is
the emblem Of religious and political
liberty, is his hope, his inspiration,
his salvation industrially, and SO it is
therefore that the organized labor
movement of our country has offered
it's all to that matchless leader and
spokesman for democracy the world
over, Woodrow Wilson. (Great APP
plause.)
"Organized labor has steadfastly
set its face against any proposal that
had the slightest indication of having
been made in Germany. The labor
movement of our country takes this
position, we favor conferences with
organized labor of other countries in
times of peace. In times of war our
government speaks for the nation.
(Applause.) This is true whether it
be in negotiations with enemy coun-
tries or with our allies.
"We know what this war means
and the sacrifices and the lives it will
cost but we believe that out of it is
going to come greater day for all
nations. We believe that democracy
will so spread through the influence
of our flag and what it stands for
that people all over the earth will
come to a democratic form of gov
ernment.
81 thank our friends who have come
to visit US for all their pleasant
words and most cordial welcome.
They are helping us along in our de-
liberations, and we also take it, gen.
tlemen, by your presence, that you
give your approval to the work we
are trying to accomplish"
At the conclusion of his address
President Voll declared the Conven-
tion open for business, and called
upon the Committee on Credentials |
for their report, which was read by
Secretary Donnelly The report |
showed that 96 branches were rep
resented by 1876 delegates, while 13