New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-02
British Food Controller
Praises Workers "Victory
First" Attitude
Message to America
Spirit Displayed by United
States Arouses Admiration
of All England
By J. r. Clynes
Food Controller of Great Britain

Especial Cable to The Tribune)
LONDON, Sept. 1.-The full sig
nifcance of Americas second Labor Day
as a combatant nation doubtless Is
grasped on your side of the water.
1t is also fully understood in Europe.
The retreating Germans bitterly realize
it. Before another Labor Day dawns
have hopes that the working classes
CT the enemy countries will recognize
the criminal futility Of continuing a
struggle which was precipitated by the
arch enemy of all labor, of whatever
ationality-namely, military autoc-
racy.
AS one who has been associated since
boyhood with labor and it's organiza-
ton and development in this country
and who is now, largely owing to the
topsy- ydom of war, minister of
his majcsty's government, l gladly
avail myself of saying how keenly we
are watching and how deeply we APP
preciate the growing value and the
titanic character of the part American
labor is taking in the war.
We have all heard of the magic en-
ergy with which steel workers and ship
riveters have thrown themselves into
the task of creating in almost trice
such feet of ships as will assure the
transportation of Americas man power
and the delivery Of munitions and food
to the Allies despite all efforts of the
German submarines to prevent. We
also, even at this distance, realize what
the fuilment of Americas vast plan
for the production of airplanes, guns
and all munitions of war-to say moth
ing of the vital task of increased food
roduction-entails upon labor.
u. S. War Spirit Praised
From another viewpoint, broader, be-
cause it concerns all classes, we hail
the spirit which enabled the United
States willingly to adopt almost at the
first breath a war system for national
service. All these things we heard of
perhaps q little vaguely, but neverthe-
less quite plainly enough to know that
American labor must be straining every
muscle in this war.
Their achievements inspire our in
tense admiration, and at the same
time our hearts are touched and orr
gratitude invoked by the knowledge
that the Allied food supply during the
last few months was maintained onlv
through the individual sacrifice of
millions Of workingmen and women in
America.
To my mind one of the most notice
able results of the war thus far has
been the elevation of organized labor.
1t has been lifted from what might
we'll have been described as a sectional
sphere into activity which is becoming
the main force on which future civili-
zation depends.
In this greatest emergency in history
the world is really awakened to the
nobility of work. The day of the
Stacker has disappeared. You, so
understand, are legalizing him out of
existence. Four years of war have
produced the same result in this coun-
try without the need of legislation.
Trade union membership in the United
Kingdom has considerably more than
doubled since 1914.
Yet, organized labor in this country
has waived, in the common cause. adj
vantages which had been extracted
from society and Parliament only by
years of bitter agitation.
am one of those who believe or
ganized labor, by temporarily surren-
derlng certain trade regulations, as it
has IN this country, will emerge all the
more powerful on that account. To my
mind trade union rules here and in the
United States will have to be readapted
and rearranged, just as l am convinced
the living conditions for the housing
ct millions of our workers will have to
be improved and larger share of hu-
man surroundings provided for those
who bear the brunt of the world agri-
cultural and industrial production.
Cooperation After War
Those who have stood shoulder to
shoulder, regardless of class, will be
false to their highest duty, if, when
the war is over, they do not again
stand shoulder to shoulder to make
brighter and better the world for every
class. If, owing to the war, these de-
velopments are fastened, then l think
we may console ourselves that out of
our greatest evil some good is to come.
But before any practical advance in
these directions can be achieved, mill
tarism must be defeated for all time.
BY militarism l mean the spirit which
seeks the dethronement of the will of
the people by military caste.
organized labor throughout the
civilized world-united labor in Amer
lca, France, Italy, Great Britain and the
other Allles-must deliver such a
smashing blow as to make clear to anv
autocracy and to any government for
generations to come that civilization
Will not tolerate a war of conquest or
permit the sword, however powerful
70 triumph over justice and liberty.