Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-21

and spiritual life and progress Labor
! now makes it possible that this titanic
\ struggle for democratic freedom can
| be made.
! COMMON PEOPLE HAVE IDEALS.
| 1.-THE common people everywhere are
hungry for wider opportunities to live.
| They have shown the willingness to spend
or be spent for an ideal. They are in this
war for ideals. Those ideals are best
expressed by their chosen representative
in message delivered to the Congress
of the United States January g. setting
| forth the program of the worlds peace.
President Wilson's statement Of war aims
has been unreservedly endorsed by British
organized labor. 1t is in absolute harmony
! with the fundamentals endorsed by the
Buffalo convention of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor.
I'VE are at war for those ideals. Our
| first big casualty list has brought to
every home the harass and the sacrifices
of war. This is only the beginning. A
gigantic struggle lies just ahead that will
| test to the uttermost end the endurance
and the ability and the spirit of our peo-
pie. That struggle will be fought out in
the mines, farms. and shops. mills. ship.
yards. as we'll as on the battlefield. Sol
diers and sailors are helpless II the
| producers 10 not 90 tnelT part Livery
link in the chain Of the mobilization of the
fighting force and necessary supplies 10
indispensable to winning the war against
mlitarism and principles OF unfreedom.
EvERYBODY'S WAR.
1.-THE worker that 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 time when all workers must
soberly face the grave importance Of
their daily work and decide industrial
matters with a conscience mindful of the
world relation Of each act.
THE problem of production indispen-
sable to preventing unnecessary slaughter
OF fellow men is squarely up to all work.
ers. Aye. to employees and employers.
Production depends upon materials TOOLS
management and the development and
maintenance Of industrial morale. Will
! ing cooperation comes not only from
doing 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 selfish gain OF another. Justice
begets peace. Consideration begets CO.
operation. These conditions are essential
to war production. Production is neces-
sary to win the war.
Upon the government and upon en-
ployers falls the preponderance of re-
sponsibility to securing greatest efficiency
from workers. Standards Of human well
fare and consideration of the human side
Of production are part of the technique
Of efficient production.
/ ONLY GIVE WORKERS A CHANCE.
Give workers a decent place to live,
protect them against conditions to take all
their wages for bare existence, give them
agencies whereby grievances can be ad.
justed and industrial Justice assured,
make it plain that their labor counts in
the winning a war for greater freedom.
not for private profiteering-and workers
can be confidently expected to do their
part. Workers are loyal They want to do
their share for the republic and for win
ming the war.
1T is LABOR's WAR.
"This is labors war. 1t must be won
by labor and every stage in the fight
ing and the final victory must bs to
count for Humanity. That result only
can justify the awful sacrifice.
| I'VE present these matters to the work.
ers Of free America. confidently relying
upon the splendid spirit and understand
ing which has made possible present
| PiosIcSs, " US 10 HSnt BOOQ
fight and to establish principles of free
| dom throughout the whole world. 80
regret that circumstances make impos-
sible continuous close personal relations
! between the workers of America and those
/ OF the allied countries and that we can
not have representation In the inter-
allied labor conference about to convene
in London. Their cause and purpose are
our cause and purpose. We cannot meet
with representatives 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 us, Freedom and the
downfall of autocracy must come in mid
die Europe. We doubly welcome the
change If II comes through the workers
| of those countries.
| while this war shall last we shall
be working and fighting shoulder to shoul-
der 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
] safstY."