Evening star., 1918-11-17
LABOR CHALLENGE
G|vEN0N WAGEc'!u|II...
Gompers Says Unions viii
Fight Bitterly to Keep
Present Level. 7s-s ~
AGAINST LONGER HOURS
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press. lsft -es
LAREDO. Tex, November 16.-Sam-
uel GomperA president Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. in the clos
ing hours OF the Tan-AmericaH. labor
conference here TODAY served formal
warning that no general reduction OF
wages or Increase in working hours
after the war would be accepted with
out bitter fight by organised labor.
He issued a statement inspired by a
recent public utterauce Of William Fl.
Barr, president Of the National
Founders Association. that redac-
ton of wages and longer hours would
be the only means to enable Ameri-
can manufacturers to continue to
cope with foreign industries after the
war.
Offers Published Statement.
Notice is given here and now" Mr..
Gompers said. that the American
people will not be forced back ny
either Barr, his association or all the
bourbons in the United States.
President Gompers read into "a"
record a published statement In Which
MIR. Barr was quoted.
perhaps 1 might not have taken
notice of this declaration II the same
character Of information had not
come to me from various quarters
with the understanding Of the re-
sponsibility which goes with my
words notice is given here ana now
that the American working people PIE
Barr, his association, or all the bour-
bons in the United States. There are
some people who will not understand;
there are some people who do not uIr-
derstand all that is n,a meant a, tSs Hy de. dne
mocracies to fight and make the sac
rifices in order that better time
shall come to the worker.
''The time has come IN the Worlo
when the working people are coming
into their own. They have new rights
and new advantages. They have made
the sacrifices and they are gong 10
enjoy the better times for whtch the
whole world has been in convuls1on.
The American labor movement went 10
the fullest lengths in support or that
struggle and We knew just what was
| involved.
zone word more-the American labor
movement will cooperate with all oth.r
agencies to help in this reconstruction
time. Our movement is not to destroy.
but to construct. And all may Just as
well understand now as at any othef
time that the advantage which tns
, workers of America and OF the allied
countries have gained and which we
hope to extend to the people even cf
/; the conquered countries, are not gong
| to be taken away from us. AMI we VIII
resist in that attempt to the utter
most"
New Latin American Attitude.
The conference has been a compeli-
\ ing force in convincing Latin amer
! leans of the unselishness OF the United
States in desire to improve the CEN
ditions of all the people of the world.
Santiago Iglesias,. president OF the
Free Federation of Workers of Port"
Rico, told delegates today. He was
the chief spokesman in urging the
adoption of the peace principles of the
American Federation of Labor. as con-
| tanned in a resolution by president
| Gompers and he told dramatically OF
the transition of the Latin American
state of mind from resentment at what
he termed the big brother outside oil
the United States to skepticism and
4 finally to admiration and trust.
| Some of the Mexican delegates at
first offered opposition to the peace
principle resolution A Mexican reso-
luton pledging the proposed pan
American congress against doing any
thing to intensity the war spirit in
Europe, or meddling in the internal
affairs Of any government had Deeh
defeated on the ground that IT was
outside of the province OF the confer
ence to consider any matters not d.
rectly relating to labor. The MeXicais
delegates opposed the Gompers' peace
iresolution on the same grounds
To Safeguard Freedom.
| Ielesias disputed this. maintaining z
that the Gompers' peace plan merely
put forth the platform necessary to
| safeguard the freedom OF the workers
of all countries.
| He conceded that in some of the
countries of America there had been
resentment because the United States,
without consultation, had appointed it.
self protector of the smaller republics.
The announcement that it had gone into
the European war solely in the interest
of freedom and democracy at first had
been considered quixotic, he said. but
the feeling had passed as the United
States demonstrated it's sincerity until.
at present, the workers Of the smaller
| republics were willing to accept with
out question at its own valuation the
Ialtruistic purpose of the labor organiza
ton Of the United States in seeking Ia
effect a permanent organization that
would better the condition of the work.
men Of the western countries.
| "When before in the history of the
world has a great and victorious ma
ton approached its conquered enemy
we don't want your lands. We don't
want anything except to see that you
make your country safe for the free
,neopie of all the world?'" he said.
Action on the resolution WAS delayed
by the lengthy debate.