New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
French Say Wilson Has
Spoken for Them
Both Peoples Are
Wary of Imperial
istic Aims

why the Federation of Labor mis-
sion is of such enormous importance
to the governments seeking to con-
tinue the war to a military victory.
Labor is alive to the position it
has come to occupy during the war,
the mission found. The govern
ment directly operates the rail-
roads, the mines and a dozen other
great industries. In every case the
unions have compacts with the gov
ernment working agreements
which involve a joint administra-
ton of shop affairs day by day. The
government has done more than
recognize the unions. 1t has taken
private employers there is far less
/ antagonism to the unions than in
this country.
In many large munition factories
seven out of every ten of the work
ers are women, and these are uni
versally granted equal pay for
equal work and are generally men,
bers of the union.
The government has gone extern
sively into welfare work on large
scale. In addition to its excellent
pension system, it has undertaken
the building Of workers dwellings
on large scale In one munition
city which Mr.. Wright inspected
there were at least 1900 perma-
nent houses which had been built
within nine months. The remark
able thing was that these houses
we're beautiful. They were stand
ardized as to excellence of work
manship. But beyond that there
was no uniformity No two were
quite alike, and each had a cosey
individuality of its own. Not only
that, but the improvised city had
been laid out to conform to the
architectural scheme of the sur
rounding country. The houses re-
minded Mr.. Wright of our Califor-
MIA bungalows.
Its Demands Mean
Economic Revolution
Thus labor in England Is pretty
generally satisfied as to its present
estate. But nevertheless, Mr.. Frey
found, it is on the war path 1t is
now firmly convinced that the world
hitherto has been run by villains
and it purposes for the future to
run the world itself in accordance
with its own ideas of Justice. In
regard to certain domestic policies
it is in an ugly mood The recon-
structlon programme, adopted by
the Labor party and almost univer-
sally supported among the rank
and file. he SAYS, calls for something
little short of an economic revo'u-
ton, 1t demands that all the goods
Of the nation shall go to the pro-
ducers thereof and that the wares
of ownership" shalkbe all but abol-
|, ished.
This implied revolution is the
most striking thing that Mr.. Wright
found in England. "One feels" he
says, "that the world will never
again be as it was War has proved
that we can smash old traditions
and still live through it. Nothing
has been killed deader than tradi-
tlon The nations have done every-
thing that had to be done without
asking leave of dead centuries.
After the war is over the we'll
being of humanity will be the first
thing to be consulted. The war has
demonstrated that the world rests
on the useful people Of the world
those who produce. Trade union
ism, one of the oldest Instruments
Of actual democracy, will be one of
the great future instruments of ma
t!onal administration and inspira-
ton in the economic life of ma
tions."
1t is long story which the MEM
bers of the mission have to tall
about their visits to the front. a
story frequently told but always
moving. The sight of the British
and French soldiers, weary but de-
termined; of the Americans, fresh
and eager; Of General Perhing.
vigorous, steely-eyed; and confident
of immense war works executed by
the American soldiers; of the ruin
alton wrought in the city of Yer
dun by the Krupp guns whose
belching fire they actually saw from
distance-all these things thrilled
the Americans. The outstanding
manliness of the American bow
convinced them that the rulnors Of
evil conduct have been false.
"On the Cathedral of Verdun. -
said Mr.. Frey, II saw a slab which
had once been inscribed with the
name of st. Louis. The Hun shells
had taken aUay r,oct ~ ~. tI