Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-09-26
.LABOR'S PART IN
WORLD WAR IS OF
VAST IMPORTANCE
PRESIDENT WILSON PAYS ELo-
QUENT TRIBUTE TO AMERICAS
ARMY OF WORKERS.
GOMPERs DELIVERS MESSAGE
Head Of the American Federation Of
Labor Points sOut the Need Of
Unity Of Action Here.

The part that Labor will take in
| the sale Of the Fourth Liberty Loan
Bonds, which will be inaugurated
September 28, is second to no other
part that will be played. Everything
that is created must be created
through the energy of men and women
who toll AS a result the success Of
the drive for the Fourth Liberty Loan
depends in a very large measure upon
the cooperation of labor in the cause.
Not only are the toilers bearing
their part Of fighting in the European
trenches, but they are bearing the
bulk of the fighting within the fac
tory trenches in the United States.
| The Importance of the part they play
is illustrated both by President Will
son in his Labor Day address and also
in the Greetings to the American
People" sent from England by Sam
uel Gompers, president Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, who is in
Europe on a mission for the United
States Government.
No better description of the i'm
| portance of Labor could possibly be
given than that OF President Wilson.
1.-THE army of laborers at home is
as important, as essential, as the
army of lighting men in the. far fields
of actual battle" the President said
"And the laborer is needed as much
as the soldier. 1t is his war. The
soldier is his champion and repre-
sentative.
ITO fail to win would be to imperil
everything that the laborer has
striven for and held dear since free
dom first had its dawn and his strug-
gle for justice began. The soldiers at
the front know this. 1t steels their
muscles to think OF it. They are cru
saders. They are fighting for no
selfish advantage for their own ma
ton. They would despise anyone who
fought for the selfish advantage Of
any nation
President Tells Why They Fight.
"They are giving their lives that
homes everywhere, as we'll as the
homes they love in America, may be
kept sacred and safe, and men every
where be free as they insist upon
being free. They are fighting for the
J ideals of their own lands-great
ideals, immortal ideals, ideals that
shall light the way for all men to the
places where justice is done and men
live with lifted heads and enact
: pated spirits. That is the reason they
fight with solemn JOY and are in
: vincible."
satisfaction on his duty as wellsas his
accomplishment A large share of the
active fighting forces are drawn from
the ranks of labor. But above this is
the consciousness that the equip
ment and supplies of the fighting
, the laborer-fghter who is contribut-
ing equally as much at the forge and
at the work bench The fruition OF
z all this energy and labor is touched
upon in the message which Mr.. Com.
I oers sent to the working people of the
United States.
Twin the war for freedom is in.
scribed upon the banners of Ameri
cas- workers today in every city and
aamlet," President Gompers says in
lis message 1T is the message that
!. will be spoken from every platform
1t is the song of every heart. 1t is d
, var of freedom because only through
, victory can there be freedom.
!. THE working people of America
; are conscious of their vital part in
!, making victory possible, and they will
| do their part, not as task, but as a
of securing forever that freedom
/ which they prize above all things.
+ I'VE count it our most sacred duty
o to win safety for our freedom and oul
C democracy, for only when they are
e safe can life give to us its opportuni
d ties and its value. Win the war fol
freedom"
:, There is no sebb and flow to com
G merce during the period of the war
:. It is a constant equipment-includin
! equipment of the soldier, his sus
u tenance, his maintenance of health
medical aid, provisions, munitions
: service for supplies, and the main
i tenance of the millions of allied PEG
pies until they can be placed in pc
sition to sustain themselves-of tht
soldiers that American labor is called
. upon to make.
No matter how small part toilel
may play in the immense plan. it il
an essential one. The young toilel
; that works in the most obscure parti
; If munitions or supply plants is as es
! ,ential as the man who works on thu
: most important parts of the heavy ar
: :illery and munitions. Without prop
or attention to the obscure and nino
: parts, the whole would be imperfect
: without the perfect whole, the tellini
blows against the huns would be i'm
possible. It all requires unity and I
harmony Of purpose.