Denver labor bulletin., 1918-08-10

News that the war demands Of Presi-
mands Of the international Socialists.
The American Alliance for Labor
and Democracy, composed Of trade
unionists and Socialists, at its meet
ing in Minneapolis, endorsed and re-
peated these demands. These are
Americas aims in the war:
Equal rights Of all nations, big and
little;
No people to be forced under a gov
ernment under which it does not wish
to live;
Freedom of the seas;
A concert of nations to guarantee
peace and justice;
Limitation of armaments on land
and sea.
These are Americas demands and
the aims Of American labor in this
war. Greatest Of all is disarmament,
by limitation Of armaments on land
and sea thru international agreement.
Without this, labor cannot be free in
this or any country. We must fight
now in order not to fight afterwards.
Any Socialist in America, however
honest, who tries to weaken the NOR
ale ct American laborers in this great
crisis, is simply playing the game Of
themselves to the kaiser.
Rather than listen to such Social
lists let American labor join in the
magnificent patriotism Of the Ameri-
can Alliance for Labor and Democ-
racy. Let them say, as the Alliance
does, that labor will take its part in
conducting the war, and that the war
shall be fought to a finish; for upon
its success depends the freedom and
the wages Of American labor.
For forty years Germany has been
prepared for war. America is trying
to do in one year what Germany has
there are mistakes. OF course there
is delay and confusion. Anybody who
picks out the mistakes and delays can
find plenty of material to arouse sus-
picion and encourage dissatisfaction.
Our government is building up
great system of employment offices
which Germany and England had be-
fore the war started. This will do
away with an immense amount of
lost time by workmen in hunting jobs.
The government is calling in hun
dreds of accountants to figure out the
costs and profits of manufacturers, SO
that there need be no suspicion of
excessive war profits.
The government is establishing
boards Of mediation to settle all wage
disputes as fast as possible.
The government has started to
build houses for workmen alongside
the new factories working for the gov
ernment.
The government has taken over the
railroads and will take over other in
dustries as fast as it is able to do SO,
if other methods fail.
Wherever these new agencies have
been set to work they have already
accomplished good results. But they
cannot be expected to overcome every
difficulty at once. In view of all that
the government is trying to do for
labor, labor can and should help.
Instead of spending increased wages
for luxuries, workmen can buy saw
ings certificates at any postoffice.
Instead Of shifting restlessly from
one job to another, workmen can stick
to the jobs where the nation needs
them.
Instead of suddenly going out on
strike, labor can call for the boards
of mediation that have already been
successful in settling disputes.
| Instead of stirring up dissatisfac-
tion, labor can work with the Alliance
for Labor and Democracy, and hold
up the hands of the government in
this biggest and most difficult job
the American people were ever forced
to undertake.