The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-10
WORKERS At HOME
VITAL As SOLDIERS
SUCH Is THE DECLARATION or
PRESIDENT WILSON IN LABOR
DAY MESSAGE.
Purpose Of America Is to Resist
Prussian Aggression, and the Army
OF laborers at Home Is as I'M
portant as the Army Abroad.

/ Washington.-All Americans are ad
dressed as fellow enlisted men Of
single obligation, in President VII
sons labor day message.
The presidents message follows:
my Fellow Citizens:
Labor day, 1918, is not like an.
Labor day that we have known. Labo
day was always deeply significant will
US. Now it is supremacy significant
Keenly as we were aware a year agt
of the enterprise Of life and death upol
which the nation had embarked, we dit
not perceive its meaning ais clearly
as we do now. We knew that we were
all partners and must stand and strive
together, but we did not realize as We
do now that we are all enlisted men
members Of single army, Of many
parts and many tasks, but commanded
by a single obligation, our faces sci
toward single object. We now, know
that every tool in every essential In
duStry Is weapon, and weapon
welded for the same purpose that any
rifle Is welded; weapon which, If
we were to lay down, no rifle would
be of any use.
Against Hun Aggression.
"And weapon for what? What is the
war for? Why are we enlisted? Why
should we be ashamed if we were not
enlisted? At first it seemed hardly
more than war of defense against
the military aggression of Germany.
Belgium had been violated, France in
vaded, and Germany was afield again.
as in 1870 and 1866, to work out her
in Europe; and it was neces-
sary to meet her force with force. But
it is clear now that 1t is much more
than war to alter the balance of
power in Europe
Germany, 1t is now plain, was strik-
ing at what free men everywhere de-
sire and must have-the right to deter
mine their own fortunes, to insist upon
justice, and to 6blige governments to
act for them and not for the private
and selfish interests of governing
class. It is a. war to make the nations
and peoples Of the world secure against
every such power as the German auto
cracy represents. 1t is war of eman.
cipation. Not until it is won can, men
anywhere live free from constant fear
or breathe freely while they 60 about
their daily tasks and know that gov
are their servants, not their
"This is, therefore, the war of all
wars which labor should support and
support with all its concentrated power.
The world cannot be safe, mems lives
cannot be secure, no mans right can
)e confidently and successfully assert
I'd against the rule and mastery of
arbitrary groups and special interests
20 long as governments like that
which, after long generalization, drew
Austria and Germany into the war are
permitted to control the destinies aud
he daily fortunes Of men and nations,
,lotting while honest men work, lay
ng the fires Of which innocent men,
and children are to be the fuel.
Industry Must Sustain.
"You know the nature of this war.
t is war. which industry must sus-
ain. The army of laborers at home is
S important, as essential, as the army
f fighting men In the far fields of
ctual battle. And the 1aborer Is not
My needed as much as the soldier. 1t
) his war. The soldier is his champion
nd representative. To fail to win
'ould be to imperil everything that
he labOrer has striven for and held
ear since freedom first had its dawn
nd his struggle for justice began.
"The soldiers at the front know this.
steels their muscles to think Of It.
hey are crusaders They are fighting
'r no selfish advantage for their own
alton. They would despise anyone who
ought for the selfish advantage Of
ny nation" +
Icy toc AuuhC ClElS, tn0ECIUTt, u6J |
fresh comprehension, not only OF
hat we are about and Of renewed
i'd clear-eyed resolution, but day
conservation also, in which we de-
,te ourselves without pause or limit ,
the great task Of setting our own
'untry and the whole world free to o
nder justice to all, and Of makins I
impossible for small groups Of polh- ,
j leaders anywhere to disturb or in ,
" way to make tools and puppets {
those upon whose consent and upon
hose power their own authority and
cir own very existence depend.
I'VE may count upon each other. The h
tion is Of single mind. It Is taking n
ufisel with no special class. It In .
rving no private or single interest. ?
own mind has been cleared and s
rhfied by these days which burn the n
oss away.
Enemy Books lInrfAr nau