Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04
GOMPERS HITS
AT SOCIALISM
HEAD OF ORGANIZED LABOR
DEMANDS LOYALTY TO
GOVERNMENT.

Washington, d. c., Jan. PRO
nouncing opposition to the war trea'
| sonable, Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor
has issued a New Years appeal to the
unions to strengthen their ranks in
order to bring about continuous pro
duction of munitions and equipment
necessary to compass the defeat OF
Germany.
January, 1915" Mr.. Gompers says.
"dawns at time of great opportunity
for labor, which presents at the same
time corresponding responsibility and
! duty. Our republic, our people, are at
! war. Whatever individuals may have
thought upon the European situation
| before the congress of the United
| States declared war against the inn
perial German and Austrian govern
| ments, that must now be laid aside.
| The congress and the president, under
the authority Of the constitution Of
our republic, have irrevocably de-
! cided the matter.
THE BOLDEsT INDICTMENT.
"War means victory for our cause
or danger to the very existence of our
nation. With our nations at stake
individuals can not interpose opposi.
ton to the war-a war declared by
the will Of the nations representa-
tives.
under the exigencies of war, op-
position to the war declared by con-
stituted authority becomes treason"
This is the boldest indictment of
opponents of the war yet uttered by
any person of authority in the United
States. It acquires all the more sig
nificance from the fact that it is in
the ranks of organized labor in other
countries that the agents of Germany
have found it possible to SOW the
seeds of disaffection and disloyalty.
CHALLENGE TO SOCIALISTS.
Mr.. Gompers' branding Of opposi-
ton to the war as reasonable is at
once a challenge to the disloyal and
World, who were becoming a menace
to the Federation of Labor, and to
those pro-German socialists within and
without the ranks of organized labor
who have denounced him for exerting
his influence toward waging the war
to victory.
Socialism's efforts to obtain control
Of organized labor has been one of
the millstones about the neck of non
unionism for years and no one has
realized this more clearly than Mr.
Gompers. His fearless stand at this
time is significant warning to the
Non-partisan league officials who are
trying to obtain union labor support
for their socialistic, disloyal propa-
ganda.
Although labor furnishes probably
the paramount problem in the conduct
of the war with which the government
must deal, Mr.. Gompers does not Of
fer any proposals for the mobilization
OF the industrial man power of the
nation to construct ships and produce
munitions and equipment. He leaves
that, apparently to the government.
WOULD EXPAND UNIONS.
He is interested chiefly in taking
advantage of the war emergency to
expand the organization of labor and
in safeguarding the interests of the
unions under the changes in condi- |
tons brought about by the conflict.
1T is time that requires serious
consideration of words and actions"
Mr.. Gompers says. while this is !
true, there is even more than ordi- |
nary need for the maintenance of the |
rights OF men and women, and for |
careful scrutiny and the fullest dis |
cussion Of policies and methods be-
fore their adoption.
THE time for labor to interpose its ,
needs and contentious is while poll. |
cies are in the making.
DEMOCRACY AT STAKE. /
THE world war in which we are
engaged is on such a tremendous scale |
and is so all pervading in it's influ-
ences and effects that we are read |
justing practically the whole nations |
social and economic organization from
a peace to war basis.
1t devolves upon liberty loving,
and particularly the workers
Of this country, to see to it that the
spirit and methods of democracy are
within our own country
while we are engaged in a war to
establish them in International rela.
lions.
GOVERNMENT is FAIR.
"The chief responsible agents Of
he government have shown desire
% be fair and an understanding of the
human elements involved in this prob
EN-. The organized labor movement
has also shown an equally broad I'M
1erstanding and grasp of the situa.
ion.
Representatives Of the labor move
nent must undertake the work of or
sanization with greater seriousness
Ind intensity than ever before. Or
yanization is the corner stone upon
which workers must base all Of their
olans, upon which the government
tself must rest its labor policies, up
IN which all can serve in triumph
or justice. for freedom, and for world