Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-02
Will SON ASKS LAbOR
TO HELP SAVE WORL D
We Are Irresistible When United,
President Says in Workers
Holiday Proclamation.
" aShingtOn. sept ,

W
Tho President last night issued the
following l.ancr Day proclamation:
Nv Fellow Citizens:
.abor Dav, 1918, is not like any Labor
Dav that we have known Labor DAY
was always deeply significant with Us.
Now II is suprcmcly significant kCcnlN rs
we were aware q year ago OF the enter
prise of life and death upon which the
nation had embarked. we did not per
cclys, It's meaning aS clearly 1S 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
aH enlisted men. members oi Single
army. OF many parts and many tasks,
bnt commanded by single obligation. our
faces set toward single object. We now
know that every tool IN every essential
industry IS a weapon. and a weapon WELD
cd for the same purpose that an army fife
Is welded "a weapon which, If VIC were
to Law down, no rifle would be 0i any use.
And a wcaopon for what? What Is the
war for Why are we cnllStcd' Why
should We be ashamed If we were not en-
EStcdP At first II seemed hardly more than
a war of defense against the military ag-
creseion OF Germany Belgium had been
violated France invaded and Germany
was aficld again. as in 1870 aud lS66, to
work ont her ambitions IN Europe: and 1t
was necessary To meet her force with force.
But u IS clear now that II Is much more
than war 10 alter The balance of power IN
Europe Germany. It Is now plaln. was
striking at what free men everywhere de
sire and must have the right 10 deter
mine their own fortunes, To insist upon
irstice and to OblICc government 70 act
for them and not for the private and selfish
interest Of a governing class
AIMS or WAR RES rtTEn.
II is = war 10 make the nations and
peoples Of the world secure against every
e1ich power as the German autocracN
repreScntS Il IS a war Of emancipation
Not until It IS won can men anywhere fvc
free from constant fear or breathe freely
while thcvgo about their daily tasks and
know hat governments are their servants.
not their masters.
This IS. therefore the war OF all warS
which labor should support and support
with all its concentrated power. he world
cannot be safe, men S lives cannot he
secure, no mans rights can hc confidently
and successfully asserted against ~" rule
and mastery of arbitrary groups and
special interests So long as government
like that which. after long prcmcistat0n,
drew Austria and Germany INTO tins war
and the daily fortunes Of mon and nations.
plotting while honest men work. LAYING
tho fires Of which innocent mcu women
and children arc 10 he the fuel
LABoRERs As ESSENTIAL SOLDIERS
You l-,1aw tho nature of TINS war Ii
n v-,r which industry must sustain The
army of lahorcrS a home Is as important
n. essential. ~ tho army of fighting men
~ 'hc far fields a actual battle Nnd
H., laIcr,r IS not only needed rs much as
the soldier L i hrs uar The soldier Is
H. ela,nrinu aud representative ~ iall
H. u1 would hc % luprul ,vcrN thing
ti,:.t fhe l3Ierer Ea- -friNcn for ard hold
Il. -ir.c, freedom first had ITS dawn and
lls >irslgic for ..~tice began. The sol
sli..r 4, the front know thus II stcel~
ti.tt ua3>cie< to think ID III IIcN ar,
tr:~. lc1 They arc fighting for no SCI
C-' -,'ttat@rt ior their own IttIsn
Thcv would dcSpisc any ono who fought
fnr the sol ssh advantage ~ amy nation.
Thar are giving thcir lives that homes
evcrvn 5Icrc. a we'll as the homes they love
IL America may tie kcp: sacred and safe,
and mon everywhere bc free. aS they insist
uron being free. They arc fighting ior the
ideals Of their own land great ideals,
immortal ideals, ideals which shall light
inc W3N lteI 81 i1tS'iA ~ NtiF f'if'' - v ~
Justice Is done and men live with lifted
heads and cmancipated spirits That Is
the reason they fight with solemn 10y and
arc lnVInCIblc.
NEW CONSIDERATION TO DUTY URGED.
Let us make this, therefore. day of
fresh comprehension not only OF what we
arc about, and OF renewed and cleAr-eyed
resolution, but a day OF conservation also,
IN which We devote ourselves without pause
or limit to the great task Of setting our
own country and the whole world free 70
render Justice TO all and oi making i M
possible for small groups OF political ril-
ers anywhere 70 disturb our peace or the
peace Of the world or IN any way 10 make
tools and pdppets of those upon whose
consent and upon whose power their own
authority and their own very existence de
pend
We NAV count upon each other The
nation Is OF a single mind Il IS taking
counsel with no special class. 1t i >erN-
ing no private or single interest It, own
mind has been cleared and fortified by
these DAYS which burn the eros away.
The light Cf a new conviction has pcne-
trated to every class amongst as We
realize as we never realized before, that
We are comrades. dependent upon one
another. irre>tlblc when united. pOwerieSS
when divided And 20 We JOIN hands 20
lead the world 10 a new and better day
Woodrow wilson.