The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-03
CONSIDER
THE WORKMEN
(Continued from page ID

ference on the other side of the wa
itr, but for many months before / went
4 across the water, was this: We are
at last learning that the business OF
government is to take counsel for the
leverage man. We are at last learning
that the whole matter OF the prosperity
of peoples, runs down into the great
body of men and women who do the
work OF the world and that the pro-
cess of guidance is not completed by
the mere success of great enthusiasm
lit is completed only by the stand
lard OF the benefit that it confers
upon those who in the obscure ranks
LOT life contribute to the success of
those enthusiasms The hearts of the
men, women and children of the world
are stirred now In a way that has new
err been known before They are not
only stirred by their individual cir.
oumstances but they are beginning to
get a vision of what the general cir
| cunstances of the world are and there
| is, for the first time in history, an
| international sympathy which Is
quick and vital-a sympathy which
does not displace itself merely in the
/ contact of governments but displays
Itself in the silent intercourse of SYM
pathy between great bodies that con-
tstitute great nations and the signif-
canoe of conference like this is that
| we are expressing in 1t and will. T.
believe, express in the results of this
conference our consciousness that we
are servants of this great silent
mass of people who constitute the
United States and that as their SER
wants, it is our business as well as
our privilege, to find out how we can
best assist in making their lives what
they wish them to be. giving them
the opportunities that they ought to
have, assisting by public counsel in
the private affairs upon which the
happiness of men depends.
and so I am the more distressed
that cannot take part in these coun-
cils. because my present business Is
to understand what plain men every
where want. 1t rs perfectly under
stood IN Paris that we are not meet
! ing there as the masters of anybody;
that we are meeting there as the
servants of, / believe 1t is, about 700,-
0oe 900 people and that unless we
show that we understand the business
OF servants, we will not satisfy them
and we will not accomplish the peace
Of the world, and that If we show
that we want to serve any interest but
theirs we will have become candt-
dates for the most lasting discreSft
/ that will ever attach to men In his
tory And so 1t Is with this pro-
found feeling of the significance OF
the things you are undertaking that
l bid you welcome, because I believe
You have come together in the spirit
which / have tried to indicate; and
that we will together concert meth
lr>d ~ and In, o.
ton which will really accomplish
what we wish to see accomplished in
steadying and easing and facilitating
/ the whole labor processes OF the
| United States"
$4,000 Men Out Of Work.
! WASHINGTON, March 3.-Oppor-
tunities for the workers 4to make
| their lives what they wish them" were
urged today before the conference OF
mayors and governors, jointly by Pres
ident Wilson and Secretary Of Labor
Wilson.
Warning of bolshevist attempts in
Seattle and elsewhere to overthrow
1.-THE existing order OF things, the labor
secretary declared that no country
owes q man a living" but every
country owes him an opportunity to
earn a living"
Bolshevist outbreaks have respond
ed thus far to the appeal of reason,
he said, and added the outlook is
. wight after we provide proper en-
1 months
He urged resumption of building ac-
/ tivity throughout the nation.
! President Wilson invited all the
governors and mayors to a buffet fin-
cheon in the state dining room at |
ip. m.
eve are certain" Secretary Wilson
said. that these disputes were rot
industrial or economic in their origin,
but were well planned and deliberate
attempts to establish the soviet sys-
item of government in the United
States. They desired to put into ef-
fleet here the bolsheviki doctrines OF
Russia"
Turning to the problem OF uner1-
lployment the secretary declared that
apparently $4,000 men are now out
!of work, with unemployment increas-
ing because men in industries are ua-
certain as 10 future prices.
1.-THE war has kept out 100000 for
eiy7n laborers annually; ship building
has taken 100000; and at least one
million men will be in the army for a
wear. Therefore If business could be
put back on a peace time basis there
would be a shortage of labor"
i One solution then, he argued, was
for the government to continue in its
normal public building. States and
| counties and cities also should con-
time such work, he said.
I In discussing difficulties of can
I collation. OF more than seven billion
dollars in war contracts. Secretary
OF War Baker announced that work
has been definitely suspended on
S.. 500 000. 900 worth.
The departments policy. he said!
J was to settle unfinished contracts
Justly. so the contractors could so