Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-29
GERMAN WORKERS CENSuRED
At UNION TRADES meet
HELD IN AMSTERDAM

AMSTERDAM SATURDAY, July &-Tha,
preliminary gathering today Of ths In.
ternatonal Trades Union Congress d..
veloped a series of accusations by Bel.
gian, American. English and French
delegates against the German worksn
for their conduct during the war. Tbn
led to sharp recriminations by both
sides.
Carl Rudolph Legion. president Of til.
German Federation of Trades Unions
defended the entire policy of the Ger
man trades unionists, which, he said
had been absolutely correct; their hon.
or prevented them from protesting to
the government. Moreover. Legion add
er. they all the time were under the
impression that they were fighting q
defensive war.
I'VE did what we thought was right
to help the Belgian workers" Legion
continued.
Instead Of protesting publicly We
tried to retain the influence of the gov.
eminent and affect meliorati- u.s."
The impression seemed to prevail
among the delegates that Leg.ens sta!s.
ment constituted a halting apology.
Samuel Gompers followed Legion. He
recalled that Legien had defended the
sinking of the Lusitania. Mr.. Gompen
told the Germans that they owed an
apology for their actions during the VIZ
not only to Belgium but the whole in.
ternational organization Of workers.
The American labor leader brought 70
light a communication he sent to Legen
before America entered the war, n
which he endeavored to persuade the
Germans to protest against the Lusta.
mia incident. This was contained n
letter carried by Count Won Bernstors,
when Bernstorff was recalled. Legea
denied having received the letter.
At the end Of the long sittln;
Sasenbach, a German socialist.
handed in a resolution containing
statement in explanation of the Ger.
man workers attitude during end
since the war. This was handed over
to a committee for a report. which
will be heard Monday. when vote
on it will be taken. The gist Of the
Sasenbach resolution follows:
The German occupation Of Bel
GUM and the deportation Of Bel
gians was not done with the consent
of the German workers. 81
IF at the beginning of the war all
had been known that was now
known, if the workers had not besn
misled and betrayed by the govern.
ment, the attitude of the workers anc
their leaders would have been diHt''
emit. If the German labor movement
had suspected that Germany was me
aggressor it would. without doubt
have tried by every means to prevent
the war. The German workers recog'
nize that the workers Of other couh'
tries can not appreciate or under
stand the several actions Of the Ger.
man workers during the war, out
these actions were forced on them
by the severe struggle waged by VIC
German nation.
Many things were done" the reso'
luton continued. under the fun con-
viction that right was on German ;
side that would never have been oone
in the light Of the truth now oeine
brought home. The German wofAeis
at the beginning of the war trlea "
do their duty without wrongins ,ns
laboring classes of other counu'''
and without failing in their own d.
tional obligations"
Mr.. Gompers showed remaiksg.
power in leading the congress ~
way Of thinking seemed to nave u''
ear of the congress throughout.