The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-02-15
Workers Ql|Ik |I:||SS Of: world @LlUf >'
Is +: Behind League OF: NATIONS
w. McEwen Editor Of The Labor World, Tells League to En-
force Peace That Wage Farmers Everywhere Are Re-
NgiousY Devoted to Plan For, World Peace -: B:

w. E. McEwen. editor of The Labor
World, delivered the following address
Thursday evening at the Minneapolis
congress for the League of Nations
under the auspices of the League to
Enforce Peace, under the subject,
''Labor's Devotion to the League of
Nations:" -,
There should not be a dissenting
voice in America to the establishment
of League Of Nations. American
thought should run to it as naturally
as the rivers flow to the seas. The
idea of it is in complete accord with
our philosophy of government. Its
achievement will give world applica-
ton to the American conception Of
popular rule. It will be the clllmina-
ton of the great work undertaken by
the founders of our nation, and sue
cessively developed by the generations
that have followed
. Here we have our local govern
ments, the townships, villages and
cities securely held together by
league Of such units which we call
the state. It enjoys sovereign power,
except that it has coded to a league
VI oSoSSHS "AAAN11 VIC d1o pIOuQ 10 Call
the United States of America, so much
of it's sovereignty as has been deemed
necessary for the welfare and protec-
ton of all the states.
Was Once Dream.
This league Of free states, now
reality, was once but dreamers'
fancy. It encountered the same OBJ
Jectlons as are made against the
League of Nations. It was plausible
In theory, but it was held to be i'm
practicable in application. The
several states had varying economic
interests between which there was bit
ter rivalry, and it was contended that
these could not be made to harmonic.
Then too, every state was populated
by different races Of people with
diverse social ideals, political views,
religious thoughts and domestic habits
all barriers against the establish
ment of Federal union. But seven
years of war, and subsequent threats
OF invasion, put an end to all such
objections, and league of states, the
dream of the idealist, became as if by
magic realization.
"Leaguc Of Nations" Here.
Now see what we have, forty-eight
free states, politically as independent
of each other. as the numerous
countries of the old world, vet bound
together as one, in perfect. Under
standing and, with united purpose to
maintain domestic. tranquility, pro-
mote the gen eral welfare and provide
for. the common defence, with no
armies on their frontiers to challenge
each others sovereignty .':>'' :
Immediately north of US is another
league of free states, the Dominion
Of Canada, with a somewhat differ
ent form of democratic. government.
whose liberty loving. people dis
t1nguished themselves; in the world
war, both at home and abroad, by
generous service, willing sacrifice, pa
tient suffering and true valor. And
what a glorious example in neighbour
Illness and friendship these two great
leagues Of free states have set for all
the world! Their frontiers extend
from ocean to ocean, several thou
sand miles in distance, with not a
gun, soldier or barbed wire fence
along the entire boundary line.
Economic Handicap, Too.
We are showing and we have
shown how free men of contiguous
nations can live and work out their
separate destinies with perfect conf
dence in each other, and without fear
of assault, invasion or attack from
the other. A mutual and most friend
ly political relationship has existed
between us in spite Of the fact that
there have been set up by laws in
both nations barriers that have pre-
vented the free economic intercourse
there should be between two such
neighbors Of equal social develop
ment.
What we have done here can be
done throughout the world. The
plain people everywhere want a
league of nations. If there was any
doubt about where they stood on the
proposition after the armistice was
signed, that doubt has been removed