The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-07

world stands at amaze because the
authority in America hesitated
whether II will endorse an Ameri-
can document or not.
You know what the necessity of
peace is. Why, my fellow country
men, political liberty can exist only
when there is peace. Social reform
can take place only when there Is
peace The settlement OF every ques-
tlon that concerns our daily life
waits for peace. 1 have been re-
ceiving delegations in Washington Of
mon engaged in the service Of the
Government temporarily in the adj
ministration of the railroads, and 1
have had to say to them, MY friends
I cannot tell what the railways can
earn until commerce is restored to Its
normal course. Until can tell what
the railroads can earn. cannot tell
what the wages that the railroads can
pay will be. l cannot suggest what
increase of freight and passenger
rates will be to meet these increases
in wages, IL the rates must be in
creased. I cannot tell yet whether
It will be necessary to increase the
rates or not, and I must ask you to
wait"
But they are not the only people
that have come to see me. There
are all sorts of adjustments neces-
sary in this country. l have asked
representatives of capital and labor
to come to Washington next month
and confer, confer about the funda-
mental thing Of our life at present.
That is to say, the conditions of
labor
All Eyes on Labor's Future.
Do you realize, my fellow citizens,
that all through the world the one
central question of civilization Is:
What shall be the conditions of labor?
The profoundest unrest in Europe Is
due to the doubt what shall be the
conditions of labor, and 1 need not
tell you that that unrest is spreading
to Tmerica. The treaty of peace Is
n Magma Charta. a great guarantee
that labor shall have the counsels OF
the wol id devoted to the discussion of
it's conditions and of its betterment;
and labor all over the world IL walt
ing to know whether America Is
going to take part inthose confer
ences or not.
The confidence of the men who sat
at Paris was such that they put II
in the document that the first meet
ing of the labor conference under
that part of the treaty should take
place in Washington upon the invi-
tation of the President of the United
States. l am going to issue that in
vitation whether we can attend the
conference or not.
But think of the modification.
Think of standing by in Washington
itself and see the world take counsel
upon the fundamental matter of civ
ilization without us. The thing is in
conceivable, but it is true. The world
Is waiting to see, not whether we
will take part, but whether we Will
serve and lead, for it has expected
us to lead.
"In Paris, delegations from all over
the world came to me to solicit the
friendship of America. They frankly
told US that they were not sure Of
anybody else that they could trust,
but that they did absolutely trust us
to do them Justice and to see that
justice was done them.
That is the attitude of the world,
and reflect upon the reaction, the re-
action of despair that would come II
America said. we do not want to
lead you. You must do without our
advice. You must shift without U.S..
1.-THE text of President Wilson
Kansas City address will be foun
nm pnre 1911