The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-05-16
(From American Federationis)

America IS not simply a name;
America is not merely a country;
America is not purely a continent.
America is an ideal. II is the
apotheosis of all that is good and
true and just in a nation. 1t was
a great privilege for the members
lean Federation of Labor to serve
that ideal and to help brighten the
hope for a life that is good and
true and just for all the men and
women and children of the lands
"over there" as we'll as in our own
country.
Now, all pay tribute to the fact
that the Importance, power and IN
fluenve of Labor to the nation S
safety were never more clearly re-
yealed and demonstrated than dur
ing this great war. No one more
fully appreciated the force of La
bor no others applied themselves
more assiduously to the task of
breaking the morale of the WORK
ingmen of our nation and of the
nations associated with us, than did
the military advisers, strategists
and propagandists of Germany and
Austria. That these efforts failed
is due in an immeasurable degree
to the spirit of loyalty and OF pro-
found devotion to the ideals of JUS
tice, liberty and democracy mani
tested throughout this worlds con-
flict by the men and women of La
Dor of America, individually and
collectively, through the A. F. OF L..
Organized labor's influence was
not confined to America alone. The
spirit of America reached into the
hearts and minds of the workers of
all nations associated with our
great Republic.
in February, 1918, there was held
IN LONDON an julei -oliiCo No"iSi
ence of the representatives of Labor
and of Socialists. After several
DAYS, a declaration was agreed to
by that body, calling upon the gov
ernments of those in attendance to
bring about peace with Germany
and Austria by negotiations with
endless chains of concessions and
compromises. The hope for world
democracy was indeed dimmed and
clouded for the time being.
In September, 1918, seven months
after the February meeting, another
difference was held representative
of the same groups that attended
the former gathering, but having
in addition a deleg, tior represent
ing the A. F. of l.. The September
conference declared for answering
support of the government of the
United States and of our allied
countries until victory should have
Deen won On inc pdtIioii0iu ~
the enemies of humanity, civiliza-
tion and democracy driven from the
soil of invaded countries.
With the signing of the armistice
and the ending of hostilities, the
work of the organized labor move
ment like the work of the warning
nations. was changed into acts of
devising terms of settlement and
providing agencies for peace and
progress between the nations and
the peoples of the world. In pur-
suance of in t-uctions of former
conventions of the A. F. of L., the
American wage-earners were rep
resented at the councils of the Peace
Observation-Disclosures of the world by
five of the Executive Officers of the
A. F.. of L., viz: President Samuel
Gompers and Vice-Presidents James
Duncan, John r. Alpine, Frank
Duffy and William Green.
It was the great privilege of these
representatives of Americas work
ingmen. and women to meet with
the American commissioners of
Peace. There was given to Labor
an opportunity to make its contri-
button to the world in the remaking
and to present the hopes and aspira-
tions of the toilers of our land and
of other lands. To one, as President
of the A. F. of L., was granted the
additional opportunity of directly
representing the American wage
Garner in the councils of the Peace
Congress and in being selected as
presiding officer of the Internation-
al Commission for Labor Legisla-
tion.
The problems of peace, like the
problems of war, are great and COM
plex. The A. F. of l.. Mission ap-