Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-07
By SAMUEL GOMPERS,
ident of tho American Federation O


President Of tho American Federation Of Labor.
est democracy in the world. 1t is
vast, far-fung country composed of
many races, many creeds. many opin-
ions, many beliefs. 1t is country that
prides itself the independence of thought
and action of the individual. And because of
that pride of, and glory ill., individual liberty.
it is a country fore-doomed to argument, to
struggle, to conflict
This is not to be deplored. Quite the con-
trary. 1t is to be exulted in and encouraged
given, of course, that the argument be inteli-
gent. the struggle constructive and the conflict
for the welfare and betterment of all it's citi-
zens. In many counsels lies wisdom. In the
harmonious reconciliation of varied opinions
lies progress. And in the very effort of every
citizen to improve himself, his fellows and his
country, lies the safety of democracy itself.
am not of those who hold contentment to
be the end of desire. Contentment. to my way
of thinking, means stagnation. While healthy
discomfort is the birth of aspiration for better
things, and, though the greatest
and most successful democracy that the world
has ever seen, it would be foolish it
would be fatuous to deny our faults or ignore
weaknesses.
One of greatest faults is that too many
extremists Along the roads follow,
many are prone to go too far. Like our gal
tent to stop at our detectives We dash on
ahead-and are caught in own barrage!
This is understandable. 1t is in a way for
givable. 1t is because young nation,
full of enthusiasm and strength and courage.
But it is dangerous and costly. And even be-
fore the this fault had led us into grave
trouble
Business organization. from reasonable lin
it's had grown into great and menacing trusts,
combinations and corporations; they had gone
fold Oh into
the illegitimate field of manipulation stock job
berry and domination of our political and judicial
life The whole wealth of the land being
taken from the hands of the many and placed
within the grip of the few. We were in danger
of becoming, like the Mexico of decade ago.
a country of but two classes; the vastly rich
and the pitifully poor.
That such condition is both wrong and
fatal is beyond argument. There is neither
justice nor common in a condition that
allows one man to have hundred million dol
lars and hundred million men to have nothing
at all. condition where the few possess
much and the many possess little is not democ-
racy. 1t is an olgarchy. Its further develop
ment could not and would not have been to,.
Grated.
This condition was brought about by an
other extremism; the over-worship of a single
god Of all those that democracy must serve
We had come to spend too much time before
our favored fetch, IndividuaIsm
Every man. each woman had come to think
too much of, and work too much for himself
and herself. We had forgotten that not in
dividualism alone. but fndviduaIistic mutually
means progress. 1t is not enough that each man
becomes strong, each woman fine 1t is the
relation of each man and woman to all other
men and women that makes nation great No
matter how fine soldiers were they never
could have defeated the Germans at Chateau
Thierry had they gone in one at a time.
This condition, in turn, had made for lack
of interest in citizenry and in the country
When each citizen IS thinking only of himself
their mutual affairs suffer. Their government
goes to incompetents. worse. 1t is like
business with efficient clerks, but inefficient
management. Such a business cannot last. il it
be continued in such a way