The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-06-28

of the masses OF the people or all tnec
world. Those of you who are Ia
miliar with the history Of that
struggle realize that up until that
time the only people who were per-
mitted to participate in the affairs
of governmen were the monarch and
the nobility, the nobility comprising
the flower of kntghthood. And the
nobility were permitted to participate
because the man on horseback and
in armour was the man who at that
time was necessary for the defense
of the state. Nearly all of the nobility
of Scotland had been brought up at
the court Of England and when the
Battle Of Bannockburn took place
very few Of the men in armour were
on the side of the Scottish monarch.
He had to depend for his support in
he conflict upon the yeomanry of his
.a1ntry. The British monarch was
1here forced to sue for terms and the
European military chiefs were COM
PEELED also to change their tactics.
From that moment dated the fall of
knighthood and the beginning Of man.
hood.
Slowly the masses of the people
TeQTeSouLeu Ill Ilo yeOu1dAAy O06oA
to realize their importance, and be-
fore the reign of Bruce had passed
they had compelled him to yield con-
cessions to the yeomanry Of that
country; and this was true also of
Edward and over on the continent.
The individual, the man in the mass,
the man of society began to see the
dawn of a new day.
Workers Importance in War.
Modern warfare has still more
thoroughly accentuated that thought.
In the battles of ancient times it was
frequently possible for large armies to
support themselves through the
country in which they were operat-
ing, receiving but a small portion of
their supplies from home. From the
days when Joshua overcame the
enemies Of Israel until Sherman made
his famous march to the sea, great
armies supported themselves upon the
country in which they were fighting.
That is no longer possible, and it
has been variously estimated that it
tsslkes anywhere from six to ten work.
z ers in the rear to maintain one SOL
dier in the trenches. Consequently
the workers Of all the world have
oecome more important factors in the
defense of their respective countries,
md they are insisting and will con-
:inue to Insist that in the considera-
ion of the problems of reconstruct
ion the laws shall be so constituted
- Ind social affairs so conducted that
svery individual in the community
hall have the greatest possible op-
'ortunity for self-determination.
Employers Helped I. w. W.
recall conditions We met with in
he Middle West when the presidents
commission on mediation was sent to
investigate conditions brought about
" the Industrial Workers of the
World some two years ago. The In
ustrial Workers Of the World had
lnost gone out of existence prior to
hat time.
Suddenly there was a renewal Of
ctivities. Industries that were es-
ential for the success Of the war were
eing tied up. there seemed to be no
ay of keeping them in operation, and
,se president appointed his commits
on, of which I had the honor Of
eing chairman. We went out to
lvestigate; we found some oddities.
lany crudities that the average man
| the labor movement would not
and for. We found that people
ere coming in ION the rods'' to the
lining camps Of the mountain regions
the west, coming in quite large
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