The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-01-16

The deciaTdtlonS VI 'h0 NoiilSi OhN0 -
st,
We speak in the name of mil
inns who work-those who make
and use tools-those who furnish
,be human power necessary for
commerce and industry. We speak
as part of the nation and those
things of which we have special
knowledge. Our welfare and inter-
ast are inseparably bound up with
the well-ebing of the nation. We
are an integal part of the American
neople and we are organized to
work out the welfare of all.
The urgent problems that sorely
trouble our nation and vitally af-
feet us as workers make necessary
this special consultation.
The great victories for human
freedom must not have been won in
vain. They must serve as the in
struments and the inspiration for a
greater and nobler freedom for all
mankind.
Autocratic, political and corpor-
ate industrial and financial influ-
ences in our country have sought,
and are seeking, to infringe upon
and limit the fundamental rights of
the wage-earners guaranteed by the
constitution of the United States.
Powerful forces are seeking more
and more aggressively to deny to
wage-earners their right to cease
work. We denounce these efforts
as vicious and destructive of the
most precious liberties of our peo-
pie. The right to cease work
strike-as a final means of enforc-
ing Justice from an autocratic con-
troll of industry, must be maintain
ed
The autocratic attitude and des-
tructive action of the United States
Steel Corporation and its subsidiary
branches to oppress the workers by
denying them the exercise of their
freedom of action, freedom of asso-
ciation. freedom of expression, must
give way to better understanding
and relation and to secure the
wage-earners in the exercise of
their rights and liberties as free
workers and citizens.
We realize fully all that is in
yolved in the exercise of the right
to strike, but only by the exercise
of that right can industrial auto
crats be compelled to abandon their
tyranny and give way to the es-
tablishment of freedom and justice
in industry.
American Labor sets for itself the
task, gladly and proudly assumed, TO
preserve and perpetuate this stan
dard of justice and measure OF lib
erty.
We protest against the attitude
and action of the majority of the
representatives of the employers IN
the EMPLOYERS group who partici-
pated in the Presidents Industrial
Conference October 6-23, 1919.
The proposals which the represen-
tatives of labor submitted to that
conference were conservative, con-
structive and helpful. They were
calculated to establish a working
basis for the promotion of better
relations between employers and
workers-the right to organize the
right to collective bargaining
through representatives of the
workers own choosing. The rep
resentatives Of the public consti'
tuted as a group endorsed ano
voted for that principle. by
small majority the employers
group voted against it and thus the
proposals were defeated and the
Conference failed.
The protection of the fights ah'
interests of wage-earners in nation
al, state and municipal service re
quires for them the right OF organ
zation. Since the interests OF thes'
workers can be best promoted
through legislation and admins
tration, their right to organization
and affiliation with the American
Federation of Labor must at al
times be fully safeguarded.
The paramount issues that con
Germ all the people of the Unlte'
States. and in particular the wage
aarnor. and INT