The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-09
HOW ORGANIZATION
OF LABOR AIDED TO
OVERCOME GERMANY

Editors Notes-The following article
presents the attitude of organised labor
during the war and summarizes the
ps,nSir he . OF II. action. 1t wa. pre-.
labor residing here.
BY FRANK A. IRWIN
When one thinks of the great vic
tory of the world war, he thinks of
course of the noble soldiers and sail
ors, who gave in no limited numbers
OF sacrifices, even with the supreme
sacrifice. 49,
The soldiers and sailors are of
course credited with the honor of win
ming this great conflict for civiliza-
ton, which is no doubt due them, but
let us not forget the great part labor
played in this struggle.
LABOR made the clean victory pos
sible with its efforts and sacrifices.
Let US quote the following if we may,
from the annual report of the secre-
tary of the navy for the year of 1919:
Labor was the rock upon which our
preparations and supplies depended.
1t was modified and efficient. With
out the great increased production due
to the skill and industry and fine
spirit of patriots in overalls, our men
in arms could not have been furnished
the required munition and supplies"
labor's Part.
Labor was modified and efficient"
says our secretary. We have heard
lots about our great army being
modified and efficient but ne'er a
word about the mobilization of our
great industrial army. nor has word
OF credit been spoken by private citi-
zens for this great army.
When war was first declared and
General PprShin0 cent t0 confer
with our allies, request was cabled
to our commanderin-chief for vast
army and navy. General Pershing
emphasized the necessity of an army
of from one to two million men. This
was thought impossible. The great
, est men in our country said that it
would be years before we would be
able TO send an army of this size over
two thousand miles of water, let alone
keeping them with supplies after they
We're once over; but our president
said that if we needed ali army of two
million on foreign lands in order to
accom- dish that which we entered the
war for, we would Immediately mobi-
lie an army Of workers to make it
possible.
Refers to Committees.
This was done. The council of ma
stional defense through it's various
committees deserves much credit in
this undertaking. l will refer to the
committee on labor of the advisory
commission to the council of national
defense, of which Samuel Gompers is
chairman. This committee co-operat-
ed with other government agencies
and systemized our industries, making
it possible for a record breaking pro-
duction of the necessities of war.
Unrest and dissatisfaction was in
abundance at the outbreak of the war.
This committee saw the danger which
was bound to result if some steps
were not taken to force perfect har-
mony with all the nations workers.
They knew that justice could only be
obtained through organization OF the
workers, besides it would have been
to big an undertaking, in fact an i'm
possibility, to deal with the individual
at this time, it would have only pro-
file were organized and the govern
ment saw to it that all received their
just dues.
Worked at Home.
This committee through the depart
ment of labor gained and maintained
control of labor. Twenty-eight thous-
and appeals were sent out to trade
unions, very few of which were not
needed to. A speakers department
was formed, and meetings were held
all over the United States. Thus the
great masses of workers were made
to see the need of efficiency and con-
sequently our nation produced more
than ever before in the history of our
country. Even though our men were
taken out of our industries and placed
on the battlefields, those who were
left went over the top with an abund-
ance of everything. More coal was
mined than ever before, more NUM-
lions were turned out, more ships
were built, more foods were grown,
and more transportation was offered.
Yes, our president did send this
vast army across two thousands of
miles of water and an army of over
one hundred million here maintained
and kept our boys supplied, maybe
not with the best, but better than any
other country in the world, even
though we entered the war without
any preparation what ever.
Keeps a Record.
The war department has Issued a
booklet know as "a Handbook of
Economic Agencies of the War of
1917" which contains many citation
of labor's helpful activities in connec-