The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-08-31
GOMPERS
DESCRIBES
LABOR'S HOPES

NOTE-LABOR DAY WILL BIZ
CELEBRATED ONE MEEK FROM To-
DAY. SAMUEL GOM-EhS. ONE OF
THE FOUNDERS OF The AMEKl-
CAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND
IT'S PRESIDENT. SAVE FOR \
INGLE YEAR. SINCE 1852. HERE
WITH IN 4 c-EGA1 ARTICLE PRE-
PARED FOR THE I. \. s. TELLS OF
LABOR'S HOPES AND PLANS FIN
THE FUTURE.
BY SAMUEL GOMPERS
Written Exclusively for the ! : :
WASHINGTON. Aus. SD-The donain-
ant spirit of the age IS no longer Sc
ug,ous creeds or forms. but industrial
relations Of social life. Where the
former are not IN touch with these
they cease calling out our enthusiasm
II is this new spirit. which now con
trols our thought and aeuou. Because
e this new spirit Labor day this year
Is unusually significant.
The spirit that made our war a great
crusade and that made OF our wonderful
army q hest O. crusaders sworn 70 hdel-
lty TO human rights ana human freedom
Aves in every taang that l. truly Amer
can and demands expression IN the
acts Of cur public representatives. and
Of our government.
In wanton denial OF thus nobility Of
-hought and concept the Hesslans Of
Sreed and plumber seek 20 ride down
the rights Of the people aud destroy
their liberties. The enemies of labor
nave given their rvant the mandate
that Labor must be crushed, its Tishts
and liberties denied.
The challenge Of these forces to the
Citizenship of the nation is brazen and
blunt.
That the right-thinking men and
women Of our republic can afford 10 al
low this challenge TO reap a harvest Of
political power in the coming election.
is u~nthinkable. More than in any Pc
ntIcal contest since the days OF the
civil war. the isue is clearly drawn be
tween reaction and progress.
SO it is hat on this Labor day We
fece grave. complex and perplexing
problems.
The masses of the working people
of the nation understand the great is
sues that face them. The one supreme
issue is whether liberty shall live.
1t is the great hope of the organized
labor movement m this Labor day that
the path OF industrial democracy may
be marked by none of the plumbers of
extremism. Such democracy as we have
yet to attain must be obtained through
the institutions of the great and intel
ligent measure of democracy that W. al
ready enjoy. Any other course would
be fatal TO all democracy and lead US
TO that unhappy and tragic state OF
chaos which has brought so much Of
distress and evil to the people Of Rus
sia-
The great republic of the L. S.
with full allowance for every nantes
tatior OF evil that Is within its borders.
Is still the best nationa on the globe.
There is no language SO free. no Ian
guage 20 fair. no lane so abundant in
opportunity for a greater civilization
and a grander conception OF the ideals
Of humankind.
"-he greatest thing in democracy is
humanity and whatsoever stands IN
tho way Of its striving for more of
life and for Il finer life has no place
here and must be banished.
That is the thought that will be
uppernost In the hands of American
workers on his great American Labo
Day.
While priests are praying for US
and politicians Grating for Us, trade
unionism IS silently building its out
posts and pushing its videttes further
and further beyond the old lines.
And so on this great Labor Day
the workers IN America mark s new
onward step and set their eyes to an
other advance in the future.
In this work for a better and a
brighter tomorrow Il welcomes tbs
cooperation of all helpful agencies
but Will under NO circumstances brook
any interference whatsoever from
those within or without who espouse
the distorted vision Of Bolshevism OF
who cling TO the dead language OF
bourbonlsm."