New-York tribune., 1920-09-07
Speeches and
Parades Mark
Labor Day Here
f. ID. Roosevelt Center of
Brooklyn Celebration;
Bill Haywood Speaks
at Radicals Gatherings
Hoover at West Point
Car Strike and the Weather
Keep Crowds Away From
Resort: Peace Prevails

Labor Day was observed with pa
rades and speeches yesterday and
passed in comparative peace.
The weather, the car strike and pro-
hibition combined to dampen the holi-
day ardor at Coney Island and similar
resorts.
Among the speakers Of the day in
and near New York were Herbert Hoov-
er, Franklin B. Roosevelt, Democratic
candidate for the ce-Presidency, and
"Big Bill" Haywood.
Haywood, who addressed four meet
fngs called by radical labor elements,
made much in all his speeches of the
sentence imposed upon him for sedi-
tion and obstruction of the draft. His
of the last he will make before starting
for the Federal penitentiary at At
lanta.
Mr.. Hoover was the speaker at the
Lafayette Marne Day celebration at
West Point. He declared his belief that
"practically the whole of the American
people" hoped that it would be possi-
BILE for this nation to become a MEM
ber Of league OF nations.
Cup Presented to Roosevelt
The occasion Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
speech was the presentation Of q silver
loving cup to him by the Metal Trades
Department. of the American Federation
of Labor in BEHALF of the $4,000 navy
yard employees. The gift was in rec
ognition of his services as Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, and the presen-
tation ceremony took place in Prospect
Park, Brooklyn.
In accepting the cup Mr.. Roosevelt
told an immense crowd, consisting
chiefly of members of the Central La
Dor Union of Brooklyn and Queens,
under whose auspices the meeting was
held, and striking employees of the
B. r. T., that they were displaying
great wisdom in adhering to the policy
ofgkeeping out of "entangling political
alliances"
He said this action would leave them
tree to judge men after that party
policies. Party policies are supposed
to be set forth in party platforms, but
on and the important question to you
Is whether the man will stand on it
or merely hide under it," he continued.
you may find a good man on q poor
platform, but you will never find a
good platform converting :. poor man
into good one"
Platform Only a Promise
"a platform is after ALL" Mr.. Roose-
velt continued, "only promise, and just
as in war the important thing is the
man behind the platform. Or you may
say that the platform is a sort Of
promissory note of what a man will
do if he is elected. Now you all know
that any man can step into a bank
and you all know that the bank will
give only casual inspection to the
note itself, but will scrutinize with
great exactness the signature.
"Only man with bad conscience
or who knows that he does not intend
to fulfill, or will not be allowed to full
fill, his promises need have any real
fear of your close scrutiny or try by
elusive and evasive issues and false
pretenses to distract your attention
from thoughtful consideration as to
what manner of man he has shown
himself to be-"
Mr.. Roosevelt discussed briefly the
"labor Problem" saying that the "em-
ployer who insists on having his own
way, right or wrong, who tries only tc
get the most service for tho least
money, will always find labor prob
lem on his hands" He added chat the
labor question is not insoluble since
all that is needed is fairness on both
sides.
Parade in Brooklyn Streets
Preceding the meeting great
parade through the streets Of Brooklyn
was held as part of the Labor Day
celebration arranged by the Centra
Labor Union and in the line of march
were thousands of striking employee:
of the B. r. T., and Irish women bear
ing placards demanding republic fol
Ireland and the release of Terence
MacSwiney, the Lord Mayor of Cork
At the close of the meeting the
Roosevelt party went to the Lafayette
Statue at the Ninth Street entrance tt
Prospect Park where Mr.. Roosevelt or
behalf of the labor organizations placee
a wreath after being introduced b,
Borough President Edward Riegelman
He spoke briefly and NJ. Casanave O.
the French High Commission replied
on behalf Of the French government