The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-09-21
ORGANIZED LABOR
FOR DISARMAMENT
Asks Great Demonstrations
In Favor on Armistice
81, Day
APPEAL TO OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS
Wants Delegates from Other Countries
Strongly Impressed With American
Sentiment Against War - Realizes
This Country Cannot Disarm Alone.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Sept 21.-American
labor has asked the American Legion and
other national organizations to cooper
ate in demonstrations throughout the
United States on Armistice day not only
TO celebrate the victory of 1918 but to
impress the delegates to the conference
on the limitation of ornaments with the
fact that the American people conf
IDENTIFY expect Il program to be adopted
which will reduce military and naval eX-
penditures and minimize the chances of
war.
Samuel Gompcrs, president of the
American federation of labor. today dis
closed his plans for parades and mass
meetings on November 18th which may
exceed in point of numbers the process
sions of Labo day in past years. Mr..
Gompers feels that Armistice day passed
last November without that glOrifcation
Of the event which is necessary to instill
in the minds of people a true apprecla-
ton of the sacrifices that were made to
win the victory. The day should be, he
believes, an occasion for expression of
the anti-war sentiment needed to insure
a program of enduring peace.
Note Glass Movement.
Mr.. Gompers makes it plain that he
is not championing a class movement. He
simply is notifying every trade union
headquarters in every city and town IN
the United States that labor should do
its part in what he hopes will be taken
up by other civic bodies as a national
celebration. When Armistice day has
passed, it is the hope of the American
federation of labor that a permanent com
mittee of - members representing all the
various national organizations Interested
in disarmament and the cause of peace
will unite and bring respectful pressure
to bear on the conference for the Emita-
ton of q so that there may be
no doubt about the insiStence of the
American people on practical results.
! Mr.. GOmperS Is in communication with
| the labor organizations of other cOun-
tries. The building up of a Worldwide
sentiment behind the Washington con-
! ference on armament Is intended to as
sure the delegates of all countries that
they may ignore the jingOes and mum
ticns makers and go as far as they like
toward lifting the burdens of taxation
which nave crippled Europe's purchasing
power and indirectly helped to bring
about an industrial depression in the
United States.
Mr.. Gompers was asked what would
/ be the course of the American federation
of labor in the event nat the conference
! failed to reach an agreement on the
! limitation of armament. Would he IA
vor the reduction by the United States
of its army and navy irrespective of
what the other powers did.
Il have always opposed and shall con-
tinue emphatically to oppose any Sug-
gestion that the United States disarm
alone" replied Mr.. Gompers.
Opposition Propaganda.
So the movement of the American fed
Grafton of labor does not ask the impos-
sibIe but aims to bring out public Opin-
ion in such a way as to show the dele
gates how unmiStakable is public senti-
lment for an agreement on armament.
Propaganda against reduction of arma-
ment is already in full swing. Inside
our own government are many men who
! doubt the p~racticability Of any agree
ment on military or naval expenditure.
Also there are those who believe the
United States ought to continue her pol
lev of aloofneSs and refuse to engage in
any entangling agreements with the rest
of the world.
On the other hand, organizations like
the league of women voters and the
American federation of labor and several
church bodies are keenly Interested an
/ milking the w uSHlhSIVA CohA'ANANS VI
armamen limitation a huge success. One
way. they believe, that success will come
by manifestations of public opinion
mass meetings at which resolutions will
be adopted. In other words, the organic
alton of all those in the United States
who favor armament limitation is sought
so that the delegates from Great Britain
France. Italy and Japan will be fully
impressed by the proposals of the Amer.
lean delegation and viii see behind them
a popular demand for practical results
and not an eVasive set of academic prin.
ciples.