The Dolores star., 1921-08-26
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one Of the great protecting bulwarks
of democracy. More than that. they
came to see ii as great creation of
democracy.
Some critics of the American labor
movement have said that 1t has no
definite program, no formula that in
dicates just where It is going know
of no more emphatic answer than to
point to the road over which we have
come in ten years. | suggest that II
shows the direction in which we are
going it shows, moreover, that We are
going.
On June 10, carrying out the spir!,
of the labor declaration of March Is,
an agreement was entered into be.
tween Secretary of War Newton d.
Baker and myself, as the representa-
tive of labor. This is the agreement
For the adjustment and control OF
wages. hours and conditions of labor In
the construction Of environments,
there shall be created an adjustment
commission of three persons, appoint.
ed by the secretary of war; one to rep.
resent the army, one the public, and
one labor; the last to be nominated by
Samuel GomperS, member of the ad-
viSOry commission of the council OF
national defense, and president OF the
American Federation of Labor.
The Force Of the Worker.
AS basic standards with reference
TO each cantonment, such commission
shall use the union scale of wages,
hours and conditions in force On June
l, 1917. in the locality where such
cantOnment is situated. Consideration
shall be given to special circumstances,
if any, arising after said date, which
may require particular advances In
wages or changes in other standards
Adjustment of wages, hours or cond.
tions made by such board are to be
treated as binding by all parties"
Rights to Organize.
The national war labor board adopt.
ed its principles and included therein
was The right of workers to organ.
iZe and bargain collectively through
chosen representatives is recognized
and affirmed. This right shall not be
denied, abridged or interfered with by
the employers in any manner whatso-
ever"
Thus, the right of workers to voice
in the determination of their condl.
tions of life became one of Americas
guiding principles not only In the war
industries of the government, but the
spirit became most general among EN-.
ployers the country over. The men
and women of toll had come to stand
straight In matters of executive dlrec.
tion. In these days when so many
prophets throughout the world are
proclaiming revolutions of such sweep.
ing character, 1t may be presumptuous
for me to use the word revolution"
but | maintain that when we reached
that point in our national life where
labor assumed Il directing role In the
affairs of the country, very definite
and practical revolution had been ac.
complished. A definite result had
been gained, deep-roOted concept
completely destroyed and replaced by
new one of exactly opposite charac.
ter, and the struggling masses of man.
kind given new status in society
The Demands Of Labor.
We are upon days no less trying
than the days Of war, and no less
| fraught with great consequences. Th.
service of labor to our country will
he great, If its opportunities are great
| n true reflection of the status that la
Dor occupies in the nation. The higher
and freer the position of labor, the
greater and nObler will be the servlc"
| of labor. BOndmen might write a dee
laration of freedom, but they could
not conduct their own affairs and ac,
the part Of freedom until they had be
come free. American labor ha.
achieved the great fundamentals of In
dustrial freedom and 1t has established
| this fact In the life and consciousness
| Of the community.
Progress-not for few. but for all
that Is the guiding thought and pur
pose of the American labor movement
! know of none better.