Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-08-31
A PROCLAMATION
Labor Day and Labor Sunday OBJ
servance Throughout America Ask
ed by A. F. of L. Executive Council
in Inspiring Appeal.

keeping constantly before the
masses of our people the highest
ideals of our labor movement and
the requirement of our people
for the complete fullness of life
in all things, the Executive Coun-
Gil of the American Federation
of Labor declares as follows:
The labor movement of America de-
mands for all of our people the full
benefit of the life giving forces of our
marvellous civilization through con-
stantly increasing wages and i'm
provement of working conditions and
through a reasonable and proper re-
duction in the hours of work.
The labor movement of America
demands for the wage earners and
for all who serve usefully in any
capacity, sound and just economic
basis for life and freedom in the
fullest meaning of those terms.
The labor movement of America
has ever had high regard for the
development of the ethical and the
spiritual in life; realizing the right
of all humanity to partake freely of
the great satisfaction that comes to
enrich life as result.
The labor movement of our country,
recognizing the fact that all freedom
and all higher development of life,
rest upon first providing assurance
of the essentials Of existence, has
first demanded economic justice as a
basis for all other things.
But the labor movement has always
taught that the material is essential
to something higher, and that the in
spiration of our movement has its
deepest springs in something above
and beyond the material.
The labor movement strives for
economic improvement with unrelent-
ing zeal and fidelity because economic
improvement is the first fundamental
requisite; but it holds out to all man
kind flaming torch lighting the way
to a greater fullness of life, to COM
plete realization of the finer and mob
ler aspirations of the mind and soul.
The labor movement fixes as its
goal nothing less than the complete
richness of life, without limitation of
any kind, the attainment of the COM
plete human ideal, in all of its eco
nomic, ethical and spiritual implica-
tions.
Through the inspiration of our la
Dor movement, the Sunday preceding
Labor Day, which is the first Monday
in September each year, has come
into general national observance as
Labor Sunday. On this day it is
fitting to give thought to the aspira-
tions of Labor and to find in what
way the soul of Labor may give
thought and expression to it's long
| ings.
Because of the aims and aspirations
here set forth, we hold it fitting that
all churches draw close to their affairs
the soul of Labor on the coming La
Dor Sunday and that the men and
women of labor everywhere make
special effort to cooperate with the
churches and to secure the coopera-
ton of the churches with them, in
order that there may be in the
churches everywhere on that day a
great unison of expression in behalf
of higher, nobler life for the masses
of our people; and in order that there
may be everywhere conservation to
the cause Of human betterment, par
ticularly in those things that lead to
ethical and spiritual growth-in
those things that give flower and
fruit to the great ideals of our labor
movement, the embodiment and the
expression of the idealism of our
people.
May Labor Sunday each year bring
home to the masses of our people the
great good that humanity may yet
achieve, the lofty heights to which it
may climb, the inspiration and the
enrichment to be found in the great
American labor movement which is
the hope of the millions who toll.
We ask also that Labor Day, the
great holiday of the toiling masses,
dedicated to them and to their cause,
be ennobled and enriched by an ex-
preston of the same spirit, the same
high idealism and purpose, the same
uplifting, inspiring search for the
fullness of life and the same deter
mination to achieve triumph over all
ills and wrongs through our. great
movement in its ethical and spiritual
aspects, as we'll as through it's purely
economic operations.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
of the American Federation of Labor
It becomes necessary for all those