Show GOMPERS TELLS STORY OF LABORS LABOR'S SUCCESSES a. a t Issues and Achievements During Present Year Theme of I Rev Review by the Head of the American Federation Federation Fed Fed- cration of Labor W Sept 2 Samuel Gompers president ent of the American Y V V Federation of I Labor abor made mado public to tonight ig-ht ig a n statement on Labors Achievements and Issues Issues' for 1016 1916 in which he characterized tho the past year as a n remarkable one in ill the progress ress of the labor movement especially especial ly in the thc shortening of the working day and in general labor legislation The statement in full fulI is as follows Labor day 1916 brings to tho the workers work work- cr ers of ot America the the right to cheer and confidence in tho the trado trade union move move- ment There have been boen tests anc an and crises that have proved Its fundaments fundamental principles there have havo been opportunities ties tics that have hae tested its practical efficiency effi Through them all tho the trade trad union movement has hRS made mad euro sure progress proS proS' ress and gained In confident vision Islon forthe for tor the future Every national and International er 6 every local u union lon affiliated with ith th the American Federation of ot Labor hamade has ha mado made definite progress In securing foi fO or orIts Its members greater advantages I ir In those things which are aro fundamental 0 ol ot betterment in all relations of life I Ir In some somo organizations org the tho success ha has been phenomenal J oj Taking tho the labor movement as s a. a whole there has been greater progress In securing the tho hour eight day or the th shorter work da day than in any oUter otile similar period of or time Tho The meaning of ot these victories can be Interpreted only In tho the light of ot full tull understanding of the meaning of ot the hour eight-hour da day Tho The shorter work day is something more than an economic demand It i ia ia is isn a n demand for tor opportunity for tOI rest re recuperation recuperation recuperation re- re and development de things thing which make life more than mechanical dru drudgery d gory The workers whose whole periods period are short are essentially different Iron from those who are arc so 50 worn b by toll toil th that t they thel have neither energy nor mind for tor other things In life lite Thc They become more mora en energetic en- en more resourceful resource CUI workers with keener mentality and ald greater reater producing p power It inevitably follows that th the short-hour short workers aro are the best host paid pak workers With Pith every reduction ii In hours there Is always ahas a corresponding corresponding- increase In wages Wherever demands demand for tho the shorter workday and higher highel wages have been presented and urged by organized workers during tho the past pasi year they have met with success Those These economic gains have hao a potent re relation ro- ro lation to the social side of ot life lite Urges Shortened n JI hours Hour Shortening the period of ot work lengthens the period of ot development and for tor all of ot the other activities that belong to tho the normal Individual In Increases In- In I creases In wages give the tho workers tho thc means for tor taking advantage ad of ot the Increased increased increased in in- In- In creased opportunities of ot tho the shorter workday The Tho workers of ot short houmand hours houm and better better wages become very en different dIfferent differ ent citizens ns from those who are arc so exhausted ex ox- ox- ox that thc they hausted b by the daily grind g have e neither the time nor the energy for thought or aspiration These gains gaim rn mean an better homes better food better clothing time and opportunity for lor th the cultivation of ot the best and tho the highest that is possible In In- Inthe the tho life of oC man roan Economic achievements are aro the basis upon which the workers can secure social social so so- so- so cial and political progress The power which secures these achievements is the power that will secure justice for tor them thorn Shorter hours in every other relation and higher r wanes wages give tho the opportunity opportunity nit and the means menns to live 11 b better more purposeful lives Power through economic organization tion means political power There must be an economic basis In order to te for tor exIstence existence ex ex- give political activity lt reasons and a 0 program By D organizing ing InS its economic power to s secure cure politIcal political poUt ical protection and b by adhering strictly to a nonpartisan poll political program tho the American Federation of ot Labor L' has won glorious legislative victories Tho The object of ot legislation which or organIzed organized or- or labor has sought to obtain Is better always to establish larger and opportunities for tor life lito and freedom Organized Or Or- labor does not seek Beek through legislation to do things for tor the workers work work- ers ens rz that the they can do for tor themselves It Et only seeks Becks to establish for tor them op op- op This principle applies to workers In private Industry In the thease case ase of ot workers In governmental employment em em- IB is the where tho the government go employer and conditions of ot employment cnn can an be fixed only by legislation then tho organized labor movement mo seeks to 10 do something more than merely es establish establish es- es opportunity It must secure legislation regulating conditions of ot employment ni oy to e n L The record of oC the tho legislative achievements of ot tho the labor movement mo I since HOG 1006 when the nonpartisan political political po po- po- po al party was waa Inaugurated la is ono one of ot splendid victories The Tho two most Important Important important Im Im- im- im are aro the Seamen's Seamon act arid and tho the labor sections of the Clayton antitrust law Tho The greatest thing in both of ot these acts Is tho the advancement of human human human hu hu- hu- hu man freedom The problem of oC human freedom was wa not cn ended b by the work of ot Lincoln There still RUll remained 1 a clas class bound to Involuntary servitude c. c tho the seamen Tho The Seamen's act brings freedom to these theBe worl workers orEl It makes American soil Boil sacred to freedom a country upon which a n bondman mn may not tep without without with with- out losing his legal fetters Freed and md given an nn opportunity to protect themselves the seamen aro are pressing their demands for tor higher wages wael and better conditions Section G 6 of ot the Clayton antitrust act net contains the tho mo most t advanced concept of oC freedom Tho The la labor labor la- la bor hor of or a human being Is not a n. commo commodity commod commod- 1 ity It or article arti lo 16 of commerce The Clayton Act According to old time philosophy political economy econom and legal thought labor power was as a n commodity and anti ar article nr- nr tide of ot commerce In no way different from coal potatoes and Iron Under this concept tho the most moat recent attempts have been mado rondo to hold workers in oppression and under th tho domination of employers but tho the power to produce commodities o or in odi t I es Is ls i n som something e th I n g d different I ft or c n t from the commodities themselves It ItIs ItIs Is 18 personal human huran a part palt of ot life lito it- it soIl bolf Under the concept that labor was wasa a commodity and therefore property employers have havo tried to repress efforts ol of workers for tor progress and for larger liberty b by punishing these efforts under under un un- rin- rin der antitrust legislation and b by at attempting attempting tempting to restrain them thorn through the injunctive process It was vas to protect the workers against those abuses and to establish recognition of tho concept that tho the workers and all aU of oC their at attributes attributes attributes at- at tributes were human that the labor sections of ot the tho C Clayton Cayton aton act wore welO en en- en acted In addition to th thOse so big achievements achieve achieve- ments n m many other Important humanitarIan humanitarian laws i have lu been enacted by Congress Congress Con Con- gress goress Increasing In number with every session o of Con Congress ress sh Ce tho the Fifty Fifty- ninth session As ds 6 Labor day 1916 comes in one u Jr the most crl critical poll political campaigns since the e ell ll war period It is well to I call n attention to the tho big Issue isu of or the campaign which has hns a national as as an international relation The Tho Issue Is- Is BUO sue Is the attitude of ot tho the political parties parties par- par ties tics toward questions of ot humanity and uman um ln welfare Th The arty party now in power has in its legislative 0 achievements achievements achieve achieve- ments placed the highest valuation upon Ulon human life ute and human attributes that has ever been beon declared and arid en enacted enacted en- en acted by any my political party In power Tho The question that concerns the workers Is how to hold their present advantages and how to secure from political parties still greater opportunities opportunities for tor freedom Tho The thing which Is ir fundamental is Section 6 of ot the tho Clayton Clayton Clay Cia ton antitrust act tho the labor of ot a h hu human human hu- hu man being is not a 1 commodity or ar article ar- ar tide of ot commerce Tho The representatives of ot tho the American Federa Federation of ot Labor I went to tho the political parties and asked to declare themselves upon this principle Tho The answers that the Ute political political po po- parties gave o are in their platforms platforms plat plat- forms torms where all ma may read The Democratic party part o openly and favorably orab declared and emphasized Its position The Republican party took no notice of labors labor's request that the they declare themselves upon that which the workers considered of ot greatest ImI Importance Im Un- to th them m. m I The Phe Mexican Situation Tho international issue that now comes closest to the tho labor movement Is tho the policy of oC our government go toward Mexico The cause of ot humanity Is In inthe tho the balance In Mexico The people there aro trying to work out their own problems and to establish their own Ideals ot of political social and economic Justice The labor movement in Mexico has developed that Is Is the most power arid and the most constructive product of ot the revolution Representatives of ot the labor movement mO of ot Mexico have Joined the representatives of ot the tho labor movement move move- ment mont of ot America to Insure to tho the workers workers work work- ers and citizens of ot Mexico the rights of ot human beings opportunities for tor freedom and for tor Independence Many of ot tho the problems of ot tho Mexican workers workers work work- ers aro are problems of oC the workers of or tho the United States Their welfare is our welfare Tho The boundary line between the two countries is only onh an artificial division that has little or no effect upon the course courso and the nature of ot in industrial industrial in- in and commercial development The Tho problem of ot Industrial welfare In the states of or tho the southwest Is large large- lya ha Mexican problem With low standards standards standards stan stan- dards of ot life and work prevailing upon tho of ot Mexicans there exists nn an I obstacle to tho the establishment of ot hl higher her standards within the United States Staten There Thero are capitalists and exploiting exploiting exploiting ex ex- ex- ex interests of ot the United States who because thc they have property In Mexico roxico often otten corruptly and dl dishonestly dishonestly dishon dishon- hon hon- estly obtained desire to maintain governmental agencies by which they can cnn hold the people In subjection and deny to them thorn the opportunity for tor protecting protecting pro pro- themselves through tho the organIzed organized organized organ organ- labor movement anti and other opportunities opportunities opportunities for tor growth and development These selfish exploiting Interests are concentrating their political power In inthe tho the present campaign to to- secure a Do different dir dif ferent brent policy on the part of our government government gov gov- ov- ov toward Mexico Even Een under the guise of ot Intervention no matter how unnecessary and unwarrantable the advocates of ot that policy really aim at th the conquest and annexation of or Mexico A A. few of oC tho the most reckless such as s tho the Otis and Hearst Interests como come out In the demand for tor Intervention invasion conquest and annexation of or Mexico Of Ot course every effort must be made mado to safeguard the tho lives and arid tho the property of ot our people living HyIng along the border line but who can honestly say th that t tho the Mexican marauders were the tho y on offenders The Tho allied forces of ot greed and profit would deny the Mexican people the opportunity for their development dc they would gladly embroil the United States In an nn unnecessary cessar and unwarrantable unwar unwar- war with Mexico To them prosperity property rights profits are held far tar more sacred than human beings beings be be- ings international honor and human liberty These aro are some of or the tho Issues that primarily concern tho the workers and all loving liberty citizens of ot th the United States Slates the they arc are the Issues upon which o o ocr cry Wa wage earner C ear n e r-ov r every verj ery c citizen I en- en will win malta make e his own decision not only onh in his every eyen da day activity lt but also atthe at atthe atthe the polls on election da day |