NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | September 2, 2016 | PAGE 9
Labor 100 Years Ago — Sept. 2, 1916
A look back at the stories of the Oregon Labor Press, Sept. 2, 1916. A digital version of the front page can be seen at www.nwlaborpress.org/100yearsago
Solidarity is Hope of Laborers of World
(The following is an editorial written by
union leader E.J. Stack that appeared
in the Sept. 2, 1916 Labor Day edition.)
Labor Day celebrations have their
fullest effect when labor’s cause is
brought to the attention of all the people.
Our life is such a busy one, that we do
not grasp in its entirety, the magnitude of
the labor problem.
Our thoughts on labor’s holiday ought
to comprehend all of the activities of or-
ganized labor, which embraces every
phase of human progress.
The most essential factor in the strug-
gle of human rights vs. property rights is
peace.
It seems, therefore, that the laboring
man’s duty is to carefully study the
causes that destroy peace and civiliza-
tion.
It is certain that if the American trusts
in Mexico and the foreign capitalists,
who own 75 per cent of the land in Mex-
ico, could have created “public opinion”
strong enough, American intervention in
Mexico would have resulted.
The peace meeting at Washington,
D.C., between representatives of labor in
Mexico and the officials of the American
Federation of Labor has done much to
clear up misunderstandings and lessen
race prejudice.
First-hand information proves the
truth which will finally prevail —
WORKING PEOPLE OF THE
WORLD HAVE NO QUARREL
WITH EACH OTHER.
But carried away with preparedness
movements, rushed off their feet by false
patriotism, their interest is forgotten by
themselves because crooked business in
league with crooked politics has in-
vented new catch words and phrases, in
order to divert their attention from the
economic problems which confront
them.
In this country the catch words are
“preparedness and Americanism.” In
other countries some other phrase or
catch word has the workers at each oth-
ers’ throats.
However, the soldiers in blood-soaked
trenches of Europe’s great war are learn-
ing, and those who return from the front
will have a lesson to teach to the workers
of the countries engaged in war.
This lesson will be that warfare fur-
ther enslaves the common people, and
further, that the allegiance that a working
man owes to his country is no greater
than the obligation of his employer, yet
he finds himself in the trenches fighting
other working men, while the employ-
ers’ patriotism consists of flag waving
and if he be thoroughly imbued with the
spirit of patriotism, he “holds a job open”
and maybe contributes a dollar or two
for the families of the men at the front.
But he doesn’t risk his precious hide.
So the hope of tomorrow is for soli-
darity of labor. Then disputes will be set-
tled without bloodshed, by a parliament
of men who make property rights a sec-
ondary consideration.