VIEW OF AMERICAN LABOUR.
A WAR FOR FREEDOM
LONDON, April 30. Mr. Gompkks, president of the American federation of Labour, addressing the joint session of the Canadian Parliament, described the war as the most wonderful crusade ever entered upon by men in the whole history of the world.
He said:—"No nobler cause, no holier undertaking, has ever commanded the intelligent and self-sacrificing nature of men. As Lincoln, in his time, said thai the United States could no longer be half free and half slave, so the time has come that must determine that, this world can no lunger remain half democratic and half autocratic.
" We are in this struggle ; our men have been hard pressed, 0111 sacrifices ire large. But though the sacrifices may bo larger and more exacting, they must be made in order that liberty, opportunity, justice, and democracy may survive for humanity! "I would rather drop lighting for right than not fight. If we should fail-— we cannot fail, must not fail, will not fail it is better to fail fighting than submit wiT>ijngly to the yoke. Willingness to submit to tyrants' yokes simply means the stifling and stamping out of the spirit of liberty and willingness to fight and make sacrifices for liberty.
'■ Keep the spark alive in the heart? of men. and give i; time to rekindle and spread the consuming flames."
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16849, 14 May 1918, Page 5
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227VIEW OF AMERICAN LABOUR. New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16849, 14 May 1918, Page 5
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