INTER-ALLIED LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17425, 20 September 1918, Page 4

INTER-ALLIED LABOUR CONFERENCE.

AMERICAN LABOUR'S WAR AIMS. STATEMENT BY MR GOMPERS. AMERICAN PROGRAMME FIRMLY UPHELD. l»r«a» >a»ocUtion—By Telegraph—Copyrifiki Reuter's Telegrams. LONDON, September 18. (Received Sept. 19, at 7.45 p.m.) At the Inter-Allied Labour Conference Mr S. Gompers explained the American Labour Federation's war aims, with which the American delegates agreed. The federation declared its unqualified determination to do all in its power to assist the Allies in marshalling all their resources drive the Central Powers from invaded soil and oppose them so long as they were controlled by militaristic ideas; the peace treaty to include a league of the free peoples of the world to secure justice in the relations between nations; no political economic restrictions meant to benefit some nations and cripple and embarrass others. There need be no vindictive indemnities. Reprisals must be indemnities to right manifest wrongs. The recognition of the right of small nations j no territorial changes, or adjustment of power except in furtherance of the control'of the autocratic Central Governments, which threaten the existence of all self-governing The federation endorsed Presi° dent Wilson's 14 neace conditions. The peoples had earned the right to wipe out all vestige of the old idea that government belongs to the governing classes; therefore, the workers must be directlv represented on the delegations formulating the peace treaty. The American mission declared that the- fundamental principle which must underlie territorial changes was the welfare of the people affected and the furtherance of the world's peace. Mr Gompers added: The peace treaty should incorporate the right of free speech free assemblage, ana free press; should prohibit child labour under 16, enact an eight-hour day, and trial by jury.