"Mr. Arthur Henderson, of the Labor Party, made an explanation
something to this effect, if my memory serves me: 'It is really
regrettable that such an error should have been made. It was due
to the fact that the old card of credentials which has been used
in former conferences was sent to the printer, no one paying any
attention to it, thinking it was all right.'
"I want to call your attention to the significance of that
explanation, that is, that the trade union movement of Great
Britain was represented at these former conferences, but at this
conference the importance of Labor was regarded as so
insignificant that everybody took it for granted that it was
perfectly all right to have the credential card read
'Inter-Allied Socialist Conference' and with the omission of this
more important term, 'Labor.'"*
* "American Federationist," January, 1919, pp. 40-41.
As one looks back upon the history of the workingman, one finds
something impressive, even majestic, in the rise of the fourth
estate from a humble place to one of power in this democratic
nation. In this rise of fortune the laborer's union has
unquestionably been a moving force, perhaps even the leading
cause. At least this homogeneous mass of workingmen, guided by
self-developed leadership, has aroused society to safeguard more
carefully the individual needs of all its parts. Labor has
awakened the state to a sense of responsibility for its great
sins of neglect and has made it conscious of its social duties.
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