The American Alliance for Labor and Democracy was an American political organization established in September 1917 through the initiative of the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

and making use of the resources of the United States government's

Committee on Public Information The Committee on Public Information (1917–1919), also known as the CPI or the Creel Committee, was an independent agency of the government of the United States under the Wilson administration created to influence public opinion to support the ...

. The group was dedicated to building support among American workers for that nation's participation in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in Europe. Following the victory of the

Entente powers The Triple Entente (from French '' entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well a ...

over the empires of

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

the organization lost its ''raison d'être.'' It was finally terminated in November 1919 due to a lack of funding.

Organizational history

Establishment

According to long-time President of the American Federation of Labor

Samuel Gompers Samuel Gompers (; January 27, 1850December 13, 1924) was a British-born American cigar maker, labor union leader and a key figure in American labor history. Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and served as the organization's ...

, the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy began as a reaction to the 1917 Emergency National Convention of the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

held in

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

.Samuel Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor: An Autobiography.'' New York: E.P. Dutton and Co., 1925; vol. 2, pg. 380. At this gathering a convincing majority of the party's 200 assembled delegates voted in favor of a manifesto known to posterity as the St. Louis Resolution which branded President Woodrow Wilson's decision to enter

as "a crime against the people of the United States and against the nations of the world" and called for "continuous, active, and public opposition to the war" and "vigorous resistance to all reactionary measures." Gompers was incensed at the Socialists' "declaration in support of internationalism and pacifism," which he regarded as "tantamount to avowed hostility to the cause of the Allies" and set about establishing a new organization to provide "intellectual guidance" to thousands of

working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

Americans disaffected by the Socialists'

anti-militarist Antimilitarism (also spelt anti-militarism) is a doctrine that opposes war, relying heavily on a critical theory of imperialism and was an explicit goal of the First and Second International. Whereas pacifism is the doctrine that disputes (esp ...

orientation. Gompers later recalled: Gompers-Samuel-c1920

"We developed a plan for bringing together in one organization representatives of the American
trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
movement and representatives of what were known as radical organizations. Members of this organization agreed to lay aside for the period of the War whatever differences they might have upon procedure and to rally in defense of the fundamental principles for which our government stood. This organization we called the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy."

Gompers submitted his proposal to the Wilson administration for approval, getting the green light from the

Council of National Defense The Council of National Defense was a United States organization formed during World War I to coordinate resources and industry in support of the war effort, including the coordination of transportation, industrial and farm production, financial s ...

and from the

headed by

George Creel George Edward Creel (December 1, 1876 – October 2, 1953) was an American investigative journalist and writer, a politician and government official. He served as the head of the United States Committee on Public Information, a propaganda organi ...

.Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor,'' vol. 2, pg. 381. The latter organization was so taken by the idea that it came to make the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy one of the primary unofficial agencies through which the Committee on Public Information operated.Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor,'' vol. 2, pg. 383. Preliminary organization of the AALD took place at a meeting held on July 28, 1917, at the Continental Hotel in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

attended by prominent pro-war socialists

John Spargo John Spargo (January 31, 1876 – August 17, 1966) was a British political writer who, later in life, became an expert in the history and crafts of Vermont. At first Spargo was active in the Socialist Party of America. A Methodist preacher he tr ...

, Robert Maisel, and J. Graham Phelps Stokes.Elizabeth McKillen, "American Alliance for Labor and Democracy," in Eric Arnesen (ed.), ''Encyclopedia of US Labor and Working-Class History, Volume 1.'' London: Taylor and Francis, 2006; pp. 64-65. At this meeting Gompers was named the president of the AALD and Maisel its director.

Development

One of the left wing

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

organizations to which Gompers and his associates were particularly opposed was the

People's Council of America for Democracy and Peace The People's Council of America for Democracy and the Terms of Peace, commonly known as the "People's Council," was an American pacifist political organization established in New York City in May 1917. Organized in opposition to the decision of the ...

, a national organization established at a mass meeting of 20,000 people held at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

in May 1917. The People's Council maintained a New York City branch called the Workingmen's Council which announced its intention to militantly defend the wages and interests of the working class during the war, which was interpreted by Gompers as a direct challenge to his and the AF of L's decision to collaborate and cooperate with the government during wartime. When Gompers learned that the People's Council planned a national conference of the organization to be held in St. Paul, Minnesota, in September 1917 which was to be "truly representative of labor," Gompers responded by launching a counter-convention of his own, calling for a national conference of the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy to be held in the same city at the same time.Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor,'' vol. 2, pg. 382. George Creel of the Committee on Public Information set to work stifling the ability of the People's Council to hold a convention anywhere, writing to one Minnesota correspondent that the anti-militarist organization was composed of "traitors and fools" and encouraging him to mobilize conservative civic organizations to pass resolutions against the People's Council and to directly meet with newspaper editors on the matter.H.C. Peterson and Gilbert C. Fife, ''Opponents of War, 1917-1918.'' Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1957; pg. 76. On August 28, less than a week prior to the scheduled start of the People's Council's convention, Governor Joseph Burquist of Minnesota prohibited the meeting of the People's Council on the grounds that it would give aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States. A subsequent effort to hold a convention in Chicago was broken up by the police.Peterson and Fife, ''Opponents of War,'' pg. 77. When Chicago Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson attempted to intervene, declaring that "pacifists are law-abiding citizens" and that he would not "have it spread broadcast that Chicago denies free speech to anyone," Illinois Governor

Frank Lowden Frank Orren Lowden (January 26, 1861 – March 20, 1943) was an American Republican Party politician who served as the 25th Governor of Illinois and as a United States Representative from Illinois. He was also a candidate for the Republican pres ...

mobilized the

Illinois National Guard The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components of Illinois. As of 2013, the Illinois National Guard has approximately 13,200 members. The National Guard is the only United States military force emp ...

, sending four companies of troops to Chicago the next day to make sure that the People's Council could not meet. As outspoken cheerleaders for American action in the European war, Gompers and the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy had no such problems with government authorities. Their convention went forward without a hitch, meeting as scheduled in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

from September 5 to 7, 1917. Gompers attempted to gain the official endorsement for the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy at the November 1917 annual convention of the American Federation of Labor. The proposal prompted a bitter debate, with critics questioning the appropriateness of a labor organization's endorsement of an organization which promoted labor loyalty to the government. Others spoke out in criticism of the Wilson administration's suspension of

civil liberties Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties may ...

during wartime. Ultimately, however, the assembled delegates representing the AF of L unions voted by a wide margin to officially endorse the activities of the AALD. Triumph at the 1917 AF of L convention did not mean that the American Alliance was universally beloved among labor leaders, however. President of the

Chicago Federation of Labor The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) is an umbrella organization for unions in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is a subordinate body of the AFL–CIO, and as of 2011 has about 320 affiliated member unions representing half a million union members in C ...

John Fitzpatrick developed concerns about the repressive nature of the AALD and its propensity to engage in covert activities and managed to successfully stall the creation of a Chicago chapter of the group.Elizabeth McKillen, ''Chicago Labor and the Quest for a Democratic Diplomacy, 1914-1924.'' Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1995; pg. 84. Fitzpatrick brazenly dodged an order by AF of L officials to establish an AALD branch in the city and ignored all correspondence directed to him from the organization's New York headquarters. A bitter exchange of letters between Fitzpatrick and AALD secretary Robert Maisel followed, with Fitzpatrick standing his ground. Ultimately the clock ran out on the war and the American Alliance was forced to abandon its plans for a Chicago chapter.McKillen, ''Chicago Labor and the Quest for a Democratic Diplomacy,'' pg. 85.

Activities

The American Alliance for Labor and Democracy maintained national headquarters at 51 Chambers Street in

. The organization sponsored a speakers' bureau which organized public meetings around the United States. Included among these was a delegation of four British labor leaders who were brought over and toured around America in an attempt to build support for the war effort among union members.Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor,'' vol. 2, pg. 384. The group also served as a conduit for information to labor newspapers from the Committee on Public Information. In honor of the birthday of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

, the AALD declared the week of February 10 to be "Labor Loyalty Week," and organized a campaign directed at the American labor movement for the organization of mass meetings and public demonstrations in support of the war effort."Gompers Proclaims Week of Loyalty,"
''New York Times,'' January 7, 1918. Director of the AALD, Robert Maisel, declared that "we plan to make this loyalty week demonstration one of most powerful blows yet dealt at enemy propaganda in America." The American Alliance also published and circulated a number of printed pamphlets targeted to the American working class attempting to build support for the war effort and denigrating the position of the German socialist movement in support of their own country's war effort. The Alliance established membership chapters around the country to bring national activities to the local level, groups which engaged in such activities in the sale of government bonds as part of the various

Liberty Loans A liberty bond (or liberty loan) was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allies of World War I#Co-belligerents; the United States, Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic dut ...

campaigns.

Dissolution and legacy

Following the victory of the Entente powers in World War I in November 1918, the work of the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy drew near an end. Congressional funding of the Committee on Public Information was slashed and the AALD was forced to scramble for new revenue, receiving an infusion of funds from the American Federation of Labor. However, by November 1919 funds had dried up and the organization was disbanded. Papers related to the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy and the People's Council of America may be found in the Frank Leslie Grubbs collection, housed at the Hoover Institution archives at

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

Palo Alto Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The city was estab ...

, California."Overview of the Frank Leslie Grubbs collection,"
Online Archive of California, Collection 82097. The collection includes one folder of material and ten reels of microfilm gathering correspondence, minutes, and printed publications.

Footnotes

Prominent members

John R. Commons John Rogers Commons (October 13, 1862 – May 11, 1945) was an American institutional economist, Georgist, progressive and labor historian at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Early years John R. Commons was born in Hollansburg, Ohio on ...

* James Duncan * John Fitzpatrick *

John P. Frey John Philip Frey (February 24, 1871 – November 29, 1957) was a labor activist and president of the American Federation of Labor's Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Metal Trades Department during a crucial period in American labor history. E ...

* Gertrude B. Fuller * Winfield R. Gaylord * William J. Ghent *

* James P. Holland * Robert Maisel * Charlotte Perkins *

Charles Edward Russell Charles Edward Russell (September 25, 1860 in Davenport, Iowa – April 23, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) was an American journalist, opinion columnist, newspaper editor, and political activist. The author of a number of books of biography and socia ...

Lucien Sanial Lucien Delabarre Sanial (12 September 1835 – 7 January 1927) was a French-American newspaper editor, economist, and political activist. A pioneer member of the Socialist Labor Party of America, Sanial is best remembered as one of the earliest e ...

* Graham Phelps Stokes *

William English Walling William English Walling (1877–1936) (known as "English" to friends and family) was an American labor reformer and Socialist Republican born into a wealthy family in Louisville, Kentucky. He founded the National Women's Trade Union League in 1903 ...

Frank P. Walsh Francis Patrick Walsh (July 20, 1864 – May 2, 1939) was an American lawyer. Walsh was noted for his advocacy of progressive causes, including Georgism and the land value tax, improved working conditions, better pay for workers, and equal employ ...

* J. Stitt Wilson *

Matthew Woll Matthew Woll (January 25, 1880 – June 1, 1956) was president of the International Photo-Engravers Union of North America from 1906 to 1929, an American Federation of Labor (AFL) vice president from 1919 to 1955 and an AFL-CIO vice president ...

Publications

* American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, ''Declaration of Principles: Adopted Unanimously by the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy in First National Conference at Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. 5 to 7, 1917.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1917. * American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, ''Purposes and Principles of the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1917. * American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, ''Red, White and Blue Book of the American Labor Movement: Organized Labor's Record in Relation to the War as Shown in the Official Documents.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, n.d. . 1918 * American Federation of Labor, ''To the Workers of Free America: An Appeal by the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor, February 17, 1918.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1918. * Samuel Gompers, ''America's Fight for the Preservation of Democracy: An Address Delivered by Samuel Gompers at Minneapolis, Minn.: And the Declaration of Principles.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1917. * John R. Commons, ''German Socialists and the War.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, n.d. . 1918 * John R. Commons, ''Who is Paying for this War?'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, n.d. . 1918 * John R. Commons, ''Why Working Men Support the War. New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, n.d. . 1918 * League to Enforce the Peace, ''Why the War Must Be Won: To Fulfill President Wilson's Program of the World's Peace; To Realize the War Aims of Organized Labor; To Perpetuate a League of Nations to Guard the Peace and Safety of the World.'' New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1918. * John Spargo
''Our Aims in the War: An Address Delivered by John Spargo at Minneapolis, Minn., September 5, 1917 under the Auspices of the American Alliance for Labor and Democracy.''
New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1917. * American Alliance for Labor and Democracy; Woodrow Wilson contrib.
''Our War Aims Clearly Stated: Being a Reply to Those Who Demand that the President of the United States Make a Clear Statement of Our Aims in the War.''
New York: American Alliance for Labor and Democracy, 1917.