those who attempted to stir up insubordination or disloyalty in the army and navy; and those who willfully obstructed enlistment.  The Sedition act was still more severe and sweeping in its terms.  It imposed heavy penalties upon any person who used “abusive language about the government or institutions of the country.”  It authorized the dismissal of any officer of the government who committed “disloyal acts” or uttered “disloyal language,” and empowered the Postmaster General to close the mails to persons violating the law.  This measure, prepared by the Department of Justice, encountered vigorous opposition in the Senate, where twenty-four Republicans and two Democrats voted against it.  Senator Johnson of California denounced it as a law “to suppress the freedom of the press in the United States and to prevent any man, no matter who he is, from expressing legitimate criticism concerning the present government.”  The constitutionality of the acts was attacked; but they were sustained by the Supreme Court and stringently enforced.

[Illustration:  Copyright by Underwood and Underwood, N.Y.

THE LAUNCHING OF A SHIP AT THE GREAT NAVAL YARDS, NEWARK, N.J.]

=Labor and the War.=—­In view of the restlessness of European labor during the war and especially the proletarian revolution in Russia in November, 1917, some anxiety was early expressed as to the stand which organized labor might take in the United States.  It was, however, soon dispelled.  Samuel Gompers, speaking for the American Federation of Labor, declared that “this is labor’s war,” and pledged the united support of all the unions.  There was some dissent.  The Socialist party denounced the war as a capitalist quarrel; but all the protests combined were too slight to have much effect.  American labor leaders were sent to Europe to strengthen the wavering ranks of trade unionists in war-worn England, France, and Italy.  Labor was given representation on the important boards and commissions dealing with industrial questions.  Trade union standards were accepted by the government and generally applied in industry.  The Department of Labor became one of the powerful war centers of the nation.  In a memorable address to the American Federation of Labor, President Wilson assured the trade unionists that labor conditions should not be made unduly onerous by the war and received in return a pledge of loyalty from the Federation.  Recognition of labor’s contribution to winning the war was embodied in the treaty of peace, which provided for a permanent international organization to promote the world-wide effort of labor to improve social conditions.  “The league of nations has for its object the establishment of universal peace,” runs the preamble to the labor section of the treaty, “and such a peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice....  The failure of any nation to adopt humane conditions of labor is an obstacle in the way of other nations which desire to improve the conditions in their own countries.”