Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

LABOR SECTION

307

charm in it, no attraction, no stimulus. If, on the contrary,
we have the laborer considered always as a man and the labor
as a necessity, an obligation, without which nothing may possibly be obtained nor accomplished; if we try to have labor
treated not as a punishment but a means to emancipate one's
self and win in the fight for existence; those laborers, who feel
the same sentiments that others feel, who patronize the same
elevated ideas as other well-born men, will be, without doubt,
the great supporters of turning the country each time wealthier,
more flourishing, and more independent.
The last speaker was Mr. Felipe E. Jose, First VicePresident of the Labor Congress and formerly President of the Workers and Peasants' Association of
the Philippines, who read the following paper:
THE LABORERS IN ALL MOVEMENTS
By FELIPE E. JOSE
MR. PRESIDENT, FELLOW CITIZENS:
We thought that we, known as the weak, humble and low,
were already forgotten by those known as the powerful, wealthy
and educated. We also believed that in time of peace, the
mission of the laborers is limited to the raising of food to keep
alive the dominating class.
But this Independence Congress has recognized that we are
still of some value, at least in so far as the organizers of the
Congress are concerned, and we consider it a great honor to
become members of this Congress.
We thought that we would forever remain tools and equipment of the rich and talented,' of the capitalists and masters;
but I can prove that this belief is no longer true nowadays.
The poor as well as the rich has his own self-respect, his own
feelings which have often suffered bitter tortures in life. I
regard the laborers the hope of every country, whether independent or not. They are the slaves; they are the steps used