Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894. Lincoln, right about so many things, was right about labor:
Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.
The poster that I have reproduced on FREE WHITEWATER today is part of the beautiful, haunting collection of Second World War posters available online at Northwestern University.
This poster from 1943 depicts labor at its best: private citizens of different races working together productively to defeat the enemies of free private laborers and all decent people. Hard, private efforts in support of a great, noble public cause: these are the laborers to whom I, and all others in this city, will be forever indebted.