Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-04
EXPLAINS HIS ABSENCE
President Gompers Tells Why He Did Not
Attend St. Louis Convention.
His Presence Might Have Committed
Trade Union Movement to DOminn-
ton of Irresponsible People.

President Samuel Gompers Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, in aDsentins
hims IF from the convention Of labor lead
ers held this week in s.. LOUIS has led to
much criticism of that gentleman in GER
tain quarters, and late last evening Mr..
Gompers gave out the following state
ment, in reply to questions Up reference
to the matter: ~ ~
I'm regard to the convention held last
Monday at ST. Louis 1 have been placed in
a most peculiar p osition. The GALL for the
convention contained my name as officially
irdorsing 1t. This was certainly mis-
take in the first instance - 1t was placed
there by Mr.. Ratchford. under the impress
sion that knowing my intense sympathy
with the miners in their just struggle,
would go to any lengths IN ORDER 10 heip
them to success; but my name was placed
there and the official Endorsement given to
it without my knowledge or consent.
Terms of the Call.
LAS you will see, the call was issued to
organized labor it's various divisions and
subdivisions, and to all reform, social,
educational and scientific bodies, who con-
denim government by injunction.
Under this call any body of men who
are opposed to government by injunction
would be entitled to a seat An the con-
yention. In other words, persons entireiy
remote from. and having no connection
with labor movements, could have been IN
attendance, and by Overwhelming Plumbers
directed the course, mapped out the policy
and dominated the trade unicn movement.
AS president of the American Federalon
of Labor, a responsible Office in the trade
uEion movement, / would not dare hazard
the interests of our fellow workers at the
hands. of persons who might be wholiy
irresponsible. There are numbers of people
wto are opposed to government by 1n1unc-
ton, and who are yet hostile to the clear
cut and well-defineG purpose of the trade
union movement
Il shall say nothing in criticism of the
action of the ST. Louis convention, and |
did not say anything earlier, because l
did not wish to interfere with the pro-
for contribution of this days wages, and
1 am glad that what I now say will not
appear until after the result of this appeal
has been acted upon.
Union Labor Responsive.
II do know that the trade unionists of
this country have responded most literally
in aid of the miners: they are doing so
now, and will continue to do so on this
line in order to help the miners to win.
So far as I am concerned, I have not lost
one jot of interest. On the contrary, If
possible, I am more intensely interested in
having the miners win, and anything l
can do without hazarding the interests of
labor and our movement will be cordially
performed to attain that end.
LAS in the beginning, I stand ready to-
day to follow Mr.. Ratchford's lead in this
strike In everything except to place the
destinies of our new movement In the
hands of persons representing reform, So
cial educational and scientific or other
bodies, VINO are simply agreed in their OPP
position to government by injunction. We
ask the assistance of all to attain that
end but cannot permit either domination
policy. with the possibility of diverting It
into irrational and improper channels"