Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-14
PAY TRIBUTE TO CHIEF
Plate Printers Smoker in
Honor Of Samuel Gompers.
PROMINENT GUESTS
DUTY TO THE FLAG FEATURE OF
MIR. GoMPERg TALK.
Addresses by Government Officials and
by Leaders in the Labor
Movement.

Union. No. 2. of the Plate Printers Inter
national Union. at the Washington Light
Infantry Armory. The Smoke talk" was
rendered Mr.. Gompers in honor of his re-
election to the head Of the federation.
The remarks Of President Gompers EVIL
-denced a patriotic purpose, and he sought
to dispel the popular opinion that the
country is a secondary consideration In the
minds Of trade unionists of the United
States. In that portion OF his address rela-
tive to the general labor movement Presi-
dent Gompers made 1t clear that he Is an
advocate OF law and order and declared
that there has never been movement LOT
the maintenance of the government winch
has not had the unqualified support OF or
ganized labor.
Aside from the plate printers. the smoke
talk" was attended by representative
gathering Of labor leaders OF natonai
prominence and several ohclais OF .he sos
eminent. who were the guests OF hohor.
The latter were mostly officials OF the
Treasury Department or other branches OF
the government service. with whom .i9
toilers Of the bureau OF ensrasims the
printing are closely associated IL was the
desire Of the printers to have the represent
tatives Of the government feel as II 'ney
were 'among friends and the evldent en-
joyment Of these guests assure sor afs tnr
that success had attended their eIforts.
The earlier part of the evening was gwen
over to feast of edibles and turntables.
followed by cigars to round out tne en-
joyabls features. Ihere was al ,as renlen-
ished continually throughout the events.
The guests table was stretched the eht =.
width of the armory while the otae' %"
bles were arranged lengthwlse.
The Guests.
A. thu guests table were seated Chet
wiIkie of the secret service; MT. 1. '. y"
derly. formerly commissioner OF iiliih
ton and the former head Of the h1hen's "
Labor: Mr. Willis L. Moore, chiei VI .Aio
weather bureau; former Represeh'aliso
James A. Norton Of Ohio: President Sdniu et
GoTnpers of the American FederaI>on -,
Iohnr. acknowledgements James duncan
Of the Granite Cutters Natlonai C n,,a
president James OConnel OF the Inle I
tional Association Of Machlmsts; Pc, Ito.
Frank Morrison of the American euei 49, ~
~ Labor. Secretary Harry w. SnerlhaH VI
the brotherhood of Electrical WORKERS, NJ
Milford Spohn of the Central LABOR CI Mo-
of this city: superntendehi ,t,s,on Of the bu-
reau of engraving and printing as $50. -
sunerintendants Isaac Gerrodette' MllLani
ChaIice. John Osterman, EdWin o" w.
Iobn Ruloush and Thomas +. Roache, also
Of tho bureau: Mr.. Joseph Ralph, CUSTODIAN
of dies and plates, and Presldent hen.S
Szegedy of the Plate Printers. Cnion' Va VIZ
was the POSTMASTER. Addresses "eho ,,ad
hI
y atters of regret for their inablnty 10 az,
tend we're received from Secretary SoLlei-
Won of the Department or LABOR anu 80
merce. Director Mllnam Me c.''i;,-an Of the
9ur Iobn Mitchell of the United Mine
workers of America and others.
The Initial Addresses.
The first address was delivered oy fresf
dent Szegedy, the toastmaster, VINO eAteo
ed a hearty welcome to the guests anu az
.,,,aa +baro that the officials and members
of the union appreciated their presence
After making a brief reference 10 tne
Printers Union, he explained .la. nT
smoker was in honor or the -
Mr. C,ompers as president of the american
Eadaration Of Labor. President SZesedy
naid a glowing tribute to MI. GoHpelS "a
the head of the labor movement anu q a.
tributed large share OF us suCou Ton.
cnnSarvat five and wise administrator. Coh-
cIudine the POSTMASTER called upon tne
speakers in turn, Secretary,treas a,H. Dui'
can of the granite cutters. Deng hlsl
Mr. Duucan's remarks took a Woe
we Among other things he alluded to
The latest get-rich-quick scheme. known as
grating" He Condemned 1t, ana re-
ferred to the fact that certain man
turers had characterized all labor ofhciais
ars "erafters" This accusation. he de-
clared was unjust, and contended tnat lag
labor officials Of the country snouio no.
he branded because one or Two OIL Inc.
nI,mber had been found guilty OF d1shonest
doaIines since the present sheriff of New
york city mas held office, Mr. duncan saiu'
that otticiaI has taken into custody on the
charge of grating thirty-hve lawyers, sew
epteen preachers and two LABOR iedue,o'
In Mr.. Powderly's address he declared
that Mr. Gompers breaches eight hours d
day and fails to practice what ne prea ,sic,
The speaker advised the organized iapor
necnIe of the country to pay Mr.. GomperS
q salary of from $4,000 to $4,000 year,
ard allow him to direct the movement
from his office, instead OF running Over .,Ie
country at the beck and call OF every oile.
Chief Moore of the weather bureau gave
a .weather talk which quickly caught tne
crowd He declared that Mr. Gompefs Is
first of all patriot. and had done as much
to raise the standard OF American cItlen s
ship as has any other man IN the Unlteu
states To Mr.. Gompers, said Mr.. moore,
is due the esteem of the American people.
The speaker admitted that ne is greaI
admirer of Mr.. Gompers, ana assured tne
assembiage that the labor movement Will
have "ciear skies If the weather bureau
has anything to do with It,
Mr.. Gompers' Address.
At this ,uncture of the speechmaking. the
assemblage was reinforced by members OF
tba night force of the bureau of engraving
and printing. BY request Mr.. Gompers de-
ferred his address until the arrival OF the
owls" AS soon as all were scared, the
postmaster called on Mr.. Gompers. Inc
latter assured the assemblage that he Keen
" felt the high honor bestowed upon him.
both by the reception and the addresses or
the various speakers. He complimented the
plate printers for their active participant on
in the labor movement. He said the plate
printers had been more than kind to him
and declared that he was not so vain as to
believe that the compliments were Intended
for the man. He thought they were due
to the movement, not himself.
President Gompers responded to the felicl-
tations Of Chief Moore of the weather bu-
reau and Chief Wilkie of the secret serv-
ice and assured them that he appreciated
the compliments they paid him as we'll az
those Of Mr.. Powderly
In conclusion he said:
s.The plate printers have ever increased
in my affection and regard. They typify
the spirit of unionism and loyalty to our
country am aware that there are some
plate printers in the bureau who are not
members of the union / would like to say
to all non union plate printers that SO long
as they remain unattached to an organiza-
ton, advantage might be taken of the divi-
sion in the ranks.
1.-THE opponents of organized labor know
not what they are doing when they oppose
the organization of the workingmen: they
know net whom they are injuring. Those
of To- or or afh -xv1o Irph