The Lake County times., 1907-11-12
UNION LABOR IS READY
President Gompers Says the
Worker of Today Will
Stand up For Rights.

Norfolk, Va, Nov. 12.-The first ses-
sion of the American Federation OF
Labor. which began its twenty-seventh
annual convention at the jamestown
exposition yesterday. was devoted to
speechmaking and the reading of re-
ports.
! When adjournment came last night
President Gompers. Secretary Morrison
and Treasurer lennon had submitted
their reports. and a partial report of
the credentials committee had been
heard.
In response to the addresses of well
come by Governor Swanson and Expo
sitton President Tucker. Mr. Gompers
paid a tribute to Virginia and to the
! exposition, holding out the fact that
this Is the first exposition of this kind
built entirely by organized labor He
confined his remarks chiefly to general
matters. but toward the end came down
to labor principles, and said:
LabOr's Work for Peace.
know of no organization that
makes so little pretense of patriotism.
but in which true patriotism prevails
/ to such a large extent as in organized
labor. We want peace; we love peace,
and are working for peace; and in the
proportion that our working people are
! better organized we will secure peace.
But we are not supfne; we are not
driveling sycophants, we know our
rights-or we think we do-and that
is just as good-and we are going to
stand for them
4 do not want to discuss any mill
tary or naval affairs or the policies of
our government-but we all know that
the federal government authorities
have decided that the navy of the
United States is going to be transferred
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. That
action or proposed action has created
considerable comment, most Of it fav-
orable, some adverse. Even that 1 do
not want to discuss, but there is a man
chosen to boss the job of taking the
entire fleet from one ocean to the other
Of whom 1 wish to speak. That is
Fighting Bob Evans, who said in con
nection with transferring the fleet;
II don't know what may be the re-
suit of this cruise, 1 have only one
mission, and that is to see that the
fleet goes to the Pacific coast; and
whether it was to be for fun or frolic
or fight, we will be there
Ready for Fun or Fight.
TT is to that want to refer and
make the application to the labor
movement. If it is to be peace, If it
is to be run, or If it is to be fight
we'll all be there.
II don't think there is any man who
loves peace more than 1 do. I believe
that industrial peace is essential to
our progress, almost as essential as all
to the lungs of the breathing animals
but the time is past when the possess
ors of wealth, the employers of labor
who consider themselves masters, car
look down upon the laboring man who
stoops with bent shoulders and accepts
the orders of the master.
Labor today stands erect looking
the world in the face, insisting upon
equal treatment equal opportunity. and
resenting any attempt at injustice OF
wrong"
Fully 500 members and delegates at
tended the opening session. Many men
prominent in organized labor had seats
on the stage, as did Governor Claude
A Swanson of Virginia; Hon. H ST
! George Tucker, Director General Mar
tin, and other officials of the exposi-
tion company.