The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-11-14
A. f. OF |. IN SESSION
9th Annual Convention Meets
al Jamestown Fair.
OVER 5OoDELEGATEs ATTEND
President compers EmphatlcalIy De-
clarcs For Industrial Peace, With
Fair Treatn ent For Laborin1 Man.
Represents t,53a,97o Members.

clafos For Industrial Peace, With
Fair Treatrent For Laboring Man.
Represents t,53a,97o Members.
Norfolk. Va. Nov. with over
500 delegates. representing i.53S. $40
members in attendance, the first ses.
sion oi the American Federation Of
Labor which began its 9th annual
convention at tie jamestown Exposi.
ton. was devoted to experimenting
and tho reading of reports. Many men
prominent IN organized labor had seats
on the stage. a. did Governor Claude
/ a. SwaEi0u. of Virginia; Hon. II. ST.
Geor~e 1ucflr Director General Mar.
tin and other officials OF the EXPOSE.
ton company
In response 10 the addresses Of wei.
como by Governor Swanson and Ex.
position Pr siicnt Tucker. President
Samuel @ nprre paid n tribute to Vir
giuia gnl . the Exposition. holding
OFT the fact tlal tais is the first ex
posi- ion o. ttia Kind built entirely by
organized labor. lie confined his re
marks chiefly TO general matters. but
toward the end came down 10 labor
principles aud said:
y lnow az no organization that
makes so little pretense Of patriotism.
bat 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 Supne. we are not
drlveling sycophants. we know our
rights-or think We do-and that is
just as good-and we are going to
stand for them.
Il 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 trans.
ferred from the Atlantic to the Pa.
cific that action or proposed action
has created considerable comment.
most Of It favorable. some adverse.
Even that I do not want to discuss
but there is a man chosen TO boss the
fob OF taking the entire feet from one
ocean to the other Of whom I wish to
speak That Is Fighting Bob Evans
who said in connection with transfer
ring the feet: I don't know what may
be the result Of this cruise. have only
one mission. and that is to see that
the feet goes TO the Pacific coast; and
whether It is TO he for fun or frolic, or
a fight, we will be there
ut is to that want to refer and
make the application to the labor
movement II it Is to be peace. II it is
TO be fun or II It is to be a fight, well
all be there
q don't think there Is any man who
loves peace more thanlI do. believe
that Industrial peace is essential to
our progress. almost as essential as
air to lung-breathlng animals. but the
time IS past when the possessors OF
wealth. the employers Of labor, who
consider themselves masters. can
look down upon the laboring man who
stoops with bent shoulders and ac-
cepts the order Of the master.
Labor today stands erect. looking
the whole world in the face. insisting
upon equal treatment equal oppor-
tunity. and resenting any attempt at
injustice or wrong"