The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-14
LABOR IN CONFERENCE
President eompers Does Not Approve
of Taft.

NORFOLK. Va. Nov. 12-The TWEEN
ty-seventh annual convention of the
American Federation OF Labor con
vencd for a session of two weeks, the
opening ceremonies being held in tho
Auditorium at the jamestown eXpoSi
ton, where the day was celebrated as
American Federation of Labor day.
Though the weather was threatening,
the attendance was large.
In the presence of 400 delegates rep
resenting the great army of organized
labor in America, including every mem.
Der of the federation's executive coun.
eli with the exception of John Mitchell,
head Of the United Mine Workers. de
tanned by illness, President Gompers
declared the meeting open. Addresses
of welcome were made by Governor
Swanson. President Tucker of the eX-
position, Mayor Rlddick of Norfolk,
President Anderson of the Norfolk
board of trade and Business Mems ms,
ISOLATION, President Scott of the Nor.
folk Central Labor union and Presi.
dent O'Connell of the Virginia FEEDER
alton of Labor. President Gompers re.
sponded in the name Of the federation
to these several welcomes
The programme of the afternoon in
cluded the annual reports of presi-
dent Gompers Secretary Morrison and
| Treasurer Lennon.
| Nintot. I napgar nlitnp NJ tl,n Social
list Democratic Herald and Socialist
leader from Milwaukee, representing
| the Wisconsin Federation of Labor. an.
nounced that he was continuing his
fight against President Gompers and
would file protests against his re-elec.
ton. but that the displacement of Pres.
ident Gompers could not be looked foi
at this time. Mr.. Berger said he would
introduce a resolution calling upon con
gress for the enactment of federal leg
slation preventing transportation IN
interstate commerce of all child la
Dor" manufactured products.
Arthur A. Hay, special representative
Of the International Typographical un
ion at Los Angeles. CAL is here to ash
the federation to assume the manage
ment of and finance the fight on behal
Of labor now being waged by the Cit
Zens' Alliance union of Los Angeles
against trades unions there.
Among the delegates TO the fedora
ton are representatives from Canada
Mexico and Cuba.
In response to the addresses of wei
come by Governor Swanson and Ex
position President Tucker Mr. Gomper
2 paid tribute to Virginia and TO tn
J. exposition, holding out the fact tina
, this is the first exposition of the kim
built entirely by organized labor. III
confined his remarks chiefly 10 genera
matters, but toward the end cam
down TO labor principles and said:
II know of no organization tina
makes SO little pretense of patriotism
but in which true patriotism prevail
to such large extent as in organize
labor. We want peace. We love peac
and are working for peace, and in tn
|
better organized we will secure peace
+. But we are not supine. We are NJ
!. driveling synophants. We know GU
5 rights-or we think we do, and thi
j is just as good-and we are going
stand for them.
II do not want to discuss any mil
tary or naval affairs or the policies {
our government, but we all know Tn;
the federal government authorize
p have decided that the navy of Il
a United States is going to be transfe
r red from the Atlantic TO the Paciti
and that action or proposed action hi
created considerable comment, most I
ii favorable some adverse. Even TIL
| do not want to discuss. But there
man chosen to boss the job of takir
v the fine feet from one ocean TO Il
other of whom | wish TO speak. TIL
:, is Fighting Bob Evans, who said
connection with transferring the flee
4 don't know what may be the resu
Of this cruise. have only one nj
! sion, and that is to see that the fle
: goes to the Pacific coast, and wheth
a ii Is to be for fun or frolic or u fig
r. we will be there
1T is to that | want to refer al
make the application to the lab
movement. If ii is to be peace, If
4 Is to be fun or if ii Is to be iigl
Wen all be there.
II don't think there is any man wi
- loves peace more than | do. | belle
that industrial peace is essential to o
progress, almost as essential as air
lung breathing animals But the tin
Is past when the possessors of wealt
the employers of labor who consld
themselves masters, can look dow
upon the laboring man who stoo
with bent shoulders and accepts {
order Of the MASTER"