Evening star., 1908-01-22
IN LABOR CIRCLES
~o


field of labor the past week included the
assembling last Monday of the executive
council of the American Federation o:
La Dor: the Endorsement of Sam De Nedre9
by Columbia Typographical Union as dele.
gate from the International Typographical
Union to the American Federation of La
Dor; and the visit to this city of en-
ployes of navy yards, naval stations, CUR
factories, etc, and their call upon the
President and Congress.
The executive council of the American
Federation of Labor has been termed
President Gompers' cabinet" 1t is com
posed of the vice presidents, the secretary
and treasurer of the American Federation
of Labor, with Mr.. Gompers as presiding
officer.
The many friends of Sam De Nedrey
have rolled up their sleeves with the view
of bringing about his election as one OF
the printer delegates to the convention OF
the American Federation of Labor One Of
his friends declared today:
''1f Sam Is elected to the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor he will make his mark
and big, broad, shining mark-in that
body, as lie has everywhere else
Referring to Mr.. De Nedreys candidacy
the New Hampshire Trades Unionist says
I'VE hear that Sam De Nedrey is a
candidate as delegate to the American
Federation of Labor from the Interna-
tional Typographical Union. We hope
he wins out, as a harder worker in the
cause of trade unionism is hard to find
Mr.. De Nedrey is present secretary or
ganizer for the Central Labor Union OF
the District of Columbia, representing
Columbia Typographical Union, No. 1O1
in that body. He is also editor of one
of the best labor papers in the United
States, the Washington Trades Unionist
and man who dares to come out ano
tell the truth as he does ought to be
elected delegate to the A. F. of L.
Delegates have been seated in the Cen
trail Labor Union as follows:
Railroad helpers and laborers-M. Bros
nan. c. w. Spring. M. III. Small, A. J
Shanahan and c. J. Fuse.
Paperhangers, No. 42O-Bunneston. Mil
ton d. Miettee and William J. Tubman.
Painters and observation-disclosures Nc
Clifton. Joseph c. Clark. Joseph Bailey
Joseph Donaldson and Aug. Cordes.
Electrical Workers. No. 26-J. {. VIII
liams. j. j. Purcell. H. Oliver, I. J. Fin.
merriam and f. W. Mitchell.
The Machinists' Monthly Journal. Off
cial organ of that craft, in the curren
issue says:
I'm my opinion what some of the work
men in this county need is a stirring UP
so per cent reduction would do some O.
the American labor men good 1t woule
wake them up to present conditions
The foregoing, says the Journal, was
gate from the British trades union con
gress to the American Federation o.
Labor at Norfolk. just before he sailed
for home.
Mr.. Hodge thinks the American work
men are lacking in appreciation Of the
power that comes from organization in.
telltgently directed. He claims that the
workers OF Great Britain are more alive
to the possibilities presented to then
through combination, and that the mill
with the workers Of this country.
english workmen are now getting ir
position to enjoy some of the fruits OF
their labor says Mr.. Hodge, but having
made such progress. 1t is not their inten.
ton to relinquish what they have gained
but to fight on for all time to come Dur
ing the past decade labor has accom-.
plished great things in England. and a
great many changes will take place dur
Ing the next few years.
In Great Britain thirty-one members n,
the house Of commons were elected as
trade unionists, and 1 would advise my
Fellow trades unionists In the United
States to go and do likewise If this
would be done. instead of having onl,
two members in your national Congress
you would be able to have at least fifty
or sixty
The Coopers'. International Journal
says anent the alleged attack NV the
manufacturers Association through its
ofncial organ upon the private char
acter of President Gompers of the A,
f. Of L.: The folly of such a resort
on the part OF the Manufacturers AS
a. ny,o0 r.
any one who has a little knowledge OF
the labor movement. The labor move
ment is founded not upon men, but
upon principles living principles
president Gompers. though he is gi-
ant in the labor movement, is only a
man He is not the labor movement
If the Manufacturers Association sue
ceeded to the extent of forever destroy
ing the character and standing of Mr.
Gompers. If they succeeded to the ex-
tent of forever driving him out of the
councils of the labor movement, there
would still be the labor movement left
with all its characteristics. for them to
reckon with. There would still be the
undying principles of trade unlonism
alive in the minds and hearts of the
workers. There is not the slightest
possibility. however, that such methods
as they have adopted will in the slight
est degree lnJure the reputation of Mr.
Gompers.
On the contrary. the attempt to
blacken the character Of a man SO well
known to the workers, coming from q
source which leaves no doubt as to
the motive, will only cause the workers
to forget whatever dissatisfaction may
have existed with Gompers. 1t car
serve only to strengthen him in the
minds of the trade unionists. For more
than quarter of century the life OF
the Grand Old Man. as he is known
to the trade unionistS. has been as an
open book to the union men of the
country. For more than quarter OF
century Mr.. Gompers has been serv-
ing the unions under the scrutiny OF
the severest and most searching critics
both within and without the move
ment and through it all he comes out
clean enough in the election OF officers
in laboss most recent convention to be
reelected without a dissenting voice or
vote for the first time in the history
OF the a. L. of L.
THE year just closed was one of un.
usual prosperity in the printing bust
ness says the Printing Trade News
and saw the establishment of more new
and up-to-date plants in and about New
York city than probably any other year
in its history. All this spread prosperity
throughout all branches OF the trade and
all the contributory factors to the estab.
lishment of printing plants. such as ma
chinery builders, ink and paper manufac-
turers, etc. The -aancial crash tina,
struck the country in the latter part OF
October caused a temporary setback tc
this happy state of prosperity But we
are confident that the setback is only
temporary. and that in very few weeks
the printing business will be buster than
will also be participants in the restored
prosperity 81 the trade throughout the
country