The Washington herald., 1908-05-12


National Civic Federation, which is hold
ing its welfare meeting.
Capital and labor, and the differences
that have eSTanged them. were discuss
ed optimistically by men prominent in
official and social life.
The audience that greeted the speakers
was in the highest sense representa-
tive not only Of Washington, but of
the nation-men and women Of the high
est social, administrative. judicial and
laboring circles. Hundreds were forced
to stand. owing to the overflow at
tendance.
Mr.. Gompers Presides.
Samuel Gompers. president of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, presided. and
opened the meeting with brief address.
complimenting the organization under
whose auspices the gathering was as
sembled
He defined the principles upon which the
labor organizations base their claim TO a
better conception Of the rights Of the
employe from the employer.
we are not pessimists,' said ne but
our labor organizations protest against
the conception that the laborer is a com
modify to be bought in the open market
We believe in the progress by evolution,
rather than by revolution"
Andrew Carnegie made what was prob
ably the principal address of the evening.
He paid a compliment TO the women who
have allied themselves to the federation,
and said: Nothing is complete in this
world without the aid Of woman. But 1
hope women shall not fall so low they
shall want the rights of man."
Speaking OF his personal observations
OF the workngman, the retired capitalist
remarked: You can do anything fair
with the laboring man. but you have got
10 treat him Ike a man. You can trust
workingman. It Is point Of honor
between men not to take another's Job.
and the cause of all the trouble that has
existed between capital and labor is
they do not know each other. It is the
lack OF brotherhood between them.
safety of the Country.
1T is my conviction that the safety
and future of the country depend upon
the elevation of the Iaboring classes"
John Mitchell retired president of the
United Mine Workers Of America. voiced
an urgent appeal to the women present
10 exert all efforts in putting an end to
child labor
In your task 10 have legislation passed
10 prohibit this evil. said he You viii
meet with opposition not only from those
who profit by the labor Of children. but.
unfortunately you Wi in many cases
ha
dren themselves.
In this respect as we'll as in many
other reforms, your efforts can accom-
plish much. You can obtain for society
better conditions Of life than is possible
for organized labor to accomplish"
Besides explaining the principles Of the
National Civic Federation. Of which he is /
president Seth Low embodied in his ad- I
dress the thought that while the task
which they have set out 10 accomplish /
viii be difficult TO attain, it will in the /
end be the means of making the United 4
States the model country Of the world.
That the education Of the masses TO the /
idea that the nome is the original idea F.
upon which the republic was founded.
rather than ribald patriotism, was the
argument advanced by Mrs. Sarah s /
Platt-Decker. president Of the General /
Federation Of Women's Clubs.
Standard of the Nation.
Oscar s. Straus, Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor, brought out the point that
the standard Of the nation is not Judged
by the millionaires it produces. but by
the hosts Of laboring people it has edu-
Gated and elevated TO higher plane Of
social Improvement.
Commissioner Macfarland. S. Thruston
Ballard, and Mrs, Eva Mcdonald Yalest
also addressed the meeting.
At the opening session of the welfare
in the parlors of the Willard. at 10 o'clock
yesterday morning, a woman's commit
tee, 10 cooperate with the National Civic
Federation, was organized. A committee
was appointed 70 elect officers and report
at this mornings session, as follows.
Mrs. Archibald Hopkins. Washington /
Mrs. John K OttIey, Atlanta. Mrs W}U-
lam Il. Croker, San Francisco; Mrs. Y /
Everit Macy, New York Mrs Talcott
Williams, Philadelphia; Mrs. j. B. Grant
Denver; Miss Anna d. Slocum. Boston;
Mrs. B. Frank Mebane, Spray, n. c., and
Mrs Iva Mcdonald Valegt. ST Paul
AT o'clock in the afternoon the dele
gaton was received by the President at
the White House.
Wants a Model City.
The Chief Executive expressed his ap-
probation Of the work of the organiza-
ton. and said:
want you to help me, through your
representatives, TO get that type of legis-
lation enacted which will make the
United States government a model en-
ployer, and which will make the onIv citv
under the absolute control Of the United
States government-Washingt model
city"
On their return from the White House
the delegates listened to addresses at the
Willard by William R. Wilcox Marcus
NJ. Marks, and James O'ConneU
Among those who occupied prominent
seats at the meeting were Mrs. William
II. Taft. Mrs. Charles ". Fairbanks Mrs
George Won L. Meyer, Mrs. Nicbolas
Longworth. Miss Mabel Boardman Mrs ,
julius Kahn. Mrs. James L. SIavden Mrs
William CorcOran Eustis, Mrs. Oscar
CfFauc Mics E'y-n (T0rnor Ne I