The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-11-11
AT TENT TING TO
DIVIDE LAb0R
Leaders Express Opinion Of
Roosevelt Dinner.
G0MPERS FEELS HONORED
Considers His Exclusion From the
List of invited Guests a High Trib.
ute to His Honesty Of Purpose.
Mitchell, Duncan and keefe, Asked
to Attend, Expect to Be at Denver
on Date Named

MITCHELL, duncan ana NeeTe, ASKED
to Attend, Expect to Be at Denver
on Date Named.
Denver, Nov. II. - Considerable
comment was caused by that portion
OF the annual report of President
Samuel Gompers, read to the conven-
ton of the American Federation of
Labor, in which Mr.. Gompers said
that President Roosevelt had issued
invitations to number of labor lead
ers to meet with prominent lawyers
and jurists at dinner at the White
House on Nov. II for the purpose of
discussing labor legislation. Presi-
dent Roosevelt, said the report of Mr..
Gompers, had excluded from the list
of invited guests the officers of the
American Federation of Labor, includ.
ing it's president.
J. Mr.. Gompers, in an interview on
the subject, refused to discuss the
question from a political standpoint,
but contented himself with a state.
ment to the effect that he deemed
himself honored by the exclusion and
considered the presidents act trib.
ute to his honesty. He said:
II am honored by the president
when he excluded me from his guest
list. It is a high tribute to the man
ner in which 1 have represented the
interests of the millions of working.
men and women banded together in
the federation, both in the matter of
pressing the administration for fair
labor legislation and in the political
campaign just ended.
This is the first affair Of the kind
that know of at the White House to
which I have not been invited, but
despite the fact that l have frequent.
ly been asked to meet the president
and his friends socially I have never
availed myself of such an invitation.
Met on Business Basis Only.
"My dealings with the president
have always been on a strictly bust
ness basis. have frequently request
ed an audience with him regarding
matters of import to the federation
and it's membership and have always
been we'll received and treated cour-
teously. There, however, my rela.
lions with the president ended.
II, by virtue of the trust imposed
upon me by the federation, represent
the millions of people of the country
who toll with their hands-the hired
men and women, SO to speak. If the
president or any other person cares to
say that I do not represent the mem
bership of the American Federation
of Labor so be it; don't care to be-
come involved in controversy or
| criticise such a stand.
when such needs present I shall
meet President Roosevelt or any
other president or public man as the
representative of the workers, if they
reflect me and care to have me rep
resent them"
The other officers of the federation
declined to discuss the matter, but
many labor leaders gathered in Den
yer declare that the action of the
president is simply a part of plan to
divide the forces of organized labor so
they would be not effective in future
contests.
John Mitchell, James Duncan and
Daniel J. Keefe, who were invited by
the president, said they expected to
be in Denver at the convention ses-
sion next Tuesday, but would decide
whether to accept or reject the invita-
ton when they received the presi-
dents letter.