The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-08-31
CONGRESS NOW MEETING IN
PARlS-OPENlNG SESSION
YESTERDAY.
COMpERS is PRESENT
That AffiIation of American
Unions With European
Is Possible.

. Trades Union Congress which opened
t today The secretary announced a
!. membership of the affiliated organiza-
J. tions of 4,24G.o0o
I, President Gompers explained that
ihe was invited to the congress preson-
Tally ana not as an official delegate,
as the American Federationist was
not affiliated with European unions,
though that was a possibility Of the
future Gompers offered a resolution
proposing an international working
mems federation, which, while not af-
fecting the independence Of the work,
men Of the respective countries,
would create an international fraterni
ty, or solidarity.
American trade unionism'. said
Gompers, is the outgrowth of Ameri-
can conditions and conceptions.
America in in allegiance with the in
ternational movement only so far as
is consistent with the ideals OF the
American unionists"
j. Eads How, who was present unof
licially as the representative OF the
unemployed in America, urged regula-
, tion Of emigration I'VE are strug-
! Cling to find work for the unemployed
. How continued but the task is most
. difficult when thousands OF foreign
ers are arriving almost expecting to
find gold on the streets"
The conference adopted a resolu-
ton in sympathy with the worllmen Of
/ Sweden, and Spain, and appealed To
: he workmen. OF the world to struggle
{ Ifass tSeabolitloi Df wttf.
There was a lively debate this af-
Iternoon over the status OF the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, Gompers
: placed on the defensive. declared that
" the unionstic tendencies of Europe
and America are temperamentally dis-
Iferent have some doubt whether a
union is possible.
An Austrian delegate remarked;
J. Some day the American workmen
T. will recognize the necessity OF join
e Gompers replied tnat he would do
l. everything possible to secure the ef-
(; Elective cooperation.
4, Several European delegates bitter
T.; iy denounced what they claim to be
:. tho eauiyoca attitude of the Amer-
can Federation toward joining the
international movement and Gompers
energetcally repelled the attack.
One obstacle in the way Of affiliation,
g he said, was the feeling that antag
e. flonism existed in Europe towards
e1Ameffcan trades c~ionism. Move
tlover, it was feared that the American
| Iworkmen might be compelled TO sub
| ordinate their policies to those Of
I men knowing little about American
industrial conditions Said Gompers;
{ Il have no authority to pledge the
anuiation OF the American Fedora
tion. but believe II will come in
time"
Gompers statement was received
q coldIy, Several delegates protested
+ said the impression had been given
Q that the Americans meant business
a and sent Gompers as the official dele,
/ gate. Gompers was sarcasticalIy
e thanked for his opinions but was
d told that the trades congress did not
need them.
Gompers, stinging under the re-
buke, said Il regret that YOU mis-
J construed my remarks as an attack
, upon Europeon trades unionism |
! repeat that we are sincerely desirous
Of an international federation, but
only SO far as it preserved the Ameri-
d can conception of unionism If
Europe does not want us il will be
unfortunate. Nevertheless we will
continue to 10 everything possible 10
attain the goal for which the human
race Is struggling ng-international fra.
ternity unity"
IIueber the Austrian, retorted that
: il was seven years since the Ameri.
cans began talking about Joining the
international confederation and that
. it was time decision was reached,
/ 1T now appears he concluded, that
Gompers is merely on voyage Of
discovery
The secretary ended the contro-
S versy with the statement that Comp
T. ers is only guest
/, The newspapers devote much space
to the significance of GOmpers' pres
ence. The Journal Des Debate points
: out that the American Federation
, and French Federation which did not
3 join the last two conferences, repre-,
sent the opposite conception. the
American sentiment utterly opposing
the building of unionsm on founda
tion of either Socialism, politics or
lreyolution.