Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-19
LEADER URGES UNITY
Samuel Gompers Gives Advice
to Textile Workers
IN ANNUAL CONVENTION
Forty Delegates Here. Representing
10000 Laboring Men.
OBJECT OF THE ASSOCIATION
Plans for Extension of Membership
and Influence in the United
States and Canada.
OBJECT OF THE ASSOCIATION

Expecting to devise an efficient plan for
the extension Of its membership ana in
iuence among textile workers. especially
IN Canada. in the south and in Pennsyl-
vania, the United Textile Workers of
America met here today in annual con-
ventlon in Typographical Temple There
We're present about forty delegates rep
resentlnS 10,Hp organized workers, the
entire body of such employees numbering
about 1o3.o3o in the United States.
No man. regardless of position or
wealth. If he be familiar with industrial,
conditions in America for the past
twenty years or more, cannot deny that
iabor's fight against the reduction of the
wages and the consequent monetary
benefit To laboring men eased the recent
industrial and financial stagnation and
aided materially in bringing it to an
end, President Gompers of the Ameri
can Federation Of Labor said. in adj
dressing the delegates ~ believe il.
and every man who is honest with him
self believes it,
Purchases Gauged by Earnings.
ii Ne larger the earnings are of the
idn"flnS man the greater and more va
RED u the scope of his purchases. He
asks for more of the things which go
to make up life. The aid the laboring
man lent TO bringing to a close the con-
dltonS of affairs two years ago is ap-
parent
Mr. Gompers, who was present as the
guest o. hOnor at tOday'S session, was
introduced by John Golden of Fall Riv-
er, Mass, president of the textile or
ganlzation. Mr.. Golden referred to Mr..
GonperS as the one person who, by his
advice and devoted interest, guided the
textile workers through the storms and
adEerSltleS OF its early existence. The
president Of the American Federation
of Labor was termed the best living
friend of the textile workers. who had
long since proven his devotion to its
particular causes.
President Gompers reviewed the history
Of the orSanizs ton from the time 1t first
took definite form in this city, eight years
ago, and spoke at length of the adverse
conditions it went through both in its
development and in its differences with
employers.
Fighting Fund Essential.
lone of the most essential factors in
the organization of labor and the chief
factor which makes it not only valuable
to its membership, but compels respect
from the outside world, is the establish
ment of sinking fund, or / might say
at is the organization which has to it's
credit money to tide it over any crisis
that instills a lasting and deep-seated
interest among it's membership. And
more valuable than this it is placed i'm
a position where it can back UP its de-
mands for wage increase or protest
against wage decrease. 1t creates a
determination to think a second time be-
fore cutting among the employers 1t.
generates fear among enemies.
This is one of the secrets of the science
of labor organization, and when an organ
iZation can boast of auch a fund ii can
boast truly and we'll Create a fund o.
this sort by increasing to reasonable
rate your dues, make promises to your
membership and when the time comes
keep these promises. BY such promises
don't mean eXtravaganceS or promises
which you will not be able to fulfill and
which have proven disastrous in the past.
Picture to yourself the difference be-
tween a labor organization which has
such a fund and one which has failed to
provide one when crisis or a fight
comes The secret Of success is most ap-
parent then.
Recommends Change.
Another thing 1 wish to speak of to
you textile workers, especially, is the
large amount of money paid out by you
for insurance benefits-and I don't be-
there is so much money paid out for
such purposes than in yours. Why don't
you divert that money 10 your organiza-
tion-the organization which is formed
for your material benefit and advance
ment-and let it have the benefit of such
contributions. / do not say this in a
spirit of antagonsm toward insurance
companies l say it from the belief that
[ think you should make your own or
ganzation your Insurance company. Why
not? 1t is formed, l said before for
your material welfare, and this money
could and should be used for your benefit
all the time instead of being diverted as
d source of profit to others.
You are gathered in your eighth an
nual convention here in the National Capt.
tai, and before you adjourn let me ask
that you do Notwithstanding sub
Stantial-fOr your own benefit and for the
benefit of labor in general. In your de-
liberations here accomplish something, no
matter how small it is-the bigger the
better, though-for that end which Is the
just due of all American laboring men;
to aid him il attain the ideal of American
manhood; to permit him to make nome,
a home in every sense OF the word 10 al
low him to surround himself with those
pleasures and the little things which 90
to make life worth living That is the
ideal we are work nS for. you and myself
and all of us in the lapor movement. In
this eighth convention let me urge again
and again that you do something toward
this end"
Unity of Organizations Urged.
After detining what he considered the
Life life in employees wages. and
speaking Of labor conditions, SO far they
affected the standard of life. in China,
Japan. Russia. Austria. Germany and
England. the speaker told his hearers
there was no limit in the minds of the
corporate interests to the reducing of
wages whenever it lay in their power. and
urged thar they stand III the general
fight for labors uplift.
Take the stand keep it and fight for
it he declared. a most everything
which has come N the past has been
after successful fight. We all naturally
love peace: il is Inherent N us, and We'll
go far on the path OF peace toward ac-
uuig.ng " nat we OF labor need. But ii We
have to fight, we must fight with a de-
termination TO end the conflict success
fully.
Il feel there are many good fights in
me yet-sorletimes l think | have lived
a hundred and fifty years instead Of fifty
nine-anl fight / shall with ALL the viPor