The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-15
GoMPERs ON FOREIGN LABOR.

Labor in Europe and America. BY
Samuel Gompers, President OF me
American Federation OF Labor, harper
& Brothers. Publishers, New YORK.
This book comprises letters written
by President Gompers during his recent
tour in Europe. They comprise HPer-
sonal observations from an American
viewpoint of life and conditions of
working men in Great Britain.
France, Holland, Germany, Italy, etc -
The preface tells how the trip came to
be made and the book to be written, as
result of invitations from the British
Trade Union Congress, Mr.. Gompers
gives Us first a view of the underworld
Of an ocean steamer. Then he considers
the question of English labor, Parlla-
mentary action thereon. a view. of the
factory, and of the slums. Then he tells
Of his week in London. From there he
passed over to France, and we have his
idea Of the many parties and move
mepts there. Brussels, Antwerp, Amster.
dam, and many other places in Holland
are then presented to view. Then the
author passed into Germany, and he
gives us an account OF the remark
able growth of trade-unionism IN that
empire He shows what the real lnspira-
tion Of today in Pilsen is, and the
Budapest hodcarrier and his fellow
lahorers furnish the material for the
next chapter. Mr.. Gompers considers
Munich a model trade-union center.
Next he gives an account of the Swiss
labor movement and his experience of
attendance at The Paris Congress of the
International Secretariat. From there
he passes to the British Trade Union
Congress at Ipswich, He then proceeds
to Italy, and tells of the labor awaken.
ing there: but it is evident that the
Italian laborer is no special favorite of
his. although he confesses that the
Italian Government is doing wonders In
the way Of caring for the emigrants
from that country TO this. His account
of this is so good that we copy 1t In
full;
"on board the steamer the emigrant
has a legally stipulated number OF cubic
feet in the steerage sleeping quarters:
prescribed by the Commission, and he Is
protected throughout the voyage by an
agent Of the Italian Government. On
Friday I witnessed the embarkation of
about two hundred emigrants on the
Lloyd Sabaudo steamship San Glorgio.
II there was possibility TO avoid the
Italian Governments measures for the
protection OF the emigrants on this yes
sci, the fact was not apparent ! visited
at my leisure the steerage tin which the
sexes were separately. the kitchens. the
ba IN rooms, etc, and the womanS hos
pital the latter having two nurses in
attendance and being we'll fitted out for
its purposes. The steerage passengers
were a well-appearing lot as to health.
exhibiting certain general characteristics
OF southern Italians so noticeable TO
Americans-an incapacity TO see why
children should be over-encumbered with
clothing for the purpose of concealmcnt.
an indisposltion to study the arts OF the
manicure, a robust Indifference to the ac-
cumustion on the deck OF the rubbish
and waste we call dirt. The San Giorgio
was also 70 take on board FIVE hundred
emigrants at Palermo today.
In the Commissioners bureau at
Naples the emigrants can obtain instruc-
tions to how 10 proceed on landing a
New York. On the walls hang posters
Of the big italian lodging-house in Broad
Street where they may have bed a
ten cents a night. and OF the general
Italian protective agency in Center
Street.
"Thus far has the italian Government
gone In Its paternal care of its emlgTants.
Let us hope these steps are hut prepara-
tory 10 a further stage in which II VIII
use all its endeavors 10 keep them at
home. They would be happier In. Italy
II the conditions Of life were barely
Perhaps America may be the provi
Dental means OF another. a. social.
renaissance In Italy. To some extent
labor market. Before the full flood OF
emigration to America. the farm hands
wages In the backward provinces ran
from 80 TO so cents day In harvest
time, the rest of the year being less.
Now the range is so cents upward. even
in cases 10 $3.50, Able bodied young or
mddle-aged laborers are scarce In dis
trcts where only a decade ago strong
men were forever begging for work
Subsequent letters are reflections
upon the oppressed masses in Europe,
on the wages and cost of living, on
| trade .unionism in the various nations,
nuisances Of Europe traveI, and old and
new world contrasts.
IT is right lively work. we'll pre-
| nared. and well worth the reading