The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-18
HEARERS QUESTION GOMPERS
ONE WANTS THE PHILOSOPHY
or THE CLOSED SHOP.

Told mat the Men VINO Concert 90 GAIN
Benefits Should Al0ne snare Theui-
untamation That % Was tho l'nlsns
ThAt Raised NOn-unIon steel wages.
Samuel 0ompers talked on sThs Social
Uplift Of Trades Unions at the Metro
politan Temple last evening for nearly
an hour and half. later he answered
questions until the signal came for going
home. when the ceiling lights were ex-
tinguished. and Mr.. GompsS then
promptly said goodnight. In the course
Of his remarks Mr.. Gompers said Of leaders
In the labor movement:
Il grant you that here and there you
will find a labor leader who has become
q dsrsliCt I grant you that there have
been some mistakes. But I submit that
We are entitled TO 10 Judged not 10y the
worst but at the least 10y the average.
If we are charged with having igno-
rance in our ranks Ilturn the shaft back
and say that IL these men are good
enough to he brought 20 this country.
% be brought here for profit. hey are
good enough To- live With. and that a.
many of them are too advanced IN years
Co 20 even 60 our evening schools-evsn
n they wanted tot is the duty Of the
labor union men To go among them and
aim 20 lift them to a better scale OF livinS.
The recent advance Of wages by the
United States Steel Corporation wls q
elimination Of hattie begun last July.
OF course we had no brond-ides 60 fire
into that corporation. We only pep
pered them until IL became matter
Of wisdom a matter Of policy. tsNincrease
the wages not of the administrative on
Gers but OF the men who make iron aud
steel
The cigarmakers' trade statistics
show that let ween IsSS. whom the eight
hour day was established not by any
constitutional method. but just estab-
sssssc-and ICES. ;hs incTasss ia the yesTz
Of the men engaged in that trade was
over fifteen years ! could not believe
it until found that the figures had been
verified
Mr.. Gompers gave a new characteri-
ration to the international episode of
Isos. observing that -Our sympathetic
strike for Cuba was great rough.
struggle
In tho after meeting. when a qIestioner
asked him II hs believed IN the closed
shop. and II 50 how he justified Il. Mr..
Gompers first informed the questIoner
that he had taken his phrase from the
employers" ~ il was they who spoke
Of the closed shop" and then asked
the man IL hs wanted his question an
swered on that haSis. Tn" queStioner
replied that lac was Speaking out OF oXpsrl-
once and that II Mr.. Gnmp-rs preferred
he would put the question tins way. DO
you believe that II a non lniOn mar goes
10 union shop Offering To work he should
be debarrsls-
Mr.. Gompers regarded that as q differ
ent question and asked. which Of your
questions do YOU wish answered."
Either said the man. but a. the fed
GRAFTON president wouldn't have IL -
hts interrogation elected tn" -sCOnd form
Of his question. Mr.. GoIuper- responded
by referring to what h- call~d q prrncirl..
Of law. that persons h.nviiting by COndl-
tons secured through agreement or CON
tFrted action should share IN the benefits |
and applied this To a union shop where
improved conditions had been secured
through union cooperation. wherefore
only Shoze sharing IA the labor of s@cIr-
ing them should bc among the bens-
nciaries.
man who said that he was a hard |
working member Il BIG Sax said that |
be would try To- he AZ courteous A. possible |
lis that 50 hard?- Mr.. GomIIer- interpo-
lafed-hut that he would hs obliged u !
Mr.. Gompers would enlighten him on one
point. He WAS there Ivy accident. he |
said. having been passing 10y when he |
cav that the great sam GOtnpvrs' was |
Ca speak in that church and 80 m -lrpris. |
and curiosity had come IN. And he was
AetOundcd lac SAID. 10 find Mr. Gompers |
speaking there. A church. he said -iz |
q place to save souls. ID yuu suppose !
you can gam any unIOu men by talking |
here Tine UNION men don come here !
and l don't think you can gain anything
for union men IN tins place
The speaker said. sad Mr.. GOmpers /
shat he would Try 10 - as courteous a.
possible. IL seems u Was IN pu--ibl for
him 10 b. even ordinarily courteous I
am not engaged ia saving souls. | am
working IN save men. And u there D.
anything that c1n ha done To- teach men
Brotherhood and better living sam Com
pers can h. counted on 10 try 10 do IT
A union man asked that any members
Of o union ~ the church stand zap and the
Eesponss was "a considerable numbers j
just then the ceiling lights went ont andf
Mr.. Gompcrs smllIngy exclaimed Good
ma