United labor bulletin., 1910-11-24
coMPERs ON THE NEGRO.
President Of \. T. Of |. says Negro
Should Join Trades Union.


The negro question. as it affects
trades unions, IL to the fore at the st.
Louis convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, and in an address
Samuel Gompers has expressed himself
in regard to the negro as well as the
Asiatic. OF the address of Mr.. Gompers
the Rev. Charles Stelzle says:
In an address given at the banquet
rendered the delegates to the American
Federation of Labor convention, Presi-
dent Gompers said that more than S,OO0,-
900 negroes in the United States today
are less than two centuries removed
from the barbarians of their own AfrI-
can land, and less than half century
from chattel slavery.
'Tt cannot be expected" said Gompers,
that with all Their traditions, mental,
moral and social, that the negro can un-
derstand the fundamental philosophy of
human rights. l am not condemning the
negro I am simply stating fact"
Reference was made to the great dan
ger of an Asiatic Invasion on the Pacific
coast.
mo one can understand quite SO well
as the workingman what this invasion
MEANS" he continued; 81 will take no
second place with any man. but believe
that the realization of the idols of the
American worhngnan depends upon the
maintenance of the Caucasian race in
this country"
The workingmen of America have set
up for themselves certain standards
For these principles the American
Federation of Labor has long been con-
tending 1t has never sought to degrade
the worker, but to elevate him. 1t has
sought to shorten his hours of labor SO
that he might have more leisure.
Then it has striven to increase his pay
so that his purchasing power might be
greater, his life enlarged and his soul
enriched, and it has sought to bring
these blessings to ali the toilers.
Promise never to discriminate against
fellow worker on account of creed,
color or nationality" This is the pledge
taken by every candidate for member
ship in the American Federation of
Labor
Frankly, it's often easier for colored
man to join white mans labor union
than it is for him to join white mans
church.
Sometimes, when men have been dis
criminated against in the labor union, it
has not been on account of creed, color
or nationality; it has usually been for
some other reason
1t is not that the American Federation
of Labor does not want to give the Ash
atics a mans chance that this question
is now being discussed in the convention.
It is because the Asiatic does not want
white mans chance.
The federation wants to give him more
than he is asking for himself.
1t insists that he must take it II he is to
work alongside of an American, for II he
doesn't take 1t they will both go down
together. and that would be calamity
which would afrect every man, woman
and child in our great country.
1t is an easy matter to sit In the grand
stand and watch the fight in the arena,
handing out wisdom in large chunks to
the battlers for bread. but 1t is quite an
other thing to get down into the smell
of the blood and the sweat and strike
the blow which shall be counted foul or
fair. according TO the Judgment of the
finely poised mind of the onlooker, with
his well balanced philosophy OF what is
right and wrong.
Yes, we promise never to discriminate
against a fellow worker on account of
creed. color or nationality. but may the
best that is in Us also keep US from dis
eliminating against our own flesh and
blood, which is dearer than life itself.
The action of the Denver negro repre-
sentatives in the recent political cam
paign more than proves the truthfulness
of what Mr.. Gompers has said. The
negroes of Denver, as in most other sec
tons of the country, are working people.
hence should support those who are
working to benefit labor.
But, as Mr.. Gompers, says. they must
be forced to take the right step.
In the recent campaign the negroes
declared against the election of Secre-
tary of State Pearce-but their influence
was not felt
paper published in Denver by a col
ored man, and supposed to give express
sion to the views Of the colored people.
opposed the initiative and referendum.
The same paper supported j. c.
Burger for congress from the first dis
trict-a man who is also opposed to the
principles for which the worker is striv-
ing.
When they were in slavery it took the
force of arms TO give the negro the fran
chise.
Now that they have that franchise
they use 1t to oppose the very thing that
will give them greater power and
greater benefit.
As Gompers truthfully says, the negro
and the Asiatic must be forced to pursue
Al IA - -
benefit: and when they are in competi-
ton with white men they should be
forced to join the trades union of the
trade at which they desire to work. In
other words. they should be saved from
lfhornnalvoa