United labor bulletin., 1911-08-24
STIRRING ADDRESS BY
PRESIDENT GOMPERs
Continued from Page IL

rage L.
heard and felt the community will forget
them.
Just as long as the girl garment work
ers shaved and sweated from early morn
until late at night they were unnoticed.
No one cared. But when $4,000 OF them
struck for fair treatment, when they
stopped the wheels of progress and said
they would no longer slave, then hearts
were touched for the poor things"
Mr.. Gompers' tone became sarcastic,
his expressive lips curled, his eyebrows
arched as he spoke of sympathy for
the laborer, and a ripple of derisive
laughter ran around the room.
who cares for what men want until
they show their teeth?" he cried sud
denly after a moments silence. who
cared for the women and children whose
lives were being crushed in sweatshops
until organized labor demanded that the
cruelty cease? The ministers and vari-
Gus associations are now helping, but it
required agitation of the trades unionists
before the preachers and reformers
learned that there was child labor
problem.
"The McNamaras are in Jail in Los
Angeles facing grave charges. We must
help them all we can. Arrayed against
them are the American Bridge company,
the Erectors association, the Steel cor
poration, the political government of Cal
ifornia and Los Angeles, General Otis
and his Times. We will aid in defend
ing them.
but l tell you the time is coming
when we will not be able to defend our
selves in the courts because of the eX-
pense. 1t costs too much. This attack
through the courts is the latest phase of
capitals war on labor. | do not know
how soon may be in a position like the
McNamaras myself. When we cannot
defend ourselves legally any longer, we
will have to say to the employers:
GO on. Imprison us. Take our lives.
Do what the law lets you, but remember
YOU will have the whole people to deal
with.
THE labor movement is universal.
There was a labor convention in Buda-
pest, Hungary, the other day and this
federation was represented. Working
men want larger share of the wealth
they produce and they want it now. They
want to make their lives more worth liv-
ing-the men happier the women more
beautiful the children more eXpectant
of what the future holds for them. We
must do our duty in our own time. That
is what has made men great in history
Let no effort be untried.
Il visited the Jail and shook hands
with our miners and l felt the same
thrill then that have felt when at the
graves of Washington, Lincoln, Savanna
rola and Parnell. These men are in jail
because judge undertook to expand his
authority; he could not convict them be-
fore a Jury, so he enjoined them and
when they could not and would not com
ply with his orders, he sent them to jail
for year.
"See what the supreme court of the
United States did the other day. Look
at it, 1t designated a corporation as a
robber and then gave it six months more
in which to rob and told it:
We'll, you mustn't rob the people in
the same old way any more
'"It is the workingman who, in the last
analysis, shall say, stop! your wheels
of industry shall not turn until you give
us and our wives and our children our
fair share of happiness"
President Meyer of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners and President McLen-
nan and Secretary Hickey of the State
Federation occupied places on the stage
with Gompers.
Mr.. Gompers arrived in Denver Satur-
day and made his headquarters at the
Albany Saturday evening he spent con-
siderable time with the boys" at the
Trades Union Benefit association, Quincy
building He played pool with Harry
Parker. one of the managers, whom he
defeated in handy fashion.
Sunday morning he was taken for a
rlde about the city, and took dinner at
the Royal cafe at II O'Clock, with Presi-
dent Dellitt, Vice-President Conkle, Sec
retary Tustison and Board Member
French of the Trades Assembly; Presi-
dent McLennan and Secretary Hickey of
the State Federation of Labor; Chas.
McKee, business agent of the Walters
Mother" Jones, Attorney Cohen, Dennis
Fallon business agent of the Associated
Building Trades Council; c. J. Common,
president of the Steamfitters and T. w.
Taylor, president of Painters union
No. 70.
After his address at the Club building
in the afternoon, he had several confer
ences, the most important of which was
the one with the building trades of
Denver.
He took luncheon with Mrs. Max
Morris in the evening, and then went to
his hotel. He left Denver for Salt Lake
City at s: 80 O'Clock Monday morning.