Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-13
IN lABOR'S REALM.

Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer,
lean Federation Of Labor returned from
New York yesterday, where he had been
several days looking into a labor conten-
ton.
There never was a more palpable piece
of Misrepresentation of what a man really
did say than what was reported as COM
ing from me at the recent national meet
ing Of the federation at ST. Louis" said
Mr.. Gompers to a reporter OF The Star. in
the formers office in the Ouray building
this morning. Il refer to the published
statement credited to me by reporter of
st. Louis newspaper. in which 1 was
credited with having perpetrated an un-
just slam on the negro labor of this
country by charging that the negro had
been a hindrance and drawback to la
boris progress. 1t was not only willful
and unjust imputation upon the colored
man. but a mean and unfair misconcep-
ton of my language. In proof that such
derogatory stories travel faster than the
truth, l will say that l have met the per-
verified statement in the course Of my
movemt nts In New York and other points
up north. and l have had to deny the
story repeatedly.
1T may not be amiss to state that it
was in reply to an adddess at st. Louis,
made during the session of the federation
last fall, that, in the mind of the speaker,
the laboring man had not made that de-
gree OF progress and the labor world was
not benefited to the extent justified by the
claims of the leaders Of the federation,
the remarks about the negro are alleged
to have been made by me. l did not say
what the reporter for st. Louis news
paper declared said in his report of the
meeting.
What did say about the negro, in his
connection with the labor world, was that
American labor life had a great problem
negro. and that. while his progress had
been necessarily slow. because of the
short interval between his liberty and
freedom of today and his shackles of
slavery Of less than a half century. the
white labor of America had to gauge its
pace accordingly and give the negro time
for his study and contemplation of the
true purposes OF the organization of
American labor. The reporter put his
own construction upon my language. and
bad with great many worthy and
capable coiored people of the country,
who do not know me as well as those at
home an In many sections of the north"
At a recent smoker given by the Metal
Trades Council CT this city and vicinity at
McCauleys Hall. Pennsylvania avenue
southeast. there were number of ad-
dresses by prominent workers in organic
ed labor. The speakers were introduced
by Temporary Chairman j. J. wickham,
delegate of Columbia Lodge OF Machinists.
A. J. Berries. secretary-treasurer Of the
metal trades department of the American
Federation of Labor spoke OF the great
benefits attained through the org anization
Of the various metal trades.
William III. johnson. president of Dis
trict No. ~ OF the International Associa-
ton Of Machinists. in addressing the dele
gates said that a strict watch was being
kept by members OF the council on all
legislation affecting organized labor. par
ticularly the eight-hour bill. the federal
boiler inspection bill and bills regulating
the wages Of employees Of the navy yards
and afpenals.
w. NJ. Huttel. president Of Columbia