Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-09
DELEGATES ASK
WORLD PEACE

of the Central Labor Union of Philadel-
phia; James II. Maurer, president of the
Pennsylvania State Federation of Labor;
Joseph Ritchie, president Of the Building
Trades Council Of Philadelphia, and Frank
! Feeney, chairman OF the local Commit
tee on Arrangements. Governor-elect
| Martin @. Brumbaugh sent telegram,
saying he was unable to be present be-
cause of unavoidable absence from the
city.
MAYORS ADDRESS OF WELCOME
Mayor Blankenburg, on behalf of the
city, delivered the address OF welcome to
the convention. Mr.. Blankenburg elected
great applause and enthusiasm by the
warmth and sincerity of his remarks.
Mr. Blankenburg said:
Let me extend to you as Chief Magls-
trate OF Philadelphia a most hearty well
come to what we love to call the City
OF Brotherly Love. we feel highly hon
ored to have your national convention in
this city. The first organized govern
ment Of this country had its birth in Phil
adelphia. This Government has now
endured for more than 1870 years. And 1t
has endured because it has been built
| upon the principles Of justice TO all, and
1t will endure only so long as it will con-
ttnue to exist upon the basis of justice
| to all.
IL take it that your organization is built
! upon that same foundation. | have always
| been believer in organization, and
Know that your organization, the Amer
| ican Federation of Labor, is trying to
| upitt the conditions of labor In this
| country and l know that organized labor
| Will never permit anything to occur that
| VIII undermine the foundations Of this
Republic.
| You are in no mean city Philadelphia
Is the mother city of this Republic You
| are one of the greatest forces working
| Tor the national welfare and national
| well-being of this country. When I think
| or the 100000 workers under your BAN
ners l realize 1t Is in your power to make
| this country better than 1t is today
You are a great army, a great army
OF peace Compare your army with the
| armies OF war In Europe and you will
| realize that your army OF peace will en-
dure and its work will endure long after
| all armies OF war have gone.
| 1T hehooves us all to dedicate our
| selves to the welfare of our great nation
Let us all consecrate ourselves to this
mission"
The Mayor then cautioned the conven-
| ton against any participation ON the part
| of organized labor in politics He spoke
| OF the work accomplished by him. as
| Chief Executive of Philadelphia, of the
divorce of politics from City Hall, and
said that organized labor will succeed in
| so far as II keeps to its own particular
mission of uplifting the life OF labor.
And now," concluded Mr.. Blanken-
burg, addressing President Gompers, 'Iet
me hand you the key to our city. II is
not the physical key to the city exactly,
but 1t is the key which has opened the
hearts of the people of Philadelphia to
the great American Federation of Labor"
The Mayor then added that the City
Hall Will be illuminated every night
during the two weeks the convention
| will be in session.
RECEPTION PLEAsEs DELEGATES.
The Mayors address was received with
a loud outburst OF applause. In reply
to the Mayor, Mr.. Gompers said:
"on behalf of the American Federation
OF Labor let me express to you, Mr.,
Mayor. our deep appreciation of not only
your welcome to this great city, but Of
more than the formal invitation, the
manner. the cordiallty, the deep sentl-
ment expressed by you and of that which
every delegate and visitor to this con-
vention not only learned from your most
eloquent address. but also saw in the
light which nlled your eyes and the
geniality of your manner.
Your address of welcome was mora
than the performance OF a perfunctory
duty.
Let me say to you that we have been
deeply impressed with what you have
| said and the splendid manner in which
you said it. This Is the third time the
| American Federation of Labor met in this
city. in Donaldson Hall, Broad and FiIbert
I ufW NV, T,,I
OF American liberty. and nOw in 1914, in
Horticultural Hall.
The mission OF the American Fedora
tion of Labor Is to translate the principle
Of the right of every man to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness into reality.
''rhe key which you presented TO me,
| Mr.. Mayor concluded Mr.. Gompers,
land, through me, to all the delegates.
| will be fully appreciated and YOU may
rest assured that you will have no cause
TO regret that this great honor has been
done us. Wherever we have met We have
always been Judged by our acts and con-
duct. And there Is no place where we
would not again be welcome. On behalf OF
the American Federation OF Labor thank
you for your cordial plea for the right and
justice"
In declaring the convention open Mr..
Gompers said:
ours is a great struggle for social
and foe to our convention. The great
number OF men and women We represent
prscludes all possibility OF holding our
convention under closed doors. In all
great struggles for the uplift OF hu-
manity there has always been degree
of roughness. Thank God, humanity for
gets this roughness incidental to the great
achievements for humanity
$50 we may rest content upon the
understanding that the time will come
when our movement will be hest under
stood and better appreciated"
Mr.. GOmpers then paid a tribute TO the
late p. J. Mcclure, OF Philadelphia, one
OF the organizers OF the American Fedora
tion Of Labor.
CREDENTIALS CAUSE TILT.
The report OF the Committee on Gre
dentials was received after short tilt
on the floor OF the convention between
the two factions favoring and opposing
the seating OF the delegates representing
the faction OF the United Garment Work
ers Of America. which seeded from the
orgznization at the recent convention in
Nashville. Tenn.
The committee recommended that only
the delegates representing the bonafids
organisation holding a charter from the
A. =. OF L. be seated. These delegates.
led By Thomas A. Rickert and Bernard