The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-11-04
Gompers Defends Railroad
Eight Hour Movement
Strong Speech Delivered Before the Wilson 8-Hour
League, at Mass Meeting in NeuO York.

AT mass meeting held under the
auspices OF the Wilson Eight-Hour
League in Washington, ID. G., on Octo-
Der -, President Gompers accepted an
invitation to speak He said he was IAN
cight-hour Lacquer from way back" and
recalled the successive eight-hour gains
made by the trade union movement.
Some how or other in my life of 66
years he said, "and Of more than 45
years OF activity in the cause Of labor,
justice freedom and humanity, | have
escaped being called politician until
very recently. And recently | have been
called partisan politician by no less
person than a United States Senator
from the great State of Illinois"
The speaker stated that he had accept
ed an invitation by Secretary Olander OF
the Illinois State Federation of Labor
and Secretary Nockels Of the Chicago
Federation OF Labor to reply to Senator
Sherman III Chicago on Sunday, Octo-
Der 20.
President Gompcrs made this reference
TO the clght-hour movement of employees
in the railroad train service:
u want to say a word or two in regard
to the Adamson law, and then | want to
refer to some other instances, some 9TH
cr facts involved in this campaign. l.
declare here and now, from my own
knowledge, that the railroad men and
their brothcrhoods did not ask for the
Adamson law. They had declared that
the time had come that they would no
longer fool and irittcr away their time
with the quarreling managers who were
Trying 10 prolong the agony and to frit-
ter away the confidence Of the rank and
l.a ia, Il
ton. ! do not know how often YOU
travel on the railroads. | have consid-
cradle travelling to do and have fount
that in nearly every railroad station
there were bulletins ] found in every
dining-car bulletins You found OF
every bill OF fare when YOU wanted
cheese sandwich, YOU found the argu
mcnts OF the companies against the eight
hour day. You found full-page advcr
tscments in the newspapers every day
and trying 10 wcan away the respect anC
the public sympathy from the ralro3,
men in their demand
THE railroad men represent the poor
They represent the workers. They have
not the money To- cXpcnd in such cam
palgn, and they depend upon the lnfor
nation and the sympathy that these mel
mutually have Tor each other, and can
you understand how it became necessary
for these chiefs of the railroad brother
hoods to tell the railroads, the time hac
come when monkcying must be stopped
and ii YOU do not give us the eight -houl
day, He will submit this question to Tho
men most yitally affected and they vii
give you that answer What answer
would have come? ! will tell YOU very
candidly my opinion. | really do not be
lievc that the railroad managers anc
presidents would have held out As hour
against the united demands Of the rail
road men for the cight-hour day if tn
strike had gone on. My judgment is this
! submit ii to your judgment for you
thoughtful consideration.
The railroads lave been demanding
from the government and governmental
agencies for years an increase in freigh
rate They knew, as they know now, ant
as ] am satisfied will be demonstrated t.