The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-10
RECORD GATHERING
HELD At NEW YORK
President Gompers Fifty Years
Of Service Officially Recog-
nized BY Trade Unionists.

NEW YORK, Feb. S.-Geographi-
cally considered, the largest gathering;
of trade unionists in the history of the
American labor movement honored
President Gompers on Jan. %, the
anniversary of his golden wedding,
his sixty-seventh birth day and 50
years of active service in the trade
union movement.
Trade unionists from Canada. the
Pacific coast and the extreme south
were included in the LOO present at
the dinner jointly arranged by COM
mittees representing the American
Federation of Labor, the New York
State Federation of Labor and the
Central Federated Union of New York
City and Vicinity. Robert p. Brindell
was chairman Of this committee and
Ernest Bohm acted as secretary.
Father Present.
Seated Immediately in front of the
first table was President Gompers
father, Saul, 80 years of age, and to-
tally blind TO prove that he was as
young as the rest he made a speech
of appreciation on behalf of his boy
and himself.
First Vice President Duncan, of the
A. F. of L.. acted as POSTMASTER, and
introduced the speakers in the follow
ing order:
Hugh Frayne, general organizer, A..
F. of L.
Frank Morrison, secretary. A. F.
Of L..
Robert F. Wagner, senator, state Of
New York.
Anthony Caminetti, commissioner
general of immigration, who repre-
scented Secretary of Labor Wilson.
Edward Swami, district attorney,
New York county.
Warren S. Stone, grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers, representing the four railroad
brotherhoods.
Alton B. Parker, who represented
tcrs' case.
Ralph Easley, chairman executive
council, National Civic Federation.
Frank x. Sullivan, counsel. New
York State Federation of Labor.
George w. Perkins. president Cigar
Makers International union.
Given Ovation.
When President Gompers was in
troduced. he received an ovation
rarely accorded an individual.
"A demonstration of this character
in my honor" he said. forces me to
take an retrospective view of myself:
to ask myself whether I am really
deserving of all these tributes. For
Nf 1>,,f T hn1fl
it to be the self-evident duty Of every
man and every woman to be of service
to their fellows. It is not given to all
to have the opportunity of like serv-
ice. If each man does the days work
as opportunity is given him. he has
done his level best and measures up tt
the man who has had wider and
, broader opportunities.
J "This great movement of ours for q
! better life, a better day. is not sim ply
one that deals in cataclysms in revo-
lutons, in revolutionary methods. hui
in a constant, persistent. never-end'
! ing work to make today better day
than yesterday to make. tomorrow 9
better day than was today, to make
tomorrow's tomorrow and that NOR
rows morrow better than the da,
before. And through this evolution
airy work we see sprout more light fo'
the producers of the world"
.! letter was read from Presidcn
Wilson in which the chief executive
expressed his appreciation OF Presi
dent Gompers' efforts in behalf Of hu
manity. Similar letters were reat
from members of the presidents cab
1 met. Vice President Marshall ant