The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-05-12
RENE VIVIANI, FRENCH ENVOY,
VISITS A. F. OIL.

Washington, May 5.-Rene Vivani,
chief civilian members of the French
mission to America, visited the head
quarters of the American Federation of
Labor, last Monday, and was welcomed
by President Gompers in the name of
the men and women of labor.
The distinguished visitor is minister
of justice and vice-president of the
French cabinet. He was minister of la
Dor in 1909 when President Gompers
visited various European countries.
In a short address, Mr.. Viviani, who
spoke in French, said in part:
81 am very greatly honored by meet
ing you in this house of the workers. In
the course of my long career, in my la
Dor for the public, | was never more
happy than when | myself led in the
establishment, in France, of the depart
ment of labor for France of which |
was at that time minister. During the
four years in which / was minister of
labor | had the great satisfaction of
assisting in the passage, and in some
cases inaugurating, the most important
laws that were ever enacted in France
on behalf of the wage workers.
81 have usually maintained the most
cordial relations with the central COM
mittee, as well as with the entire organ
ization, of the Federation of Labor in
France-and indeed with all the workers
in general. Every week at least | call
in for counsel with me number of the
workers, and on Saturday | mentioned
especially to MIR. Gompers and Mr.. q.
| W.) Sullivan, the two gentlemen who
are expected to come over here, Mr.
Jouhaux and Mr.. Reuter- (French trade
unionists). 1t would be great mistake
on the mart of any public man if he did
not profit by the experience of men who
have been labor leaders in their coun-
try" In reply, President Gompers said
in part:
"Mr, Viviani, representative man and
representative of the best spirit of
France and Of the world, in the name
of the men and of the women of labor,
and in the name of their friends, here
present, | bid you welcome in this
house of labor, in this capital of our
nation, in this great republic, sister to
the republic of France.
"The opportunity that | had of meet
ing you in France and the cordiality
with which your reception to me there
was permeated, the consciousness which
you impressed upon me of your desire
| W w tilel ldy III any iiuiiidii bNihS "
do in the interest of the masses of the
people, your determination to help work
out he sociological problems of the
toilers of France-all of this impressed
me as did your own personality-you, a
great leader of the people of France in
the task before them for justice and
freedom and humanity.
Coming, as you do, as the representa-
tive of the great spirit of the democracy
of France, and joined with you the Brit
ish ENJOYS, you bring to us the last word
and the best hope of France and OF
England And now we have joined your
forces, not only in sympathy and in
spirit, but in fact, to determine, let us
hope, for all times that despotism, even
a benevolent despotism, must come to
an end. Despotism is intolerable in this
enlightened twentieth century, and it car
= not and must not be permitted to stant
. against the onward march of moderr
concepts of freedom and democracy