Denver labor bulletin., 1917-02-17
DANTE BARTON TO
NEW YORK EDITOR
REPLIES TO TINES COM
MENT ON GOMPERS.
SAYS President American Federation
and Labor Movement of Nation Is
Conducting a Great Work to
Lift All Wage Farmers.

editorial IN tne times on Mr GOm-
pers' Golden Jubilee"
To the Editor of the New York Times:
Sir: Eliminating men who hold
highest office, Samuel Gompers is
probably the most prominent man in
the United States. He is the most
powerful man. More persons talk and
write of him than of any other man,
excepting the nations chief banshee,
Mr.. Roosevelt.
Those who do not like Mr.. Gompers
and his work agree to this degree with
those who do like him and his work,
that they accord to him remarkable
ability. His greatness is more than
personal. Its impersonal side is that
he typifies and interprets the most
powerful labor movement of American
history. Your own estimate of him,
as partially expressed in your edito-
rial of the thirtieth, accords him
greatness, or definitely implies it.
l submit and hope you will print
an appreciation extremely different
from your own, except in that impli-
cation.
Misunderstood the Man.
In your editorial you have one sem
tence Ito single out only that which
shows why you misunderstood the
man. An estimate of Gompers which
is based on non-comprehension of the
movement which he stands for and
directs is bound to be unjust. You
say, THE welfare of non-unionists is
nothing to him."
The very opposite of that is true.
The welfare of all workers is the very
temple of the American trade union
movement. Mr.. Gompers cares so
much for the welfare of non-unionists
tt,t ha oil ig+g
His and his movements attitude to-
ward unorganizd toilers is that of the
Christians attitude, let US say, toward
non Christians. All members of the
American Federation of Labor were at
one time non-unionists. The life work
of Samuel Gompers has been to make
them unionists. The Federation he
founded has grown until today it is
the greatest labor organization in the
world, with nearly three million men,
bers. And the opposition to him, the
fear of him, and the misrepresentation
of him are chiefly because he is try
ing increasingly and powerfully to ex-
tend the benefits of trades unionism
to all productive humanity, and to
make all humanity productive.
Welfare of All Workers.
You may deny that trades unionism
does bestow benefits; but in that case
you will find it hard, if you are can
did, to get around the fact that men
whose economic interests are opposed
to the freedom of workers, and to the
kindred essential elements of welfare
among workers, are also opposed to
trades unionism. If trades unionism
were not beneficial to men and women
who work, such interested antagonists
of men and women who work would
wish them to be all unionists.
In directing the fight for the imme
diate welfare of those already in the
ranks of union labor, Samuel Gompers
and those cooperating with him have
fought for and aided the welfare of all
workers-non-unioni as well as un-
ionists. Raising the standard of
wages, of living, of intellectual at
tainments and of individual liberty
among all workers. When filtered
down to the most lowly, the example
before them and sets lamp to their
feet to guide them. Even the devices
of many employers-devices such as
"bonuses" es"-temporarily to make non
unionists content to remain non-union-
lists, are a chemical reaction" a re-
fiex action, of unionism.
Does Not Beg Rights.
The "Service to humanity" in the
movement Samuel Gompers leads is
more than material. Unless mater
ialsm is taken to support and encom-
pass idealism. The results of the
service is not only higher wages. 1t
is not only better hours and terms and
conditions of work-not only better
distribution of the products of indus
try. Most of all, the result of the
service is power in the possession of
men and women themselves; the pow
er of self-help; the power to take
care of themselves instead of being
"took care of"
Undoubtedly, Samuel Gompers
would never have been chosen to head
labor movement by those who be-
lieve that labor should be as meek as
Moses was not But that he has de-
manded rights instead of begging
them; that he has fought instead of
cringing, and that he has not let the
opponents of the union labor move
ment decide how the union labor move
ment shall be conducted will not con-
denim him with those who believe that
courage and self-respect are good ele-
ments for the national fiber.
In his fifty years of fighting for
labor and for humanity Mr.. Gompers
has never said anything more vigor-
out than Patrick Henry said, than the
declaration of independence promul-
gated, than Thomas Jefferson and An
drew jackson and Abraham Lincoln
and Mr.. Justice Harlan and Woodrow
Wilson said. But he has said things
just as vigorous. And it is hoped and
believed that those who follow after
him in labor leadership in America
will be as vigorous in word and act as
Samuel Gompers.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) DANTE BARTON.