Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-21
WHY GOMPERS IS
COMPLACENT
He Exercises Great Power in
Washington and Union Labor
Is Not Disturbed
Special Correspondence Evening Ledger

WASHINGTON July 2i.
TNHE complacency with which Samuel
l. Gompers. president Of the American
Federation of Labor. has fallen in with
the war plans of the President and his
Council OF National Defense is one Of the
curious developments OF the war situation.
For almost n lifetime this journeyman
cgarmaker who, by sheer industry and
ability. has made himself the most potent
factor in the labor world has fought or
ganized capital and what may be termed
! 'the captains of industry" in defense of the
eight-hour principle. higher wages and the
rights of labor generally. He has appeared
before State legislatures and the Congress
of the United States with arguments and
speeches that have made trouble for con-
stltutional lawyers and lay members alike.
In certain important labor controversies APP
| preaching the verge of crimlnallty, like the
| bomb-t throwing exploits of the structural
iron workers, Gompers has stood pat with
what he believed to be justfable propa-
| ganda even to the extent of defying the
courts and taking personal chances with
the consequences. Today, however, Gompers
is such power in Washington that the
President consults with him. while he con-
fors freely with members of the Cabinet
as member of the Advisory Commission
of the Council Of National Defense. Asso-
ciated with Mr.. Gompers on this commission
are Mr.. Baruch, New York banker; Mr.
Coffin an automobile manufacturer, and
Mr.. Rosenwad "A big Chicago merchant.
and so far as the public knows. Mr. Gompers
and his associates have got along happily
together without friction as between capital
a,,l 1ah Al milo at,l t1.. af11-
ployed.
Is Union Labor Satisfied?
1t is not altogether a State secret that
Mr. Gompers is fairly we'll satisfied with
the treatment labor is Receiving at the
hands of his associates and the Admins |
tratiOn. If 1t were otherwise, the assump-
tion is that Mr.. Gompers would not go along |
with the Administration plans as readily |
a he does. Congress in the Clayton anti |
trust act. it is true, gave Mr. Gompers |
what he had been fighting for in exemptions |
to organized labor from Federal Court in |
functions, and it justified picketing to n |
certain extent, although ii has always been |
a debatable question whether the Clayton |
or Gompers act as it might equally well be |
termed in the final analysis, gave labor |
more than a mere sop. But while Mr.. /!
Gompers was satisfied with the act and |
with the various riders to Appropriation |
bills which took away from the Attorney |
General The resources with which TO prose-
cute members of labor unions for violating |
the antitrust laws it is certain that this |
legislation has not been pleasing to the big |
interests or to the captains of industry who |
employ labor It is therefore, no wonder |
that the spectacle of Gompers and the big |
interests working together in the Council |
of National Defense occasions comment. |
How does il come about?
Is IT purely patriotic and incident to |
the war or is the "Aphonsc and CASTOR"
act being performed because il cannot be
helped? 1t cannot truthfuly be said that
labor is not disturbed despite the appar-
ent complacency of the president of the
American Federation of Labor. The big
abroad brotherhoods whom President Will
son made up to on the eight.hour question
prior to the last presidential election are
not members of the American Federation
of Labor, of which Mr.. Gompers is presi
dent While both organizations have Been
working along similar lines rbr the eight
hour day, it is not certain that the railroad
brOtherhoods are satisfied with the outcome
of their eight-hour agitation, nor is il
clear that they fully appreciate the mean.
ing of the communicating of railroads for
governmental purposes, to which program
Mr.. Gompers seems to be committed. This
has appeared during the discussion of GER
tain of the communicating bills when rail-
road men in particular have sought with |
other labor interests to have the exemption
provisions of the Clayton antitrust law
emphasized In other words, these high
grade unions have insisted upon the right
to strike under any circumstances just as
Mr.. Gompers always insisted upon it in
ante-war days. They are somewhat skep-
tical OF government or military control
now.