New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-08
Russian democracy and extending "
them the support here pledged
Alliance Favors New Zion

Russian democracy and extending 10
them the support here pledged.
Alliance Favors New Zion
A resolution demanding for small
nationalities "the right to live their
own lives on their own soil and TO dc
yelop their own culture under free
national auspices" concluded with the
following declaration in favor Of new
Zion:
"Inssmuch as among all these small
nationalities the Jews alone have no
homeland of their own, we urge upon
the President and the international
congress which will negotiate terms OF
peace the legitimate claims Of the
Jewish people for the establishment
Of a national homeland in Palestine on
basis of self-government'
A resolution Of thanks for the hos
pitality Of Minneapolis and st. Paul
asserted that IAN odium absolutely un-
deserved and contrary 20 facts had
been cast on this biE-hearted, broad
minded and unSwervingly patriotic
section by the spectacular antics OF a
few indictments
Samuel Gompers, Frank Z. Walsh,
James Duncan, Charles Edward Rus
sell and John Spargo were named rs a
commission TO deal with the Russian
problem.
Alliance Letter 20 President
President Gompers submitted draft
Of a letter TO President Wilson IN
answer TO the Chief Executives letter
indorsing the purposes Of the alliance,
and he was instructed to forward 1t at
once.
There is work more important than
any address can deliver at this time,
said Samuel Gompers. his voice trem-
bling with emotion, as be accepted the
permanent presidency Of the new patrl-
otto organization. Il am profoundly re-
sponsive 70 the honor you have con-
ferred upon me and tie opportunity
YOU have given me for patriotic ser
vice. Nv whole life has been conse-
Grated to the service Of my fellows. !
have no aspirations for anything on
earth or above il than 10 be and con-
tinu. 10 be Of service. You have con-
scripted me. and | am on duty
Other Officers Elected
On motion Of the nominating commit
tee other officers were elected as 1oI-
lows:
Vice-presidents-W r. Gaylord, Mil
waukee: James Duncan. Massachusetts,;
Gertrude b. Fuller, Pittsburgh; secre-
tary, Frank Morrison, secretary OF the
American Federation Of Labor; treas
urer, J. G.. Phelps-Stokes, Of New YORK;
administrative Commissioning r
Walsh, Kansas City; William p. Client,
Los Angeles; John II. Walker, Danville,
Ill: John Spargo, New York; William
Edlin, New York; Mathew Vol, Chi
caeo, ILL.,; J. =. Shepard, Fort Scott,
Kan; James ". Mullen, San Francisco;
James ?. Holland, San Francisco;
David J. Berry, Pittsburgh.
Pro-Germsn Editor Elected
The conference showed its militant
mood when Thomas O'Rourke. of Balti-
more. discovered Alexis Georgian, edi-
tor Of "The New Times" z Russian
paper of Minneapolis, sitting among
the delegates, buSly taking notes.
ORourke, who had heard Georgian dis
seminating the pro-Germsn view in
front of the auditorium, demanded that
he be thrown out. President Gompers
ordered him 10 leave the floor of the
auditorium and take a seat in the gal
lery Georgian was slow to move. but
lust as he was about to be hustled out
he rose.
'If YOU were to stay you would talk
German" commented Mr.. Gompers.
Then Georgian started to make q
speech.
"Stop. stop. stop!' cried Gompers,
and all Georgian was able to say, as
ne passed through the door. was that
he was a Russian.
"And a fine specimen, too" answered
Gompers, who was gasping for breath
IN his excitement.
Henry L. Slobodin. of New York,
urged that he had known Georgian for
twenty-five years and that he had al
ways been a devoted friend of labor
and socialism, but had been deluded
and had fallen into error in regard TO
the war.
"The incident is closed" announced
Mr.. Gompers. Honestly or dishon-
estly, this man is doing the service of
Germany ] would rather deal with a
known scoundrel than an unknown
damn fool"
]. Stitt Wilson, Of California, con-
tributed the only other bit of discord
by stating that he considered the
method of choosing officers through g
committee undemocratic and that
therefore, he would vote neither Tor nor
against "the magnificent body Of men
who have been designated for the Of
fees"
Lucian Sanal, Of New York, the ven
cradle dean Of American socialism, in
delivering the Last address Of the con-
vention proper, made the charge that
as early as 1913 the German govern
ment had sent Philip Scheidemann, the
German Socialist leader, to America TO
prepare the way for the German propa-
canda among American Socialists,
Scheidemann he said, had easily capt
ured Abraham Cahan, editor Of the
New York Jewish newspaper Forward,