New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-12
Federation Awaits With In.
terest Address of Presi-
dent To-day in Buffalo
Pacihsts Are Active
Socialists Said To Be Planning
Opposition to Leadership OF
Samuel Gompers

BUFFALO. Nov. 1i.-Delegates as
tembled here for the annual convention
of the American Federation OF LABOR
awaited tonight with keenest interest
20 hear the address which President
Wilson will deliver at the opening ses-
sion of the convention tomorrow.
To most of the 450 delegates here
tonight the announcement OF the fres,'
dents coming was surprise, sIthough
IL was learned tonight that the invita-
zion 10 the President to address the
convention had been extended TO nm Dy
The executive council Of the federation
in October.
The President is on the programme
"a the first Of the forenoon speakers.
He will be escorted from his train to
the convention hall by a military guard
OF honor, and is expected 70 return 10
Washington soon after his address.
"The President" said Samuel Com
pers. president Of the federation, to
newspaper men, will deliver mes-
sage to labor. and through labor to
the American people. That's all | can
tell you"
There was much discussion also OF
reports that q pacifist and Socialist
demonstration WAS being planned at
the convention in opposition TO the
leadership of Mr.. Gompers and his &C
tivities as head of the American ALI
Ance for Labor and Democracy. inns
Is the organization which opposed
some time ago at a convention in Min
neapolis the alleged pacifist propa-
ganda of The Peoples Council for De-
mocracy and Peace.
Gompers Not an Issue
II such plans were under way, those
promoting them were not IN evidence
around convention headquarters. Mem
bers Of the fed.ration's executive eoun-
eli declared that opposition TO MI
Gompers was not an issue at TINS con-
vention any more so than at previous
Conventions. when, il was said, that a
small opposition faction, chiefly So
eialist. had attempted TO contest his
leadership.
Inquiry among delegates described
as liable TO lead such opposition, II
any. met with statements that mere
was no intention of disputing Mr. Com
pers's premiership
When the attention Of Mr.. Gompers
was called 20 the reports oil psclnst
opposition, he said:
II know nothing about it. If 1t IS
so. il means the Kaiser's agents are
st work Let them 60 ahead. II VIII
do them no good
That the convention would he asked
bv the executive council 10 lndorse
the stand taken by the American ALI
ance for Labor and Democracy, was a
report discussed in this connection
among the delegates. II was said that
it would probably be on this resolution,
if submitted, that pacifist and SOCIALIST
opposition would appear.
Delegates are here who are members
of the Workmen's Council, described
az a branch of the Peoples Counci!,
and having among its members, repre-
sentatives of the Ladies' Garment
Workers Union Of New York.
Would Bar Alien Agitators
The building trades section Of the
federation in a preliminary meeting
has adopted a resolution requiring that
citizens Of foreign countries who have
not declared their intention 10 become
citizens Of the United States OF
Canada be barred from union member.
ship. The resolution was introduced
BY James Duncan, of the Granite Cut
tiers, and its object was said to be tC
discourage attempts Of agitators from
foreign countries TO become affiliated
with the American Federation Of Labor
Another question discussed by the
delegates and which IL was predicted
would be taken up by the convention
was that Of having representation o.
labor upon more o. the government
departments which now administer tn
various industries, just as the MINI
workers are now represented on thu
Fuel Administration.
The delegates will be welcomed I,
the city in an address tomorrow b.
Mayor Fuhrmann Governor Whitman
will speak for the state. Mr.. Gomper
will deliver his annual address. Othe
speakers will be Carlton f. Chase, pres
dent OF the New York State Manu-
facturers' Association; Archer A. Ian
don, president Of the Buffalo Chambe
Of Commerce; James P. Holland, presi
dent of the New York State Fedora
ton of Labor, and Guy y. Moore, Dis
trict Attorney Of Erie County.