Evening star., 1917-11-25
GOMPERS PLEDGES
.LABOR'S AID IN WAR
American Federation Head
Asserts Workers Are in Con-
flict to End-Scout Strikes.
LEMON ONLY DEFEATED

By the Associated Press.
BUFFALO. N. Y, November 24.-Sam-
uel Gompers, president Of the American
Federation OF. Labor for thirty-five years.
was reelected today virtually without ops
position. With him were returned 10
IeNno srsry oficer Of the federation ex-
cspt John b. Lennon. treasurer. vino was
defeated by Daniel J.. Tobin. president of
feurs' Union. s
The reelection Of Mr.. Gompers marked
a continuation of his services as chief
executive broken for only one year since
1882. and the veteran leader was greeted
with rousing cheers as he took the floor
to accept. He pledged undivided loyalty
and effort for the cause Of men who toll
and declared the labor movement was at
the most crucial period Of its history.
Abiding to the war. Mr.. Gompers said
peace now until the purposes for which
the United States entered the conflict
shall have been accomplished.
I'VE have declared ourselves in the
racy: there is no doubt where union labor
stands" he said
St. Paul was chosen for the next annual
meeting. to be held in June under tho con-
stitutional amendment passed here.
An effort to read into the defeat Of Mr..
Lennon a weakening of the position OF
President Gompers as a leader and part
victory for the small group OF pacifists
prominent federation men It was de-
clared. when it was decided by Tobin's
friends to run him for the Office. Com
pers announced an unequivocal policy OF
hands off.
It was further said the unions lined
against Gompers on the Endorsement OF
his war policies early in the convention ion
Lennon. The vote for treasurer stood:
Tobin. 13,476: Lennon, s.1o2: Toxin draw
ing his strength principally from the
bridge and structural iron and brewery
workers
Not a Pacifist.
in accepting Office. declared there was no
'pacifsm and antism" in him.
Since war was declared Mr. Tobin
ef ef'd Presidens dent Gompers Of the American asa
Wilson Of the United States. I want no
m,sunderstanddins as ,an to n my position
there has not been one strike. We have
not crippled industry during the war. We
have been fighting an enemy from whom
we may expect no mercy II he Is vic
torious
Americans first"
Mr. Tobin's statement was greeted
demonstration when President Gompers
spoke, pledging his undivided loyalty
and effort to the cause of men who toll
"in the most crucial period in the his
tory of the labor movement and Of the
world"
"would ask or seek peace now until
the purpose for which the United States
entered the conflict had been accom-
pIshed. We have declared ourselves
in the fight to the end for freedom and
democracy; there is no doubt where
There were a few scattering votes
against Mr.. Gompers and one against
Frank Morrison for secretary.
It was found impossible to complete
the work of the convention today and a
night session was called at which 1t
was hoped to clear the calendar and
adjorn sine die. Next years convention
will be held at St. Paul in June. Mr..
Gompers, it was announced, will visit
Toronto next week as the guest Of
Premier Hearst.
Demand New Bomb Trials.
The convention tonight adopted
: unanimously q resolution demanding
new trials for Warren H. Billings and
Thomas ]. Mooney, convicted Of mur-
der resulting from the San Francisco
bomb explosion.
The investigating committee on labor
conditions reEorred to the convention
there IS no labor shortage. On the con-
trary, tho report declares unemploy-
ment Is widespread in several trades
The committee declared housing prob
iams in cities where new industries
have sprung up have not been properly
dealt with. This they said was respons-
ible for much of the apparent dearth
| Of labor. Seventy-flve per cent of the
women garment workers IN New York
and big potteries at Camden, N. j., have
been closed down., In the building
trades also there are many unem:
ployed, the Investigators reported
Business was disposed of rapidly in
the closing hours and at $50 o'clock the
conNsutIon adjourned sine die,