The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-30
COMPERS' VISIT
TO ENGLAND OF
GREAT INTEREST
American Labor Leader Ex-
pected to Exert Great In
fluence on Labor Conditions

half the interest here as Is being dis
played over the visit of Samuel Comp
ers, and other American labor lead
ers. The newspapers all print editor
ials welcoming the Americans and
marked prominence to the DECLARE
ton OF Gompers that the labor men
Of the United States are in favor OF
a war to the finish without compro-
mise, and all will have no part In
unofficial negotiations with socialists
of enemy countries,
The Gompers party confronts a sit
uation in the British labor world which
on its face appears to be a delicate
one. Spokesman for British working
men are sharply divided on the Ques-
ton of peace terms and particularly
on the question which has arisen sew
eral times In the past year as to
whether British labor representatives
should meet representatives Of the
German majority socialists at some
neutral capital to discuss war ques-
tions. There Is no doubt that a large
majority Of British wOrkingmen are
with the Americans on the main issues.
But some spokesman, or those who
pass current with the general public
as spokesman for the labor men and
the labor party, which promises to be-
come a powerful force in British poll
tics, are what are termed information
alists. 1t is certain that the most
prominent Of them are not wOrkmen
but are ordinary socialists who have
gained prominence in the labor party.
Arthur Henderson, recently member
of the British cabinet, is the most con-
spicuous leader. who would confer
with the Germans. The Independent
labor party which has in its ranks
only a small fraction of the members
Of the unions goes even further than
Mr.. Henderson and Is commonly
known as the pacifist or peace-at-any-
price party.
Will Speak at Congress
On the other hand, there are the
leaders of the type of J. Havelock
Wilson, the head of the seamen's I'M
ion. which is getting up monster petit
ton for a boycott of German shipping
and sailors after the war on account
of the treatment given allied and neut-
raj sailors by submarines.
Earl Curzon, government leader in
the house of lords, is one of the sign
ers of the seamen's petition to the
house of commons.
The annual trades union congress,
which represented great ma jority of
union men, will be held in Derby next
week. Mr.. Gompers and some of his
colleagues are accredited to it as fra
ternal delegates. Mr.. Gompers also
will make a speech at the inter-allied
labor conference, which meets in Paris
in September. The conference was
called by the secretary of the French
labor confederation to consider inter-
national problems, and essentially war
considerations.
Another meeting in which the Amer
leans will participate will be the Inter
allied labor and socialist conference
to be held in London in September,
principally to consider replies of en-
envy socialists to the allied socialist
war memorandum.
Mr.. Gompers Thursday visited his
boyhood home where he was born 6S
years ago. 1t was an event Of great
importance in the little section of East
London known as Spittlegate Mr.
Gompers had only visited England
once before since he had left England
as boy to seek his fortune in Ameri-
ca. His previous visit was nine years
ago.
accompanied
day on the journey to Fort street by
several members Of the American
labor mission. They went down in
two American automobiles and got out
at the street corner. Mr. Gompers
stopped when he alighted and stand
ing the middle OF the street, recalled
many scenes of his boyhood.
Will Visit Wounded Americans.
1.-THE old street has not
much he said as he stood in front of
the house which had been his home
for many years. That old public house
on the corner looks exactly as it did
when | used to listen to the crowd of
old cigar makers discussing politics
there in the evening, when I was a
mere slip of boy"
Spittlegate is deep in the interior
Of London's east side. which is not
so different from New York's east side
except that 1t is greater in extent and
much older. Never before had Ameri-
can army automobiles been seen in
remote forts. and they shared the at
tention of the crowds with the visitors.
The children crowded about the auto
mobiles, watching every gesture and
motion of the American chauffeurs in
their strange field service caps With
open mouths the children accented
gifts Of pennies which the chauffeurs
threw to them but declined the efforts
made by the Americans to become bet.
ter acquainted.
In the afternoon Mr.. Gompers call
ed at American headquarters to see
Major Biddle and Sergeant Walters.
Afterwards he paid a surprise visit on
Major Endicott, the American Red
Cross commission at Red Cross head.
quarters. He asked Major Endieott
II he could arrange 10 visit the Ameri-
can Red Cross hospitls to see the
American wounded. Arrangements
were made Immediately and Mr.. Com
pers will go to the hospitals tomorrow
TO distribute cigars to several hun
dreds OF Americans, sick or wounded,
who recently have arrived in London
from the western front
d. EIkENBERRY NAMED AGIAN