The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-09
AUDITORS HISS
WHEN GOMPERS
FLAYS BRITISH
Reference to 'Injustice to
Ireland" Causes Uproar
in HippOdrome.
CHEERED AT THE FINISH
Well Known Speakers Eulo-
gize the Lion for Work in
War Against Boche.
CHEERED AT THE FINISH


4 short. thickset, elderly man-an
n frock coat and white waistcoat,
known to the breadwlnners Of Amer
lea as Samuel Gompers, nearly broke
up the grand and glorious celebration
that John Bull, Miss Britannia and
Uncle Sam staged yesterday afternoon
in the Hippodrome.
Not that the old gentleman meant
to insult the British who invited him
to the largest meeting Of Its kind in
the country but he unfortunately
slipped on the peel Of Ireland, and
forthwith was smothered in a flock
Of boohoos and Kisses and taunts by
the distinguished British folk who
damned the vast theatre. What the
labor chief meant TO say sounded all
right after he had finished saying it,
but somehow the mention Of Ireland
at British meeting is signal for the
same jubllatlon and applause that an
eulogy OF old Jawn Bull always gets
at Sim Fein party.
Il stand in protest against wrong
and injustice committed against any
nation. any group Of people or any
individual man or woman" Ga woman
asked whether he thought It was
Gompers day instead of Britain day.
and have not always stood in ac-
cord with the course which Great
Britain has pursued" There was a
hush suddenly in the house. which
had been restless during the speech
Kisses Halt Gompers's Speech.
IN the dealings with Ireland the
dealings of the Government Of England
toward Ireland in the past, was
on the side OF Ireland against Eng
land"--whatever Mr.. Gompers said
after that he was drowned by the
hoarse yell of a Tommy up in the
topmost gallery. trailed by the hiss
VI tne Misses
been steam it would have blown Sam
over the well known murals OF the
Hip. When the audience had finally
given vent to its displeasure the labor
leader continued:
ITO hold England responsible to-
day for the mistakes which have been
made fifty and more years ago is OF
course wrongful and unjust in itself VI
The statement should have got Sam
back into the good graces of the
Irish loving Britishers, only he batted
out another foul when he added:
II have not been in sympathy with
the course which Great Britain pur-
sued in the Boerland in South Africa.
Well, to make a long speech short
Guest Gompers spent the healthiest
part of an hour telling of his trip
abroad, how he had the very great
privilege of lunchinE right on the
grass with Marshal Haig; and further
more the distinguished honor and
privilege of standing right on the coas,
Of Scotland and seeing the ship upon
which was Vice Admiral Sims: and
not only that, but actually meeting Ad-
miral Il. A. T.: how proud he was OF
his Anglo nativity, how he could not
he accused Of being an Anglomaniac
nor an Angloph0bian, how he believed
he IL "a man imbued with some under.
standing and some degree of inde-
pendence to express the judgmen,
formulated by the light that is giver
me-" not forgetting the Interalliet
Labor Conference held in London Sep.
tember II, IS. 19 and 20 and so on.
GOmpers Cheered at End.
Right here Sam got the bigges
hand of Gompers day. He was alsC
applauded when he had finished
But Gompers aside, yesterdays
gathering in the Hippodrome really
epitomized the exultant feeling OF tri
umph that is in the hearts OF the Brit.
| ish In America since the victory of the
united arms against Germany. Witt
the foremost orators of the land pay,
ing eloquent tribute to Britannia.
great part in the war, cables from
King George, Premier Clemenceau
President Wilson and notables OF botl
hemispheres and the presence OF tn,
crew OF II. NJ. S. Berwick. who helped
bottle Zeebrugge. a sea of British flag