The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-10
Samuel Gompers Delivers Ad-
dress at Federation Of Labor
Convention.
SERIES OF TRIUMPHs
Venerable Leader Is Received
With Tremendous Applause
at National Meeting in At
lantic City.

Atlantic City. N J., June e-'The
day Of tyranny and autocratic politi-
cal or industrial power is gone.
American working people are 100 per
cent determined that their lives shall
be secure"
This assertion by Samuel Com
pers at the opening of the thirty ninth
annual convention of the American
Federation OF Labor today brought the
vast assembiage OF delegates and spec
tators to their feet cheering and APP
plauding for several minutes. The
day was series of triumplls for Mr..
Gompers, who was named chairman
of the committee on international
affairs without any sign of the oppo-
sition that had been threatened befor e
the convention. The number of dele
gates in attendance was s45 represent
ing thirty-one states ninety-nine in
ternationai unions, one hundred and
thirtythree central bodies ana
seventy-one locals.
II was the largest attendance IN
the history OF the federation. Mr..
Gompers. referring to certain policy
towards striking employees said:
IF any employer of labor believes
that industrial autocracy or despo-
tA5At 10 eVAiie w wv tAi SA@'tNA 40 AAS
counts without his host.
For their services every working
man and woman Is entitled to well
rounded life for themselves and their
children. Labor Is going to see that
they get it,
Mr. Gor1pers showed no trace OF the
effects of his recent accident as he
delivered his stirring address in reson-
a., r,a rta I hN y3r
gestures. He faced an audience that
packed the seward and of the great
steel pier.
Frequent applause gave proof that
he had lost none OF his popularity
with American labor during the world
war. In his address Mr.. Gompers
said the war has opened the way 10
new era in which the workers will
have voice in the deterrn nation OF
the conditions under which they labor
and live.
The American people" he said,
were one hundred per cent deter
mined 10 see TO ii that the opportunity
OF the democratic peoples of the
world to live their own lives should
he made secure. To us II seemed that
IL the representatives OF militarism
and autocracy could win in the war
there would be no opportunity for
freedom generally nor could there be
room in the world for a well ordered
and we'll developed labor movement to
protect the rights and interests Of
the working people
Tn all the history OF the world IT
has been the men OF labor the hewers
of wood and drawers of water, who
have been compelled to bear the bur
dens Of life
The employers Of labor IN the past
and particularly during the war have
indicated that among the essential re-
ouirements for the wage earners Is
wage which Will enable them to
maintain an American standard of liv-
ing. Opportunities for education
which VIII increase their efficiency
and prove their value to the COM
munitN; opportunities to devotion a
practical form of cooperation with
the management in connection with
industry
Briefly labor requires higher
standard of living, II higher stan
dard OF citizenship is to be establish.
ed"
IF our country is TO avoid the
rocks upon which the industries OF
some countries are now v-recking
themselves. IL will be because there
has been broader understanding nf
the methods of the American trade
union and greater willingness on the
part or capital and management TO
recognize that the principale which
we all accept that government should
only exist with the consent of the
governed Is as true in Industry as
II Is IN citizenship"