Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-10-16

THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 1s. 1919.
SAMUEL GOMPERS
Samuel Gompers is i'll; and Samuel Gompers is too
useful a. man to be spared just at this time. Therefore,
aside entirely from all personal considerations, it is to be
hoped that Mr.. Gompers may speedily recover all of his
former health and vigor.
1t is not necessary to agree with all that Mr.. Com
pers says or to approve of all that he does to recognize
his excellent qualities and his remarkable usefulness. His
attitude on some questions has been open to criticism.
He has recently been giving his support to a great strike
which certainly has not, and which we believe ought not
to have the support Of public opinion. But before a just
estimate can be reached it is necessary for us to UNDER
stand something of the position in which the man is
placed.
The strength of Mr.. Gompers' position lies in the
support which he receives from organized labor through
out the country, and from the influence which he -Wields
in organized circles. Divest him of his position and his
influence in the federation, and he would remain a rugged
personality and an Influential individual. but he would
be merely an individual. AS it is. he is the representa-
tive. the spokesman, and, in a very real sense, the guide
OF several hundred thousand men.
Gompers is no anarchist. He believes In industry
and thrift. He believes in the things which make for
wholesome life and permanent progress. While at times
he has advocated specific policies which have Socialistic
features, he is essentially not a Socialist. He recognizes
the fact that orderly and progressive industry is pos
sible only under a system which permits and utilizes the
accumulation of funds in the form which we call capital.
He believes that the laborer is worthy Of his hire, but he
believes, also; that the laborer should do something to
earn his pay. He believes in the cooperation of all those
engaged in productive work. in the cooperation of CAPT.
tai and labor in whatever form these exist and are ap-
piled. He has on, many occasions participated in indus
trial> war, but he has done it not for the sake of war.
and not for the purpose of destroying industry. but in
ORDER that industrial peace might be maintained on q
basis which he considered just to all concerned, and in
which what he believed to be the rights of those whom
he represented should be fully protected. At times his
opinions may have been extreme and his acts inconsid-
crate, but his purpose has been constructive, and his
desire has been that order should be maintained and
that the laws should be respected.
The greatest fight which Gompers has had to wage
has been against the elements of disorder and misrule
within the ranks of the labor unions. Whenever the test
has been made it has been shown that the great ma
jority Of the union membership is decidedly opposed to
the doctrines of destruction which are SO freely and so
volubly advocated. But the advocates Of those doctrines
are numerous and noisy. With the ignorant and the
unthinking they are apt to be effective, and on numerous
occasions determined efforts have been made to commit
the Federation of Labor to doctrines which are practical
~ identical with those of Boshevst Russia, and to de-
pose Gompers from his position of leadership. Thus
far those efforts have failed. They have failed because
of tho courage and ability of Mr.. Gompers, because Of the
earnestness of his convictions, and because of the strate-
gc skill which he has shown in handling his campaigns.
- 1Gompers did not desire this steel strike. He urged
that it be postponed. But it was not postponed. And,
the strike having gone into effect, it was for Gompers
to repudiate it and all engaged in it, or to make use Of
what he could not prevent to obtain, in as large measure
as possible, the things to which he believed the striking
men we're entitled.
Reputation by Gompera of the strike and every
thing connected with it would have imperiled his po-
4ition in the federation. 1t would almost certainly have
placed control of that organization in the hands of the
radical element, whose leaders desire industrial war for
its own sake. That would have been an unfortunate thing
for this country. Gonpcrs has succeeded thus far in
y. preventing it.
Gonpers has been compelled to deal with many diff
ficult situations. He has had to take into account ig-
norarce as we'll as intelligence. He understands that in
certain lines of industry and in certain localities the Ia
boring masses are easily impressed by the pleas of glib
agitators and made ready for almost any form of vio-
'ence, And it has been necessary for him, in the face
of the malign activities with which he mas been sur
rounded. to put forth extraordinary effort to convince
the laborers belonging to those groups that he and the
organization of which he is president seek. always and
earnestly the welfare of the laboring man. while stand
Ing also for lawful and orderly practices. His has been
no small task. THAT he has erred may be granted. But
that his influence has, on the whole, been constructive
ri and beneficial cannot be denied. Therefore it is to be
hoped that he may be spared for still more years Of USE
full activity. - ..-..
TRULY AMAZING
Some time ago the president turned over the sum.
of $4,000 out Of the war fund placed at his disposal to
# the COmmiasion If exnorfs hooAod w nrro oo:,c !,