Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-19
DENVER |SLAbOR'S
CHOICE
Samuel Gompers Given En-
thusiastic Demonstration
Upon His Reelection.

MONTREAL. June 10. (by the Asso-
ciated Press) Denver. Col. was Sc
lected by the American Federation Of
Labor today for it's 1921 convention
Birmingham. Ala, was the only rival
under discussion.
Denver defeated Birmingham for the
convention by $4,000 to 1851 votes,
when, on motion of the southern dele
gates, Denver was declared unanimous
ly selected.
w. G. Shea of the painters. decora-
tors and paperhangers, was unanimous
ly selected fraternaI delegate to the
Canadian trades and labor congress.
Determination of the federation's at
titude toward the league of nations was
the principal issue on the final day of
the federations fortieth annual conven-
ton today. Consideration of the league
was to have come up yesterday. but
was crowded off the program by pres
sure of other business, principally the
election of officers. when Samuel Com
pers was chosen for the thirty ninth
time as the federation's leader.
Irish sympathizers were active in
marshaiing their forces to oppose in
dorsement of the league without reser-
vations by the labor organization, and
their leaders expressed confidence that
they could corral sufficient support to
defeat the report of the committee on
reports of the administration forces
They asserted organized labor cannot
favor any international covenant that
does not recognize the right OF self-de-
termination for the Irish people.
Compromise Reported.
The reports committee, however, in
said to have prepared a compromise
recommendation which they hope will
be acceptable to both the Gompers
supporters and the Irish sympathi1-
ers.
The education committee has pre-
pared a number of reports, including
those calling upon Congress to give
the people of the Panama Canal Zone
territorial delegate in Congress and
to give residents Of the District OF
Columbia a voice in the United States
government
Tribute to Mr.. GOmpeFa.
The American Federation Of Labor
again expressed it's confidence in the
leadership of Samuel Gompers, its vet
eran president, when it reelected him
for the thirty-ninth time at its foFticth
annual convention here, and returned to
office his entire administrative cabinet
His election was virtually unanimous.
The only delegate who voted against
tie Central Labor Council leader Of the
progressive wing of the federation.
The delegates gave the elderly leader
a tremendous ovation when he declared ::
Il accept the call to duty and I will
! obey" He was much affected by the
| demonstration.
Representatives of the railroad work.
| ers organizations. seconded Mr. Com
| pers' nomination. which was made by
| George w. Perkins of the Cigarmakers'
Union. They pledged their hearty sup
port to his leadership. declaring that
the conventions action OF yesterday in
indorsing government ownership Of tho
railroads should not be construed as a
reputation Of his administration.
| Light Wines and Beer.
| Mr.. Gompers explained that the fed
Grafton had not changed its view in con-
nection with the use of light wines and
beer, manufacture and sale OF which
were advocated by the convention last
year.
Accepting reelection Mr.. Gompers
denied a published report that he had
attempted to get the executive council
to incorporate in labor's demand to
the dominant political parties a request
for modification of the prohibition
| laws to permit the sale Of light wines
and beer.
While admitting that the matter re-
Gently had been discussed by the coun-
| Gil, he added that he had not taken
suffered any defeat at the hands of
the executive council"
II accept the call to duty" he said.
| land will obey"
The support of the organized rail-
road workers in the federation was
pledged to President Gompers by
Charles j. MACEDONIAN, who seconded
his nomination.
other Omcers Elected.
Other officers reelected included:
James Duncan of Quincy. Mase.,
first vice president; Joseph F. valeE-
tine of Cincinnati. second vice presi-
dent; Frank Duffy Of indianapolis.
third vice president; William Green Of
Coshocton Ohio, fourth vice president:
i w. D. Mahon of Detroit, fifth vice
president. and T. A. Rickert of Chi
cago, sixth vice president.
Jacob Fischer of Indianapolis was
Reelected seventh vice president in a
! contest with w. H. Johnston. inter-
national president of the machinists'.
union. who was nominated by the
railroad workers organizations.
Fischer's vote was 1929 and John
ston's 1875. Matthew Vol Of Chi
| cago was unanimously chosen eighth
vice president.
Daniel j. Tobin Of Boston and
| Frank Morrison of Washington, d. c.,
were reelected treasurer and secre-
| tary, respectively, without opposition.
Timothy Healy of New York. presi-
\ dent of the stationary f1remen, and
Sarah Conboy of the textile workers
were elected fraternal delegates to
| the British Trades Union Congress.
| Mr.. Healy. on the first ballot, defeated
Andrew C. Hughes, president OF the
coopers. and William p. Clarke, presi-
dent of the flint glass workers On
the second ballot Sarah Conboy de-
feated Benjamin /. Schlesinger, presi-
dent of the ladies' garment workers.