The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-02
UNI0NIzED WORKERS FOIL CITIZENS ALLIANCE
A. FL. Renews Fealty to Gompers;
>" Cincinnati Next Convention City
.By CHESTER M, WRIGHT.

BY CHESTER M, WRIGHT.
DENVER, Colo, June S0.-Samue1
Gompers- ---presideat>of thetEAmeric
Federation Of Labor:
After two weeks OF convection work,
the like of which neverNhas been
known in federation mytory, two
weeks Of intense. suspense,stRo weeks
of wearing, grinding strlns on men
and women. the election Same.
Many triumphs~ have come to Sam.
uel Gompers in his long career: Never
has he had a. greater one. But he
refused to make of the victory per-
sonal triumph. In the1:hour Of VIC
tory it was the movement and not
himself of which he thought.
The defeat of Hearstism, Garyism-
the crushing overthrow of sinister
forces from without-these were the
things the grand old leader. saw in
the figures that were announced from
the convention platform:.
Gompers, 25.022; Lewis, 1924.
Gompers' majority, 1858; not vot-
ing, 1884.
Immediately following the election
for the presidency during which
George L. Berry. president of the
Printing Pressmen's tunion. presided,
the secretary, Treasurer and other
members of the executive council,
were elected. All the incumbent
members were reelected. all but one
by unanimous vote without contest.
J. P. Noonan. president of the elec-
trical workers, entered the contest
- ~% pl>os ~
Gompers himself placed Rickert in
nomination. The vote was:
Rickert, .24,463k; Noonan, 12,-
) 47s1s.
Fraternal delegates to the British
Trade Union congress are:
William J. Spencer and ]. J. For
rester.
Delegate to the Canadian Trades
and Labor" congress:
John O'Hara, United Hatters
Cincinnati was selected over Fort
Worth as the next convention city.
Few careful observers have had
any doubt as to tho result of the elec-
ton since the cpHvention began and
most have lookedfo "a two: to one
victory for tl,e president. With the
beginning,of esseend week what.
ever OF uncertainty there, may have
BEEN vanished: completely. But the
constantly augmented supply of ru-
nors, the claims and repetition of
claims, continued to keep excitement
and interest high.
/ Another factor that helped to cre-
ate in some quarters an impression
that there might be possible surprises
was the presence at all times in the
convention hall, even among the tables
occupied by delegates, of more non
delegates than have in recent years
at least been seen in attendance.
Campaigning was carried on quietly
and campaigning was carried on nois-
lily, between sessions and during ses-
sions.
! But. 1t all came to one thing-the
thing that had. to shappen-the tri-
umphant reelection of Samuel
Gompers and the entire council.
Concerning the result President
Gompers had this to say:
There Is a great qualification in
the result of today's election. Our
| trade union movement has demon
strated that it will not submit to die
tatlon from the forces of corruption
or greed-that neither he Hearsts nor
thes Garys can chart our course or
select our leaders,
"Our movement is united. It is
| prepared to be aggressive in defense
of the rights of the .toilers. It will
not be swerved from it's course. It
will be a sad day for the aspirations
Of the working people of our land
when corrupt and intriguing interests
can either divide our movement,
change our course or destroy its lead
ership. The vote today has demon
strated to the world that we have
not. yet come. upon that day.
'"The whole work of the conven-
ton, the resolutions and declarations
adopted, the policies indicated. mean
for the future united progressive.
militant movement, following upon a
progressive, fruitful ana militant past.
For myself I may say that the
work of the convention and the re-
suit of the election fill mo with sat-
isfaction, gratitude and pride, not for
myself but for our movement. I am
proud of our movement and my life
shall be given to it In the future
as it has been for these many years.
We are in serious times, but we face
them undaunted and with confidence
and courage" "