New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-08
Coln,pers's Tilt
w it'll PersIli1lg
Stirs Capital
Aged. Leader Denies Saying
Labor Won War and Calls
A. E. F. Head Bad-Man-
nered for Dinner Retort
General Stands by Words
Sticks to Statement That
Selfish Organizations
Can't Run This Country
From The Tribune's European Bureau

WASHINGTON, Sept. r. Samuel
Gompers's boast of union labor's rec
ord during the war and General PERISH
ings sharp retort. both made at the
Lafayette Marine dinner, at the Chevy
Chase Club last night, are the talk Of
Washington.
Mr.. Gompers gave out statement
to-day, denying he had said something
which General Pershing did not say he
said, but which Gompers thinks he in
timated. He criticises General Per-
shing's "impropriety" and "lack Of
tact" The General is standing by his
blast, which was considered very plain
talk, and not the honey dripping com
pliments for every one present which
usually characterize after dinner
oratory.
Little suspecting that. there would
be any sequel, as his statement to-day
indicates, Mr.. Gompers last night gave
his version Of what labor did during
the war. He dwelt at length on the
patriotism of union labor, and how it
was heart and soul for the war. Even
before this country got into the war,
said Mr.. Gompers, union labor ex-
pressed its sympathics for the Allied
side.
Pershing Takes Issue
General Pershing in his speech said
in part:
First of all, want to say that every
true American is a patriot whether he
belongs to some labor organization or
is Just an ordinary citizen, and that it
isn't question of labor unions, it isn't
question of any organization, it isn't
question of whether we belong to
some association or not.
ut is a question of whether we are
loyal citizens of the United States. I
want to say here that the members of
the labor unions weren't the only ones
who made it possible to win the war.
cit was the citizens who inherited
their patriotism from their forefathers
who came across in the Mayfower and
helped to decide upon and determine
the independence of America as we'll
as those who have adopted American
institutions as their own.
"The policies Of this Republic are not
determined by labor unions or by any
other organizations, but by the con-
sensus of opinion of the patriotic citi-
zens of whatever affiliations.
at seems to be about time for some
one to rise up and say that America
shall be governed and ruled by Ameri-
can citizens and not by organizations
which have their own selfish purposes
to serve. 1t was not the Third Inter
rationale that made the Allied victory
possible"
Following is the statement put out
to-day by Mr.. Gompers:
General Pershing is quoted in the
newspapers to-day as having said, it
wasn't labor that won the war.
1t seems to me it's time for some one
to say that it wasn't this association
or that which won the war--it was the
loyalty of all the straightforward
American citizens which brought sue
cess to the Allied cause
ut is to be presumed that those who
read the extract from General
Marine Day banquet concluded that in
my address, which preceded his, had
made the claim that labor won the war.
"Of course, | made no such state
ment, and, much as | regret the neces-
sity for saying so, there was no ground
Tor the rather testy remarks of the
leader whom we all admire and to
whom we all owe great debt.
with everything else contained in
General Pershing's speech l found N.Y.
self in full accord. l regret exceed
ingly that he should have made it
necessary for me to make this state
m ent l have been proud of the record
of labor during the war. 1t was
magnificent record, unsurpassed by la
Dor anywhere.
~ am proud that this record should
have been made by American labor.
That | repeat and shall repeat when
ever 1T seems opportune or necessary.
Il did not say tnat labor won the
war. l offered no reason and no ex-
cusc in my remarks for what General
Pershing had to say. | regret, as per-
haps he himself now does, his lack of
tact. his impropriety. General PERISH
ing is brave and splendid soldier and
pay him the tribute of saying that
his ,generalship on the battlefield is
much better than his generalship as
an after dinner speaker"