The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-07-08
Wind Up of Convention

After two weeks of convention
work, the like of which never has
been known in Federation history,
two weeks of intense suspense, two
weeks of wearing, grinding strain
on men and women. the election
| came.
| Many triumphs have come to
Samuel Gompers in his long career.
Never has he had a greater one.
But he refused to make of the vic
tory a personal triumph. In the
hour of victory it was the move
ment and not himself of which he
| thought.
The defeat of Hearstism, Gary
ism-the crushing overthrow of sim
lister forces from without these
were the things the grand old lead
er saw in the figures that were an
nounced from the convention plat
form:
Gompers-25,O 1922.
| Lewis-12,324.
Gompers' majority-12,698.
Not voting-1 1884.
Immediately following the cleo
ton for the presidency, during which
George L. Berry, president of the
Printing Pressmen's Union, 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 con-
test.
j. P. Noonan, president of the
Electrical Workers, entered the con-
test against Thomas A. Rickert.
President Gompers himself placed
Rickert in nomination. The vote
was:
Rickert-24, 463h.
,478h.
Fraternal delegates to the Brit
ish Trade Union Congress are:
William j. Spencer.
j. j. Forester.
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 the result of the
election since the convention began
and most have looked for a two to
one victory for the President. With
the beginning of the second week
whatever of uncertainty there may
have been vanished completely. But
the constantly augmented supply
of rumors, the claims and repeti-
ton of claims, continued to keep
excitement and interest high.
Another factor that helped to
create in some quarters an impress
;rrht hn Ia
surprises was the presence at all
times in the convention hall, even
among the tables occupied by dele
gates. of more non-delegates than
have, in recent years at least, been
seen in attendance.
Campaigning was carried on quiet
" and campaigning was carried on
noisily, between sessions and dur
| ing sessions.
But it all came to one thing
the thing that had to happen-the
triumphant 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 DEM
onstrated that it will not submit
to dictation from the forces of cor
rupion or greed-that neither the
Hearsts nor the Garys can chart
our course or select our leaders.
"Our movement is united. 1t is
prepared to be aggressive in de-
Tense of the rights of the toilers.
1t will not be swerved from its
course. 1t will be a sad day for
the aspirations of the working peo-
pie of our land when corrupt and
intriguing interests can either di-
vide our movement, change our
course or destroy its leadership.
The vote today has demonstrated
to the world that we have not yet
come upon that day.
"The whole work of the conven-
ton, the resolutions and declara-
tions adopted, the policies indicated,
mean for the future united, pro-