Evening star., 1924-11-18
G0MPERS HINTS
RETIREMENT SOON
Declaration Comes as A. F. OF
L. Takes Up Problems Fol-
lowing National Election.
Br Consolidated Press.

Br Consolidated Press.
Ell PASO, Tex, Novem Der IS--Sam-
uel GompcrB' declaration that some
ore must soon be chosen TO carry on
his work hit with great force the del
esatAs to the forty-fourth annual
American Federation OF Labor cor
yention in session here
Mr. Gomrers' retirement has beer
talked OF for many years as one OF
the things always In the future. To
day, Its iu1n>inence and the condition
OF the labor movement made the
thinking delegates pause.
Labor is In the position Of a man
rather mild heating but is pri1neiy
healthy In spite Of II. u cannot be
expected to do anything about It JUS
yet.
Effect OF Coolidge Landslide.
For example. the Coolidge majority
over the La Toilette and Davis tick
ets combined has Just shown tia.
nothing Immediately can be dore
through political action by labor,
| either direct or indirect. The lean
years OF Industrial depression may be
drawing to close, but meanwhile
there is little labor leadership can do
to raise wages or shorten hours. or in
the way of stirring Up the trouble
4
On the other hand the federation
| membership. though IL has fallen off
few hundred thousand Is said 10 be
still sunlctent to keep the central or
ganizations intact.
II things can just be held as the
are for little while longer, this sit
uatton is expected to change with the
Improvement OF business conditions
That is, better times will, IL Is pre-
dicted, bring more members. bigger
funds, more controversies to conduc
and possibly more high officials and
bigger salaries. 50 the task of the
leaders seems to be 10 hold things as
they are.
"sfarking Time" Evident.
This means marking time, and the
conventions shows every symptom o.
being a rrarking-time convention,
The marking time. translated .rto
actualities OF the labor movement.
means playing politics-both inte:-
nal and extarnal.
This does not mean that there wilt
be no controversies at the conTen-
ton. But most OF them WIN either be
large fare-ups over petty matters o.
fare-ups over large matters, whose
settlement has been foreordained.
Meanwhile, being unap:e fo- ths
moment 10 bring nearer a millennium
OF high wages and shorter hours
labor leadership must go throus,
many motions suggestive of vigorous
forward progress. The cooperation
With TIE Mexican labor movement.
courted through the joint convention
being held across the Rio Grande i.
Juarez, Mexico, is an example. Al
ready Il has asked Presidsut Gnriper%
to issue several public bulletins cor
@ern.ng Mexican poiiticS-expressior
which coming from Mexican statee
men would lead the Socio;r Tor ths
Prot lection of American Rights ~
Mexico to demand armed Intervention
at once.
Practical Co-Oreration DificHh.
The two movements have airs
problems and temperaments too di'
sercnt for much practical co-opers
ton. and the whole joint effort Nigh
conceivably end UP in a coldness ove.
the question OF petitioninE Congress
TO put the , per cent limit Of 1920 or
Mexican immigration.
Nearer home the effect OF molten '%
produced by discussion o: the ques-
ton of general labor insurance. O
education and SO on. Labor is no
very nkeI: ito inaugurate insurance
especially while unemployment is
rife