Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-11-28
FL PASO IS PROPER CITY
FOR THE CONVENTION
(Continued from PAGE onel
AIixican Heroea There.

Juan Rico was surrounded on the
platform by men who have toiled
and battled through many years in
members of the executive council Of
the American Federation Of Labor
men who have shown their devotion
to the common cause through years of
effort. There were men whose names
viii go down on the glorious roll Of
Mexican heroism-such men as Ger
vantes Torres, Ricardo Trevino, Ed
uardo Moneda, Samuel o. Yudico-
men who have fought on the fields
of battle and on the fields Of econom-
&c and political struggle. It was a
stirring and a thrilling scene to those
whose memories and imaginations
could fill the background with the
events written on the great scroll
Of history by the very might Of mems
giving and striving.
Some were not there. Few can
know the qualification that would
have weIled in their hearts, could
they but have stood forth on that
stage of achievement. President Com
pers singled out two names Of absent
men and called upon all to hold their
names dear and to preserve them
upon the scroll of honor. These were
John Murray and James Lord.
Tribute To Lord and Murray
Mexico knows these names, as it
knows the names of its own leaders.
It knows John Murray and it holds
his name in almost sainted reverence.
It knows James Lord as the great,
strong man. of battle, always ready,
always in the fore front, always bat
Ting away while strength and oppor-
tunity were given him, for the future
and the freedom of men who could not
speak or fight for themselves.
1t was a beautiful and a touching
thing, this tribute to these two men.
It brought out sharply the tragedy
that marks every great struggle for
human progress and freedom. But
more than that, it reminded every one
that always there are men whose lives
are happiest when they are most COM
pletely immersed in the struggle, when
they are giving most freely Of their
energies and strength.
It was a beautiful, a magnificent
tribute that Juan Rico paid to Samuel
Gompers, punctuated by round after
round of vigorous applause. The vet
eran leader was cheered and applaud
ed through Rico's remarks and
throughout his own response. Rico
recounted event after event, in which
Gompers has been of service to Mex
leo. He told of the old days of Por-
firio Diaz and he pictured the recent
uprising of the fatuous de la Huerta
Always it was Gompers who went into
battle for the rights and liberties of
the Mexican people.
GOmpers Magnificent.
And Gompers rose to the moment
in the manner characteristic of him
| through many, many fighting years.
He poured out his heart and soul,
straining his aged body in one of the
high, proud moments of his life. He
was the apostle, the brother, the
friend, the leader-the prophet; he
/ was S1AhAAiB W SAAc 1hulJlJuue IIldb ne
loved, talking from a great heart and
an unflinching soul, bearing the torch
and brandishing the sword. His words
as they came in the English language
rose and fell in a cadence that stirred
and reused the soul. Translated into
the Spanish of his hosts, they rolled
forth as tremendous marching music,
behind which the great, moving ranks
may move on through the future.
The international gatherings are
over now. They have held their stage
through their grief, but magnificent
moment. Other and more quiet days
are ahead, but the seeds sown in these
two days will live on and bloom
in increased human freedom and hap
piness.
Thousands who live today may new
er know that great news has been
made. Thousands will but know that
men and women met, for what reason
they perhaps will not even care. But
news has been made-news of that
rare variety that becomes the history
of the race.