The Washington times., 1924-12-11
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TO America when still q, boy. AT the
age OF fifteen, when most boys are
just completing their first schooling
and playing marbles, Samuel Com.
pera embarked on his stormy career
as q labor leader. He was then q
cigarmaker.
Gompers was one of the charter
organizers of the American Fed.
Grafton of Labor and became its
president in 1882, which position
he held up to the time of his
death. with the exception of one
year.
Gompers' battle on behalf Of the
worker did not end with his duties
as president of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor, arduous though
they were. He was editor of the
federation's official organ, The
Federationist, and he waged his
fight so hard In the columns of
this magazine that he eventually
became involved in trouble with
the United States Supreme Court.
Capital was In no mood to recog-
nize the right Of collective bar
gaining. When the battle was at
its height the first actual test of
strength came in 1905.
Employees at the plant Of the
Buck Stove and Range Company,
Of st. Louis, demanded q nine
hour day. ]. w. Van Cleave, pres
ident of the st. Louis Company,
denied the request and thereupon
started one Of the most bitter labor
wars Of American history.
The employers appealed to the
courts and obtained inJunctions re-
straining the American Federation
OF Labor from boycotting the Buck
Stove and Range Company.
Gompers, Frank Morrison, secre-
tary of the American Federation
Of Labor, and John Mitchell, an.
other noted labor leader. were ac-
cused of contempt of court for
criticizing the injunctions and were
brought to trial.
They were convicted.
Gompers was sentenced to one
year in prison, Mitchell nine
months and Morrison six months.
They were granted an appeal to
the District Court of Appeals.
In 1913 that tribunal held that
the sentences were excessive and
reduced Gompers' term to thirty
days and imposed q fine Of $500
each upon Mitchell and Morrison.
Case Still Pending.
The case was Immediately appeal
ed to the United States Supreme
Court, and 1t is EtiH pending, with
little likelihood of anything more
ever coming of it.
When the Mcnamara brothers
were arrested at the instance of De-
tective William ]. Burns and &C.
Cused of a huge dynamiting plot,
including the destruction of the Los
Angeles Times building, which re-
suited in a large loss Of life,
Gompers loudly asserted his belief
in their innocence. branding the
case as another capitalisttc plot to
discredit labor.
81 can't comprehend the case at
ALL" Gompers said, when told the
McNamaras had confessed. Labor
was grossly deceived"
Burns, the detective, who brought
about the arrest of the alleged dyna-
miters, had this to say of Gompers
following the above statement:
II am satisfied that Mr.. Gompers
knew at the time Of the first dyna.
hitting case, back in 1906, who was
responsible for it. Shocked! Comp.
ers was not shocked at all. He
knew all about the McNamara con.
3eSston. Gompers, not the Nc
Namaras, deceived labor"
But toward the end Of 1914 the
American Federation Of Labor had
become force to conjuPe with as a
result Of Gompers' persistent eff
forts. Capital gradually realized that
1t represented the conservative ele-
ment Of labor.
Another Sinister Shadow.
Another and more sinister shadow
than the Federation of Labor was
rising above the industrial horizon.
It was the element represented by
the Industrial Workers of the
lists. o''A
Then the crash came. America.
unable to longer stand by and
watch Its citizens murdered on the
nigh seas, declared war on Ger.
many.
The nation, as one man, turned
TO the momentous task of rushing
assistance to the allied nations
which were struggling with their
backs to the wall.
Strikes were forgotten and the
working man turned to the task of
supplying the army and navy that
Uncle Sam was assembling.
The production Of war materials.
the construction OF ships and the
general accomplishments Of the
worker fairly stunned the world
ana brought for the first time n
realization Of the overwhelming
power of the United States.
One event threatened to crippIe
americas preparations at the very
start OF the great struggle.
The four brotherhoods OF railway
employees had demanded Increased
salaries ana other concessions and
threatened to strike to obtain them.
The companies had refused to
meet the full demands and the
strike order was sent out. Presi.
gent Wilson appointed Secretary of
LABOR Wilson, Secretary OF the In.
terror Lane and Samuel Gompers
70 act as an arbitration Commission.
Inen the diplomatic side Of Gompers
The railway brotherhoods were not
@nnated with the American FEEDER.
ation OF Labor. II Gompers attend.
60 the meeting and 1t failed it would
pc reflection upon the strength OF
the American Federation Of Labor.
Gompers could not be found.
When the arbitrators succeeded in
averting the strike Gompers came
to life He had been taking. q rest
in Atlantic City.
When Germany had been crushed
ana the peace congress was called to
meet In Paris. Samuel Gompers was
"