Evening star., 1925-01-21
LABOR PAYS HONOR
.TONEW PRESIDENT
National, International and
Local Union Men Pledge
Support to Green.

National, international and local or
ganized labor, welcoming William
Green into the presidency of the
American Federation of Labor at q
reception and dinner in the Hote
Hamilton last night. heard the new
president and members of the organ
lied labor's cabinet pledge contin-
uaRce of the policies developed dur
ing the Gompers regime.
President Green in his speech def
nitely pledged himself to the Gompers
policies in the following words: 1T
remains for us to honor the memory
of our departed leader and honor our
selves by carrying forward the great
work which he outlined. No others
can do it. No others understand how
TO do it. and in promoting the move
ment which he organized and set in
motion there are none upon whom
greater obligation rests than upon
those who have been thrilled and in
spired by close association with him" "
Organization and education was the
keynote sounded by Mr.. Green.
Although the entire gathering was
colorful to those interested in or
ganized labor, probably the most
dramatic incident of the evening was
the address of Matthew Woll This
vice president of the American Fed
Grafton, groomed for the presidency
during the GomperS regime, took the
floor and in a spirited appeal be-
sought the most sincere cooperation
for the new president, pledging him
self and those he represented to the
carrying out of the program out
lined seeking disregard of self in
consideration for the promotion of
the movement nationally. He struck
out against soviet recognition in a
decided fashion, Characterizing as
misconception those reports that the
breach might be closed between COM
munism and American labor by the
death of Gompers and the succession
of Green.
He told why Green was selected
by the executive council.
I'VE felt" he said, that Green
would go on steadily upward. bringing
with him the standard that means even
greater benefits to the great wage-esrn-
ing class of the public. There are those
who seized the death of Gompers to de-
clare that there would be no more prog
ress, nc more constructive movements
in organized labor. But Green had par
ticipated in the formulation of poll
cies by which the A F. Of L. is gov
erned and it would be the reasoning
of a child to believe that a man
who sincerely gave his aid in shaping
such policies should discard them as
he would an old suit of clothes
James p. Noonan, new vice president
of the American Federation Of Labor;
George F Hedrick and William j.
Tracy, respectively president and sec
retary-treasSre of the building trades
department Of the fedora ton, who
shared with Green the honors of last
night, delivered short addresses pledg-
ing continued support of the estab-
liShed federation doctrines.
The committee in charge of the cele-
bration consisted of James O'ConnelI,
chairman and postmaster; Luther
Steward, William L. Sullivan, Frank
Morrison and John ]. Manning
Frank Morrison, as secretary of the
federation, read a letter from Secre-
tary of Labor Davis, expressing his
congratulations to Mr.. Green, and in
forming the gathering of his unavoid.
able absence. Assistant Secretary
HenninE represented Mr.. Davis.
The letter in part said:
Only the death of a near and dear
friend could prevent my attending
your meeting tonight, Il meeting
which / am sure will mark an epoch
in the development of the trade union
movement in the United States / re-
gret more than l can say the sad
circumstances which force me to all
sent myself from Washington at this