The Omaha morning bee., 1925-04-05
Compers' Own
Story of His
Active Work
Autobiography of Creai
Leader of Men Absorbing
in Interest Even for
Casual Reader.

SEVENTY YEARS OF LIFE AND
LABOR: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY" by
Samuel Gompers two volumes: e. p
Dutton Co., New York.
1t was ordained that Samuel Com.
pers was not to be permitted TO com.
plete the monumental work he had
set himself to do. Death came to him
while yet his manuscript was un-
finished, although the work had been
all planned, and only the closing
chapters were unwritten. The last of
his life's work has been set down
faithfully by one who was so close
to him as to be able to finish the
story most satisfactorily to all.
Sam Gompers had lived too much
to tell 1t all. even in two full vol
umes. What he has set down IN
print, after he has finished the story
of his childhood and come to his
manhood years, deals merely with
what he regarded as important. Some
who knew him we'll might not al
ways agree with his estimate of the
value he put on incidents and events
but his appraisal of his own deeds
may we'll be accepted. Other biogra.
pliers will deal with him, and may
throw into higher relief some stirring
episodes the "Old Man, as his fol
lowers lovingly called him, felt i'm
PEELED to minimize if not to ignore Ell.
tirely.
However, the story is one of alb.
sorbing interest. The more so for
it's controlling element of modesty.
Gompers was not vainglorious. He
knew the value of the spotlight, and
did not dodge its glare on proper oc.
casion, but he was too earnest, too
simple, too sincere, to give much at
tention to self advertising. He did
not strut for he had no time to. His
early life was occupied with strug-
gle for bread and butter. After he
had risen to the position of a leader
of labor, he still found himself re-
stricted by the same needs. As late
as 1909, when he was about to be
east into prison by Judge Wright, his
salary as president of the American
Federation of Labor was less than
that of many bank clerks, and he
thanked the convention at Toronto
for passing a resolution which or.
dered the continuance of his pay at
full rate during such time as he
might be held in Jail. Between his
poverty and the tremendous load of
responsibility he assumed, Sam Com
pers had little time TO strut.
His own story of his life is
thrilling little human document. \
continual struggle against OF S ,
sometimes most formidable, to gain
his end. which was the betterment
of conditions of life for the toilers OF
America. He met all grades of men,
of every temperament and turn of
mind. Labor soon learned to trust
him, and hostile employers soon
learned his power, his ability, and his
courage. No man ever devoted him
self more intellectually or unself-
ishly to a great purpose than did
Samuel Gompers He states his sim
pie creed in these words
TO the frequent queries as to my
personal politics | made this answer.
In religion, / am workingman. In
politics ] am a working man, and in
every nerve, in every fibre. in every
aspiration | am on the side which
will advance the interests of my fell
low worhingmen. ] do not say this in
the spirit of bravado or dema gogism,
but in all sincerity. Men Of means
have their political predictions, but
seldom allow their politics to inter.
fere with their business interests. |
take exactly the same position, ex-
cept that ] represent my side, the
side of the toiling. wase-e arni n z
masses, in my every act and my
every utterance.
Ills life record sustains this state.
ment in every particular. Never did
samuel Gompers fail to meet the
test when called upon. His unbend-
ing opposition to the socialists saved
the labor movement of America from
falling into incompetent hands. His
patriotism was proven by his cor.
duct during the world war. His SER
vice to humanity will never be wholly
valued.
The two volumes of his autobi
ography will command the attention
OF students, and deserve that of the
casual reader, because of the light
Mr.. Gompers sheds on one of the
great social movements OF modern
times. the rise of the Organized La
Dor group in America.
Miss Florence Calvert Thorne, a
research worker who was associated
with Mr.. Gompers In the preparation
Of his manuscript, writes the story
of his last year of life as an appendix
TO the second volume. She very
clearly and faithfully records Tho
events that transpired during thu
time after he had placed his cop,
with the publishers up TO his death