The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-09-22
ing up and workers scarce, the fedora

strength and advance its position, in
stead of disintegrating, as some feared
Except for one year, 1894, Gompers
was elected president Of the American
Federation Of Labor annually from
1886 through 1924. At the 1924 con-
vention he sensed his end was near.
Too weak to deliver his customary
opening address, he prepared written
statement and called upon William
Green, secretary-treasurer of the
United Mine Workers, to read it to
the convention. This statement said
in part:
Guided by voluntary principles, our
federation had grown from weakling
into the strongest, best organized la
Dor movement of all the world
$50 long as we have held fast to
voluntary principles and have been
actuated and inspired by the spirit of
service we have sustained our forward
progress and we have made our labor
movement something to be respected
and accorded a place in the councils
of our republic. Where we had blum
dered into trying to force policy or
decision, even though wise and right,
we have impeded, If not interrupted,
the realization Of our own aims.
Urge Devotion to Principle of Liberty
"Men and women of our American
trade union movement, feel that l
have earned the right to talk plainly
with you. AS the only delegate to that
first Pittsburgh convention who has
stayed with the problems of our move
ment through to the present hour, rs
one who with clean hands and with
singleness Of purpose has tried to
serve the labor movement honorably
and in spirit Of consecration to the
cause of humanity, l want to urge de-
votion to the fundamentals Of human
liberty-the principles of voluntarism.
"No lasting gain has ever come from
compulsion. If we seek to force, we
but tear apart that which, united, is
invincible. There is no way whereby
our labor movement may be assured
sustained progress in determining it's
policies and it's plans other than sin
cere democratic deliberation until a
unanimous decision is reached. This
may seem cumbrous, slow method to
the impatient, but the impatient are
more concerned for immediate triumph
than for the education of constructive
development.
Understanding, patience, high
minded service, the compelling power
of voluntarism have in America made
what was but a rope of sand, united,
purposeful, integrated organization,
potent for human welfare, material
and spiritual.
events of recent months have made
me keenly aware that the time is not
| far distant when l must law down my
trust for others to carry forward.
When one comes to close grips with
the eternal things, there comes new
sense of relative values and the less
worthy things lose significance.
do not reject the4coAnerstone upon
which labor's structure has been build
ed, but base your all upon voluntary
principles and illumine your every
problem by consecrated devotion to
that highest of all purposes-human
well-being in the fullest, widest, deep
est sense.
GAS we move upward to higher
levels, wider vision of service and re-
sponsibility will unfold itself. Let us
keep the faith. There is no other
way"
Profound Effect on Green
These words made a profound and
lasting impression on the miner who
read them to the convention. He did
not know then that in short time he
would be called upon to take up the
Gins. When that day came, Green was
prepared for the great responsibility
thrust upon him.
At the early age of 16, Green had
gone to work in the coal mines near
Coshocton, Ohio, at the side of his
father. Deeply stirred by the op-
pressive conditions under which his
fellow miners worked, he joined with
enthusiasm their earliest efforts to
band together in union. His talents
for leadership and oratory were i'm
mediately recognized and although a
mere STRIPPING he was chosen secretary
of his local.
Thus Green received his early train
ing in one of labor's most bitter and
hard-fought struggles. FIJI h t n 6
against tremendous odds, the miners
were able to make progress only by
their invincible determination to stand
together for self -betterment Here
Green learned the great lesson that
unity is indispensable in a union.
The young miner soon learned an
other important lesson-that the law
was stacked against labor. Deciding
on frontal attacks, he entered poll
tics and campaigned earnestly until he
was elected to the Ohio legislature. In
two terms in the Ohio State senate,
where he served as Democratic major
it's leader, the young miner was able
to prohibit through corrective legisla
tion practices which enslaved the Ohio
miners to the coal operators. Other
States were quick to follow Ohio's ex-
ample.
Green Moves Upward Rapidly
From then on Green moved up
rapidly in the trade union movement.
His own union honored him with in