The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-08-03
International Union of America.

International Union of America.
~ should like to carry you back in
retroaction to the development Of this
organization. Cigars were made by
hand. 1t called for experience and
skill and training of years to make
cigars.
Gas far as l know, cigarettes were
not on the market at that time. At
any rate, / am sure, the ladies at that
time did not smoke cigarettes as ex-
tensively as they do today. Cigars
were rolled and made by hand. The
change in the method of manufacture
took place many years later.
Zone of the great fights in which
these splendid men and women pion-
eered was for the development of
wholesale surroundings, well-lighted
plants, and improved and proper san
itary conditions. The Cigar Makers
International Union led in that fight
for factory reform, for the develop
ment of cleaner and more decent and
sanitary manufacturing plants.
Carried on Unique Educational Work
"But that was not all. The men,
bers of the Cigar Makers Interna-
tional Union Of America realized and
fully appreciated the value of educa-
ton.
"While the cigar makers were en-
gagged in the manufacture of cigars,
there was always some outstanding
member of the union who sat by and
read book or paper while the work
ers were7 steadily" employed.
81 can readily visualize that my
distinguished predecessor, Samuel
Gompers; and that equally distin-
guished leader of the Cigar Makers
international Union of America,
Brother George Perkins, Brother
Strausser, just referred to by pre-
vious speaker, and other leaders roll
ing their cigars, making them out of
their skill and training, while an i'm
portant and distinguished member of
their union sat by reading from book
on economics or politics, or the news
of the day.
"They absorbed information and
acquired knowledge and education
while steadily engaged at their work.
AS result of that information and
knowledge and education undoubtedly
came the movement to which have
referred for better working conditions
and decent wages for cigar makers.
"But l am dwelling too much upon
these matters. | want to say that |
am proud of the opportunity afforded
me, with you who belong to this or
ganization, to take part in these pre-
liminary exercises celebrating the 18th
anniversary of the formation of this
great organization.
Tribute to Gompers
ut seems proper to refer again to
that great man, Samuel Gompers. Our
hearts were broken when we learned
that he had passed into the Great Be-
yond. He had given 70 years of his
life to labor and to our great move
ment. He was an outstanding member
of the Cigar Makers international
Union of America. If this great or
ganization had played no greater part
in our movement than giving to the
world Samuel Gompers, trained in the
school of trade unionism, that organ
ization would have fully justified its
existence.
"When it was determined to erect
this fine monument, it was thought
proper to inscribe upon it some Of his
finest statements. They were selected
by a committee appointed to provide
for the erection of this wonderful
monument, the finest in Washington,
in honor of Samuel Gompers. And so
we examined his writings and speech
es carefully and analytically and we
selected what we thought was the best,
to be inscribed upon this monument.
Just listen:
Opposed Compulsion
"'No lasting gain has ever come