The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-03-24
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! The passing of Frank Morrison
is worthy of much more than pass
ing note.
The headlines have been written.
The last obsequies have been held.
Frank Morrison has been laid to
that long rest from which no cred
ible account has ever returned.
But the influence of Frank Nor
rison remains and it is right that
it should remain.
/ To those who do not know, let it
be said that Frank Morrison was
for 43 years secretary of the Am
erican Federation of Labor, 20
years during the presidency of the
late Samuel Gompers and for Is
years under the presidency of
/ William Green. During several of
the latter years he was treasurer
as well.
Here was a man who did much
to put the impress of character
upon the American trade union
movement during the years that
made up the formative period-the
impress of fine and upright char
acter.
Il 4 !.
There were those who, during
the latter years, spoke of "old
Frank.
And there came a time, as some
will recall, when it began to be
said that it was getting pretty near
time to retire "old Frank he had
been there long enough.
So, there came time when cold
Frank" was retired to the position
of secretary emeritus, with re-
tirement pay which the Federation
could we'll afford to pay.
1t was rather graceless per-
formance, that retirement of "old
Frank, who didn't know of his i'm
pending retirement until perhaps
less than 80 minutes before it was
announced to the world.
Those who witnessed the retire
ment", as Frank Morrison stood
upon the A F of l. convention stage
are not likely ever to forget the
combined look of challenge and
daze in his eyes as he accepted the
inevitable.
X X X
Always there was dignity about
Frank Morrison and never was it
more evident than upon that day
of final service in office. The great
square shoulders were as square as
ever.
There was no show of bitterness,
or of anger. There was just quiet
dignity, above assault and above
injury.
And there has been a dignity
about the years of retirement.
Frank Morrison had a true sense
of the meaning of the job of sec
retary and never did he trespass
outside the precincts of that job.
Here was a marvellous team-mate
for the imaginative Samuel Comp
ers, who loved to plan and to philo-
sophie and to plunge into tits,
foray, cic m. Otboruyica
Here was a secretary who kept
his side of the job in order and who
saw to it that the records ran
straight. Here was, actually, a
great secretary.
!. !. X
One way to measure a man is to
find the opinion of those who, in
their work, are his subordinates.
Through all the years the men
and women who were subordinate
to Frank Morrison were his most
ardent admirers, serving with him
and loying the chance to do it.
1t must not be thought that this
HAL ldCheu ii SGllSe u luIiOI. II
must not be thought that here was
one devoid of great emotions.
Far from that. Here was a man
with delightful sense of humor,
though not of the boisterous kind.
And he could not have been a great
secretary of the labor movement
as we have had it and known it,
had he not possessed warm and
deep emotions. He just didn't go
spreading them around. But they
did run deep.
Well, Frank Morrison has gone,
after a long and significant life.
And there will be those who know
that a mark for good has been left
upon this world, in the groove
which was his pathway through
this tortuous vale.
Goodbye Frank-and good for
tIlpa hnti1a Won