Semnrd BUle Gateumy
VOLUME 19. NUMBER 292 %
SEWARD, ALASKA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1924 PRICE TEN CENTS
Samuel Gompers, Labor Leader, Dead
Organizer and President of Federation of Labor
MAN TO SUCCEED GOMPERS WILL BE
^ ty
CHOSEN FROM MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE
Y Y y ,y y
COUNCIL; AND PROBABLY BE WM GREEN
LAST WORD OF DEAD CHIEF WERE: “THIS IS THE
END; GOD BLESS OUR AMERICAN INSTITU
TIONS; MAY THEY EVER GROW BETTER
MILITARY ESCORT TAKES CHARGE OF BODY
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 13.—Samuel Gompers died this
morning, the primary cause of his death being acute heart
failure. Mr. Gompers had been improving steadily since
his arrival this morning, and had taken three naps, awak
ening much refreshed. A sudden change at 2:30 a. m.,
showed that the end was near, his heart failing to re
spond to treatment of his physician. James Duncan,
and other officers of the American Federation of Labor,
who accompanied Gompers on his trip to Mexico City,
where he was taken ill, were present at his bedside when
he died. Immediately after Gomper’s death members of
the Executive Council of the Federation of Labor, and
other officials held a meeting to draw up a formal state
ment and make funeral arrangements.
Gompers last words to the nurse wTere: “This is the
end; God bless our American institutions; may they ever
grow better.”
The body was placed on a caisson, and, escorted by a
company of cavalry, taken to the station to begin its long
journey to New York.
Man to Succeed Gompers May Be Wm. Green
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.—The man to succeed Samuel
Gompers as president of the American Federation of La
bor will be chosen from the three members of the Execu
tive Council. They are Wm. Green, secretary-treasurer,
of the United Mine Workers; Mathew Woll, for the last
15 years president of the Photo-Engravers Union; and
Thomas Rickett, president of the United Garment Work
ers’ Union. It was intimated that Green might be chosen.
Samuel Gompers, founder and or
ganizer of the American Federation
of Labor and its president almost
continuously since 1881, rendered ser
vice to the United States during the
world war by enlisting that great or
ganization in support of the govern
ment and its war aims.
Before the United States entered
the conflict, he combatted enemy
influences active among the nation’s
workers and, by refusing to send dele
gates to peace conferences in Swed
en and Switzerland, kept American
labor free from entangling negotia
tions with pacifist organizations in
countries which later became enemies
of the United States. More than a
year before America took up arms
Mr. Gompers pledged organized la
bor to support of national prepared
ness.
When the resumption of unrestrict
ed submarine warfare by Germany
early in 1917, brought the United
States to the verge of war, Mr. Gom
pers cabled the head of the German
Federation of Trade Unions, urging
that he use his influence to prevail
upon his nation to avoid a break
with America.
Three days after the United States
declared war on Germany, he an
nounced, for the Federation, “full and
unqualified support of the govern
ment’ on the part of America's work
ers, with the promise that leaders
of labor would use their influence to
prevent any attempt to take advan
tage of the war emergency to press
claims for changes in existing indus
trial conditions. He exerted his In
fluence, through the heads of unions,
in the settlement of a number of
strikes in manufacturies throughout
the country engaged in war work, no
tably in the shipping industry.
Following the abdication of Emper
or Nicholas of Russia, Mr. Gompers
sent a message to the Council Work- >
men’s and Soldiers’ Delegates at.
Petrograd, warning them against agi-1
tators, particularly those in the em- j
ploy of Germany.
In midsummer of 1917, Mr. Gom-j
pers formed and headed the Ameri- *
can Alliance for Labor and Demo
cracy, which marshalled the labor
forces of the country for active sup
port of the government in the war.
Coincidentally he denounced various
“peace councils” organized in the
United States as “masking a nefari
ous propaganda of treachery in the
name of democracy.”
Later, speaking, as he announced
for American labor, Mr. Gompers de
clared that “so long as Germany is
ruled by an autocrat, so long as Ger
mans occupy one inch of French,
Belgium or Serbian soil, it is useless
to imite representatives of the work
ers of the United States t. t-Ck peace
a-..’ess a couference table ” lie again
pledged American labor unreservedly
to winning the war.
Mr. Gompers \as intimately con
nected with almost every great labor
dispute in this country for thirty
years and headed the labor forces
in numerous strikes.
Samuel Gompers, son of an English
cigar-maker, was the head and fore
front of the American organized la
bor movement. In 1881 he organized
the American Federation of Labor,
as a national association of labor un
ions, and with the exception of one
year, he was its president continuous
ly from that time.
He was intimately connected with
every great labor dispute in this
SECRETARY WORK
OUTLINES PLANS
LEGISLATION
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15—Legisla
tive and other measures to meet
the needs of settlement and reclama
tion policies for the country as affect
ing both existing and future develop
ments are prepared by Secretary of
Interior Work in a program submitted
to the President. The plan, which is
expected to form the basis of the ad
ministration’s reclamation policy pro-1
poses the appointment of a Congres
sional committee to draw up compre
hensive reclamation codes.
BANDIT IS GUILTY
SENTENCED HANG
CHICAGO, Dec. 15.—A jury today
found Russell Scott, a former Cana
dian financial wizard, guilty of the
murder of Joseph Maurer during a
hold-up last April and fixed his pun
ishment as death by electrocution.
Governors Al. Smith and
Ross Guests Ma Ferguson
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 15.—Governor
Al Smith of New York and Mrs. Ross
of Wyoming, are to be guests at the
inauguration of Ma. Ferguson.
Mr. and Mrs. Conroy, of Anchorage,
who are outside on a pleasure trip,
have purchased a car and are headed
for Los Angeles. They have been
visiting in Seattle and Portland for
some time. Mr. Conroy was former
mayor of Anchorage.
Join the Chamber of Commerce.
country during the past thirty years,
and headed the labor forces in nu
merous strikes instituted by the trade
unions affiliated with the American
Federation.
He was father of much legislation,
both state and national, designed to
relieve and protect the workingman.
In recent years a large part of his
time was spent before legislative
committees suggesting, supporting,
and framing labor legislation.
Prior to his founding the national
labor organization in 1881, the labor
movement was in the hands of com
paratively small, individual unions, in
the various states, working without
much real cooperation. By forming
the Federation, he welded the en
tire movement into a nation-wide,
compact unit which grew to be a pow
er in the political, commercial and
industrial life of the country.
Among the laws Gompers framed,
supported, or originated, were: the
eight hour law for government em
ployes; the various state laws fixing
hours of labor; laws establishing La
bor Day as the workingmen’s holi
day; the Federal Workingmen’s com
pensation law; the law limiting the
use of injunctions in labor disputes;
the law exempting labor unions from
prosecution as combinations in re
straint of trade; and the law regu
lating punishment for contempt of
court. He was also directly respon
sible for the legislation which cre
ated the Department of Labor as a
separate department of the Federal
government with a cabinet member
at its head.
The legislation exempting trade un
ions from the anti-trust laws, regu
(Continued on Page Two) "
FOREIGN WAR VETERANS
CHOSE TULSA NEXT MEET
TULSA, Okla., Dec. 15.—The Vet
erans of Foreign Wars will hold their
1925 National Encampment at Tulsa,
beginning August 30 and ending on
September 4th.
“Red” Flag Adorns the
Russian Embassy, Paris;
Neighbors Hiss At It
PARIS, France, Dec. 15.—The Red
flag of the union of the Socialistic
Soviet republics, as Russia now is
officially named, was ceremoniously
honored on Sunday from the Rus
sna embassy building.
The event caused some whistling,
which in France is equivalent to hiss
ing, by the inhabitants of the neigh
boring house.
The Beautiful Falls
All Over Spirit City
SEATTLE, Wn„ Dec. 15.—Follow
ing an unusually heavy rainfall, the
snowstorm moved over Seattle from
British Columbia this morning and
covered the city with a white blan
ket, two inches shallow.
NINETEEN GAIN FREEDOM
CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 15.—Nineteen
of the forty-two persons that were
arrested in connection with the re
cent murder of Major General Stack
have been liberated.
Elks, Masons and Rabbis
Officiate for S. Gompers
NEW YORK, Dec. 15—The chap
lains of the Elks and Masonic lodges,
and two rabbis will officiate at the
funeral services for Samuel Gompers,
to be held here Thursday. The body
will be laid to rest in the Sleepy Hol
low cemetery ,at Tarrytown, near the
graves of Andrew Carnegie and Wm.
Rockefeller.
ARREST OF STORRS
CAUSED BY WOMAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15—It de
velops that the arrest of Douglas
Storrs, an ex-convict of Seattle, was
brought about by Lenore Holland
Worth, a Los Angeles woman, who has
been living here with Mrs. J. W. Page,
wife of a former warden of the Walla
Walla penitentiary, where Storrs serv
ed, and in which Ruth Garrison, the
Seattle stenographer is now incarcer
ated for having poisoned to death Mrs.
Storrs that she might marry Storrs.
Cooiidge Adheres To
Policy In Message
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.—Presi
dent Cooiidge adheres strictly to his
recent message to Congress making
it clear that the Washington govern
ment will not initiate steps for a
meeting, pending developments in Eu
rope.
Pioneers Will Hold a
Community Xmas Tree
At a meeting of the local Igloo of
Pioneers it was decided by the mem
bers to hold a community Christmas
tree. This is a function that is great
ly welcomed by the children, and is
a custom well worth preserving.
APPROPRIATIONS
FOR NAVY TOTAL
$286,385,578
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.—Appropri
ations totalling §286,385,578 for the
maintenance of the Navy during the
twelve months beginning next July 1.
are carried in the annual naval bill
as reported to the House this after
noon. Secretary Wilbur said he would
spend $1,110,000,000 annually for the
next twenty years to place our navy
on an equal footing with that of Bri
tain and superior to that of Japan.
TODAY'S FISH PRICES
KETCHIKAN, Alaska., Dec. 15.—
Salmon 19, 10 and 8 cents.
MASONS AND MILITARY
WILL BURY ALASKAN
SEATTLE, Dec. 15—Combined Ma
sonic and military funeral services for
Major John R. Peterson, who died in
Alaska recently from wounds receiv
ed during the world war, wrere held
this morning at Fort Lawton.
Third Party May Be
Formed In Chicago
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.—A con
ference for progressive political ac
tion at which a third party is to be
formed, will be held here Febuary 21,
the National Committee announced.
Increase In Postal
Rates Be Made Soon
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15.—
Following the report of Postmaster
General New, of a tremendous deficit
in the postal department for the past
year, he announced today that he
would recommend increases in postal
rates on virtually all classes of mail
except air mail. His recommendations
were sent to Congress today.
PAY HIGH TRIBUTE
UNVEILING BUST OF
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
SANTIAGO, Cuba, Dec. 15.—Presi
dent Zayas, speaking at the dedica
tion today at the memorial of Theo
dore Roosevelt said, “the love and
devotion of the Cuban people for
Theodore Roosevelt will live in their
hearts longer than the bronze bust
and granite that has been made and
unveiled in his honor here can possi
bly last.”
WEALTHY CONFECTIONER
SUICIDES IN SEATTLE
SEATTLE, Dec. 15.—W. C. Kipp, a
former wealthy Spokane confectioner,
broken in health, committed suicide
this evening at his home here.
ALAMEDA SAILED
SATURDAY AT 9
SEATTLE, Dec. 15.—The steamship
Alameda sailed Saturday morning at
9:00 o’clock for Seward and way
ports, with 50 passengers. For Sew
ard: Chas. Dustin, Mrs. H. M. Oli
ver, Miss C. Wendler, Mrs. George
Waid, E. F. Bormondy, Mrs. J. Fan
cy, Mrs. Eli DeHon, C. F. Arndorff,
Robert A, Hart, Mrs. W. Sumi.