A Factory Boy’s Purpose to Improve Labor Makes Him a Great Leader.
“TO reduce the burdens of the overworked and find employment for the
workless workers,” as expressed in his own words, is the life-work
of Samuel Gompers. This single aim has been the wellspring of the
manifold activities, excitements, vicissitudes, and achievements of a
remarkable career. Nearly forty years ago, when Samuel Gompers, a boy
of ten, worked fourteen hours a day in a shop in London, the hardships
of the workingman made an impression on his childish mind, and this
impression, and vague ideas that followed it, were the beginnings of
his life purpose,—a purpose that kept growing and strengthening during
twenty-six years at the cigarmaker’s bench, and finally raised him to
the position of foremost representative in America of the interests of
labor.
Being president of the American Federation of Labor, whose headquarters
are in Washington, Mr. Gompers now lives in that city, but not long
ago he was in New York as one of the distinguished speakers before
a great mass meeting. The following night, in an obscure hall on the
“eastside” where a number of his old friends and fellow-workers in the
cigarmaker’s trade had gathered to discuss their common interests, I
had my interview with him.