Samuel Gompers (AD 37) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Gompe S H ritage LSS SfXN1lf1fl, tiUN1l'lfRSi Xl1W'i ls the first sllilh ofthe fleet named for a creat Xmerican who, lweeiarurig in his teens. devoted a long life to labor and Xmerican ideals. Ile was one ofthe founders of the Xmerieaa lfederation of labor and served nearly half a century .is the official head ofthe Xmerican labor movement llis life was keyed to a fervent belief in trade union ideals emphasizing individualisni, freedom, and democracy. Samuel L. Clompers was born in london in 1511. was early apprenticed to a ciear maker. and then immigrated to Slew York in 11463. One year later at the age of 1-1. he became associated with the labor movement. lle helped organize and become President ot the CiQarntaker's International 1 nion which became a model for others to follow. In 1881. came the next step. the Federation ot Organiyed Trades and Labor L nions of Limited States and Canada. As chairman of the committee. he worked out the final plan for that organization which later was reorganized as the American Federation of Labor in 1886. Gompers was elected president and served in that capacity for more than four decades as the official head of the American labor movement. Before the American Federation of Labor was founded in lvl. the labor movement was in the hands of coinparativcljt small individual tinions throughout the various states. all working without much cooperation. 1 pon formation of the lederation, tiompers took the helm .is its president and welded the labor movement into a compact unit which has grown to be a power in the political. commercial. and industrial life of the country, tiompers believed in America and taught patriotism to all his followers, llc kept labor on a conservative field and free from radicalism by his leadership. A fearless exponent of right and a great humanitarian. he was also a great fighter. llc fought for peace in industry and blazed a trail for others to follow. llis work for nearly' half a century was dedicated to advanced the lot of men and women of labor. lt was his firm conviction that labor could never displace management of industry' that made it possible for him to enter into successful negotiations with industry. These were the noble principles which typified the aim of the life of Samuel Gompers. His life was a tribute to the contribution ofthe foreignborn of this country. He never forgot the American Flag and the ideals and traditions for which it stands. throughout his busy life.

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Ri Ill In The Beginning

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.y '. . fi 4 ii' Y The huge destroyer tender slipped sideways from the pier, so slowly iv-was had look twice to be sure she was moving. She iiieiftgii ew slowly, yet she was gone so quickly. at-flamed, the men of SAMUEL ooMPERs and the 'mit-:iz the-. were leaving behind. They had talked of t..err.'tliarsefand of nothing, of all the silly little things that .fragile talk about at times like this. Still, so much was left tmsgiitl. The women and children waved, and the men, lined along the rail on the port side of the tender, waved back. Long after the men were only a blur, the people on the shore kept waving, just in case. From fifty states the men had come.. .young men leaving home for perhaps the first time and veterans, all trained to do their jobsg from cooking meals to operating the most complex electronic equipment, from repairing a leaky faucet to performing major surgery. Amid weeping and waving arms, smiles and faces down with the anticipation of the long months of separation ahead, this community of 12-hundred men has separated from the mainland, moving out upon the oceans that make islands of all our continents. lt's the seventh time she has pulled away in this manner. For some, it is the first cruise aboard her, for others the fourth, but it doesn't get easier with practice, and six months is a long time. lt's hard, they say, But we can hack it. Ni 41? -rf.,.?,, hx R: f t4u4'll!?.'- Af. tu... ba. 4.4.3, :,1L.,,,,- ag' asf' . 4'1 -M 244- ,, . X.. , . A -1 ' l M M , . J' ' fm'- ,Q .I -',,,w,', ., . 'vw' egg 1 A . ' . -.pt .,.,.a. A. .1 A, ,aw Q