Changes

| death_place = San Antonio, Texas

| death_place = San Antonio, Texas

| nationality = American

| nationality = American

| spouse      = Sophia Julian<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=W5ZapJXvCtgC&pg=PA485 The Samuel Gompers Papers, Volume 1]</ref>

| spouse      = Sophia Julian

| religion    =  

| religion    =  

}}

}}

==Early life==

==Early life==

Gompers was born in London, England into a working class Jewish family which had recently arrived from Holland. He left school at age ten to apprentice first as a shoemaker then as a cigar maker. The family immigrated to [[New York City]] in 1863, settling on the Lower East Side of the city. He married Sophia Julian in 1867 and became a naturalized citizen in 1872. Gompers did not have a formal education, but said, "The factory was my Harvard and my Yale."

Gompers was born in London, England into a working class Jewish family which had recently arrived from Holland. He left school at age ten to apprentice first as a shoemaker then as a cigar maker. The family immigrated to [[New York City]] in 1863, settling on the Lower East Side of the city. He married Sophia Julian in 1867<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=W5ZapJXvCtgC&pg=PA485 The Samuel Gompers Papers, Volume 1]</ref> and became a naturalized citizen in 1872. Gompers did not have a formal education, but said, "The factory was my Harvard and my Yale."

In 1877 the union had collapsed and Gompers and his friend [[Adolph Strasser]] using local 144 as a base rebuilt the Cigar Makers' Union, introduced a hierarchical structure, and implemented programs for strike fund and pension fund, which were paid for by charging high membership dues. He told the workers they needed to organize because wage reductions were almost a daily occurrence. The capitalists were only interested in profits, "and the time has come when we must assert our rights as workingmen. Every one present has the sad experience, that we are powerless in an isolated condition, while the capitalists are united; therefore it is the duty of every Cigar Maker to join the organization. . . . One of the main objects of the organization," he concluded, "is the elevation of the lowest paid worker to the standard of the highest, and in time we may secure for every person in the trade an existence worthy of human beings." <ref> Mandel p. 22</ref>

In 1877 the union had collapsed and Gompers and his friend [[Adolph Strasser]] using local 144 as a base rebuilt the Cigar Makers' Union, introduced a hierarchical structure, and implemented programs for strike fund and pension fund, which were paid for by charging high membership dues. He told the workers they needed to organize because wage reductions were almost a daily occurrence. The capitalists were only interested in profits, "and the time has come when we must assert our rights as workingmen. Every one present has the sad experience, that we are powerless in an isolated condition, while the capitalists are united; therefore it is the duty of every Cigar Maker to join the organization. . . . One of the main objects of the organization," he concluded, "is the elevation of the lowest paid worker to the standard of the highest, and in time we may secure for every person in the trade an existence worthy of human beings." <ref> Mandel p. 22</ref>

Gompers's strong opposition to socialism and radicalism in the AFL, combined with the AFL's base among skilled workers, led to the formation of the far-left [[Industrial Workers of the World]] organization in 1905. The IWW tried with limited success to organize unskilled workers; Gompers fought it every step of the way and saw it collapse during [[World War I]] when IWW radicals tried to sabotage the American war effort and were stopped by the Wilson administration.

Gompers's strong opposition to socialism and radicalism in the AFL, combined with the AFL's base among skilled workers, led to the formation of the far-left [[Industrial Workers of the World]] organization in 1905. The IWW tried with limited success to organize unskilled workers; Gompers fought it every step of the way and saw it collapse during [[World War I]] when IWW radicals tried to sabotage the American war effort and were stopped by the Wilson administration.

==Immigration==

==Immigration==

Gompers, an immigrant himself, like most labor leaders, opposed unrestricted immigration from Europe because it lowered wages. He opposed any immigration at all from Asia for the previous reason and also because it brought an alien culture. He and the AFL strongly supported the [[Chinese Exclusion Act]] of 1882 that kept out the Chinese.<ref> Thousands of Chinese entered the U.S. illegally, but they all went to Chinatowns and did not compete with union labor. The restrictions were repealed in 1943.</ref>  The AFL was instrumental in passing immigration restriction laws from the 1890s to the 1920s, such as the 1921 Emergency Quota Act and the [[Immigration Act of 1924]], and seeing that they were strictly enforced. As Mink shows, the link between the AFL and the Democratic Party rested in large part on immigration issues; the owners of large corporations wanted more immigration and thus supported the [[Republican Party]].<ref> Gwendolyn Mink. ''Old labor and new immigrants in American political development: union, party, and state, 1875-1920.'' (1986).</ref>

Gompers, an immigrant himself, like most labor leaders, opposed unrestricted immigration from Europe because it lowered wages. He opposed any immigration at all from Asia for the previous reason and also because it brought an alien culture. He and the AFL strongly supported the [[Chinese Exclusion Act]] of 1882 that kept out the Chinese.<ref> Thousands of Chinese entered the U.S. illegally, but they all went to Chinatowns and did not compete with union labor. The restrictions were repealed in 1943.</ref>  The AFL was instrumental in passing immigration restriction laws from the 1890s to the 1920s, such as the 1921 Emergency Quota Act and the [[Immigration Act of 1924]], and seeing that they were strictly enforced. As Mink shows, the link between the AFL and the Democratic Party rested in large part on immigration issues; the owners of large corporations wanted more immigration and thus supported the [[Republican Party]].<ref> Gwendolyn Mink. ''Old labor and new immigrants in American political development: union, party, and state, 1875-1920.'' (1986).</ref>

Gompers died in San Antonio, Texas, aged 74, and was widely mourned by labor and political allies. His AFL saw the CIO unions split off in the 1930s and rejoin, forming the AFL-CIO that is still powerful in the 21st century.  Conservatives have hailed him as a tough bargainer who supported capitalism, helped build a blue collar middle class, and opposed socialism in and outside American unions.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E00E3D81739EF3ABC4953DFB3668389639EDE SOVIET BRIBE FUND HERE, SAYS GOMPERS; Has Proof That Offers Have Been Made, He Declares, Opposing Recognition. NEW PROPAGANDA DRIVE Charges Strong Group of Bankers With Readiness to Accept Lenin's Betrayal of Russia.], [[The New York Times]]</ref>

Gompers died in San Antonio, Texas, aged 74, and was widely mourned by labor and political allies. His AFL saw the CIO unions split off in the 1930s and rejoin, forming the AFL-CIO that is still powerful in the 21st century.  Conservatives have hailed him as a tough bargainer who supported capitalism, helped build a blue collar middle class, and opposed socialism in and outside American unions.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E00E3D81739EF3ABC4953DFB3668389639EDE SOVIET BRIBE FUND HERE, SAYS GOMPERS; Has Proof That Offers Have Been Made, He Declares, Opposing Recognition. NEW PROPAGANDA DRIVE Charges Strong Group of Bankers With Readiness to Accept Lenin's Betrayal of Russia.], [[The New York Times]]</ref>

The United States Navy destroyer tender [[USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37)|USS ''Samuel Gompers'']] was named in his honor. An [http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001702.htm impressive monument] honoring Gompers resides in Gompers Square on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C.  

The United States Navy destroyer tender [[USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37)|USS ''Samuel Gompers'']] was named in his honor. An impressive monument<ref>[http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001702.htm GOMPERS, Samuel: Memorial near Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C.]</ref> honoring Gompers resides in Gompers Square on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C.

 

 

==See also==

==See also==

* [[American labor unions]]

* [[American labor unions]]

* [[American Federation of Labor]]

* [[American Federation of Labor]]

==Primary sources==

==Primary sources==

* Samuel Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor'' (1925, 1985 reprint) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=62031927 online edition]

* Samuel Gompers, ''Seventy Years of Life and Labor'' (1925, 1985 reprint) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=62031927 online edition]