Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, and known to his followers as "the grand old man of labor", will speak on "The Case for the Closed Shop" in the Living Room of the Union at 8 o'clock tonight under the auspices of the Student Liberal Club. When the project of inviting Mr. Gompers to speak on the closed shop was first broached, the Liberal Club planned to have Judge Elber H. Gary, chairman of the United States Steel Corporation, argue the opposite side of the case from the same platform. Mr. Gary was unable to accept the invitation, and in his place the Liberal Club has secured Henry J. Allen, governor of Kansas and exponent of the Industrial Court System, to speak some time in the latter part of April.

Mr. Gompers, who with the exception of one year has been president of the American Federation of Labor since 1882, has been associated with the cause of labor since his fifteenth year. He was born in England in 1850, but came to America when still young and began work as a cigarmaker, which has been his official trade ever since. Mr. Gompers was one of the founders of the Federation of Labor and has been editor of its magazine; in addition he has written a number of pamphlets and articles on labor subjects, and one book. "Labor in Europe and America." Before the war and the rise of the ultra radical parties, Mr. Gompers was always considered one of the leaders of the more radical elements in the country, but in the last five years his position has moved more to the right. In contrast to many of the socialistic and radical leaders Mr. Gompers was a strong supporter of the government during the war and was a members of the Advisory Committee of the Council of National Defense. He also made a trip to England in an endeavor to give the benefit of his advice to the treatment of the labor situation there and at the same time gain information as to methods of war labor work that could be spllied in this country. Since the war he has opposed that part of the Federation of Labor which has declared in favor of communism and direct political action

and has advocated labor's adh whichever one of the two old were the most liberal. Lately Mr. Gompers has been taking a very determined against the open shop campaign.

Only members of the Union and those having special cards of invitation will be admitted to the main door of the Room: ladies will be accommen in the balcony.

W. R. Ripley, professor of economy at the University, will be the chairman and will introduce Mr. Gompers. Professor Ripley has had