The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-11
A Blow at Strikes.

The Supreme Court OF New Ork rendered
decision a day or two ago which is excit-
ing good deal of attention IN labor circles.
The alleged facts of the case are as follows:
A man named Hartt was employed as fore
man by a shoe manufacturing firm. Soon
after ha was installed in his position he dis
covered that one of the wor lmen was guilty
of fraudulent practices by which he was
increasing his wages. He called the atten-
ton of the firm to the matter, and an inves-
tigation sustained his charges. The guilty
workman was discharged, and the honest
and watchful foreman was complimented.
The discharged workman was a Knight
of Labor, and the Knights of Labor took
up bis case and demanded his reinstatement
on the ground that he was not guilty of any
wrOng-doing. Their demand was refused,
and a strike followed The firm consented
to arbit~ate the matter, and a committee of
arbitration, composed of three employers
and three Knights of Labor, heard the case.
The employers decided that the discharged
workman was guilty and the Knights of
Labor held that he was nocent. The
committee having failed to agree the strike
continued.
The strikers then submitted proposition.
1t was that they would consent to the dis
charge of the workman provided the firm
would discharge Hartt. the honest foreman.
Hartt was informed by the employers, who
had acted on the arbitration committee.
that it would be advisable for him to give
up his place. as he would be discharged if
he did not resign. He consented to resign
if the firm would pay him his wages for the
balance of the year, in accordance with its
written contract His terms were agreed
to and he sought work elsewhere.
But he could find no work He went to
Baltimore, and when he applied for work
there he was refused because the Knights of
Labor threatened to strike in any shop into
which he was admitted He found that he
was boycotted in every city to which he
went.
He concluded to see what the law could
do to help him. He was a good workman
and was willing to work, but he was threat
ened with starvation because of the hostility
of his fellow workmen. He had the execu-
tive committee of the District Assembly of
Knights of Labor that ordered the strike,
by which he lost his place, arrested
for conspiracy. After an elaborate
argument the court decided to hold the
alleged conspirators for trial. They sued
out a writ of habeas corpus, alleging that
they were not guilty of conspiracy or any
other offense The case was heard by the
Supreme Court and decided against them.
1t will go to the Court of Appeals, and if
it is again decided adversely to them
they will be in a bad fix. They
cannot very well avoid being convicted
Their attorney is quoted as saying that if
the decision of the Supreme Court is af-
firmed, there will be an end to all ''sympa-
theticn strikes; that is, strikes not based
upon any grievance, but ordered for the
purpose of supporting one or more persons
who have a grievance, because all who en-
gage in them will be liable to be punished
as conspirators. 1t is probable that both
employees and employers would be benefited
if an end were put to strikes of that sort
In the case under consideration the firm
that consented to discharge HART cuts sor-
ry figure If Hartt's story is correct it has
not paid him his wages, as it agreed to, and
its refusal to sustain him ought to deprive
it of the respect of honorable men. He
risked everything to serve it, and it refused
to risk anything to serve him. The de-
cision of the Court of Appeals will be
waited for with interest