New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-23
A AU-NILLIFIING BOICOTT

Leaders of labor organizations seem TO be
hardly aware how much they admit when they
say that the orders of Judges Taft ard Kicks
in the Ann ArbOr case deal deathblow at
organized labor because they would virtually
prohibit strikes. II is a most extraordinary
thing to admit, in the fist place. that labor
organizations cease TO have reason for being
and must die unless they can order strikes at
pleasure and with impunity. But it is an even
more damaging admission that strikes would
be virtually rendered futile unless they could
be accompanied by boycotts to arrest the bas-
ness OF employers engaged in controversy.
The text of the orders by Judges Taft ana
Kicks shows that the courts III no way pro
hibited strikes of wOrkingmen. or Withdrawals
from their position by individual employees Of
railroads 1t NAV be argued that the principles
underlying the decisions rendered would make
il an offence To arrest interstate commerce by
any strike Gripping Tie operation OF a railroad
extending from enc State into another, but mat
is not the ground yet taken in either OF the
decisions rendered These simply declare that
railroads connecting with the Ann Ar5or shall
not refuse TO take freight 70 or from that read.
and that the officers Of the brotherhood ol
Engineers and Firemen shall not issuc, O: II
thcy have issued shall rcscind. any order for
bidding the men on those VaiiJuS connecting
roads from handling the Ann Arbor business.
In brief, the orders prohibit an ATTEMPT to
boycott that company.
Do the labor organizations intend 10 admi'.
then. that it would be dcathblow II them -
deprive them OF the boycott as weapon III
aid of strikes? DO they mean t. acknoWl-
fnH aud an
their own merits and cannot be supplemented
by refusal to perform regular duties in rosali
to the traffic OF a railroad engaged IN any con
trovcrsy? With one read out OF dozen the
organizations haze dispute. Ale they power
los unless they are permitted 70 arrest tie
business of all the roads with which thcy have
no controversy in order to cripple tho one they
wish to coerce? Certainly the public will hesi-
tate long before it jus,ihes such arbitrary use
Of power as lawful means Of deciding any
question between a railroad and It's employees
There is something ordering on the hys-
,crical in the assertion that the principle OF
these orders would prevent all strikes. There
is nothing in either Of them - indicate tina:
the court would mold it unlawful for the en-
ployes Of any company TO withdraw frJm Its
service upon any cause Of grievance between
themselves and the employing Companies The
question is whether, when they have no ca'sc
Of grievance themselves. they are at liberty
TO stop the business Of company unless Ii
will violate laws of the United states which
require il t. extend equal facilities - c meet
inc roads The root of tho whole matter is
that the attempted boycott was III its csscnc"
an endeavor to nulify law OF the United
states 1t does not appear from the face OF
the orders of the court that there would have
been the same interference if the traffic inter-
| rupted had not been between different states.
| While the equities might be the same IN one
case as in the other the courts might consider
that the provisions of the Interstate Commerce
act hacod only the interstate tra1ic under the
protection Of United States courts.
II is well that these questions have been
raised and brought sharply to public attention.
The right Of the public to have its necessary
services performed and its commerce continued
without interruption is not T. be calmly ig-
ntred any longer whenever single officer Of
labor organization may think fit to distress
the public in order - cOcrce some employer.
Certain rights the public must have in such
cases. which the courts should defend, and lt
is best for the labor organizations themselves,
as fer the public. that the limitations of the
rover of such organizations to arrest the trade
and commerce of the country should now be
judcially defined.