New-York tribune., 1901-09-22
PART II.
TWELVE PAGES.
ENGLISH LABOR UNIONS.
THEIR EXISTENCE MENACED BY THE
DECISION OF THE LAW LORDS-THE
SWANSEA TRADES UNION
CONGRESS-
London, September 4.

erS, ndflIe regal recognition 1Or
the interests of organized labor converted trades
unionism into great political and democratic
force. A reaction followed their triumph and
IN the early eighties the unions We're torpid and
enmeshed with red tape. having degenerated
into benefit societies without resources for COM
bination. The first congress at Swansea about
fourteen years ago, witnessed the opening
skirmish between the new unionism tainted
with socialism and collectivism and the old
unionisn1. with its easy going educational
methods. Year after year the struggle
went on, the socialists steadily gaining
ground through the support Of unskilled labor
until the principles of Henry George and the
naturalization of land and industries were
adopted as the programme OF the organized
workers At the Congress of Cardiff. in 1895.
there reaction against political agita tors
and after hard fought battle it decided
that the delegates must be workers in trades
rather than politicians. faddists and demagogues
without industrial occupation. This de-
feat for the new unonism, but there
nunciation of the socialist programme. The last
fifteen years have witnessed the assimilation Of
the with the old unionism and the accom-
plshment Of federation. The collective power Of
organized labor has been enormously increased.
and in spite of the yagares of impracticable
and revolutionary programmes the conserva-
ton Of the industrial has steaded and
balaSted the 2rdor or the new unlOnlStS.
The organized trades, they have become rich
and powerful, have been exposed to attack from
employers in the courts. A series of decisions
in the courts has established the principle that
the trades unions are associations which can be
held responsible for breaches of law and COM
PEELED to pay damages when the interests of
employers are injuriously affected. The Taft
Vale decision rendered by the House of Lords
afTirms the financial responsibility of the Anal
gaInated Society of Railway Servants for the
acts OF one of its officers. The Taft Vale Rail-
way has sued the society the ground that
Mr. Bell one of its officers. induced men to
break their contracts by picketing the Great
Western station at Cardiff. The House of Lords
has decided that the funds of the union can be
attached If the railway company proves its case
and wins the suit. The action for damages has
not been tried, but it is rumored that there will
be change of from Cardiff to London
and that suit Will be brought for about slOoooo
similar action has been begun at Blackburn.
where strike has been in progress for eleven
weeks at the mills of Messrs. Banister Brothers
Moore The Northeast Lancashire Employers
Association is seeking to restrain the Weavers,
winders and Wrappers Association from picket
ing those mills and holds it responsible for
damages and costs If men are hindered from
working for the Bansters. The importance OF
these actions is fully appreciated by the trades
nnion leaders Strikes will be rendered i'm
practicable If "blacklegs' cannot be approached.
-pcketed and Kept out OF work. II employers
are al liberty to the trades union which All
thorizes these operations, and to recover dam
ages organized labor has effective weapon of
offence
The Trades Union Congress in the course OF
few years has passed from one extreme Of ere
dulity respecting the resources Of Systematic
organization to the other extreme of scepticism
concerning the possibility Of accomplishing any
thing without a fundamental revision OF the
charter Of the labor societies. Instead of fore
casting the enactment of old age pensions and
the naturalization of private property. the lead
ers are now drawn together by the instinct of
self-preservation. The Law Lords have brought
ON q crisis in the fortunes of the laboring mill
ions of Great Britain. They have undermined
the whole fabric Of trades union organization
by affirming that employers have means of legal
redress in suing the labor society with which
they may be in open conflict. The Tan Nale
decision rightly becomes the issue of paramount
importance in the discussions of the Parliament
Of Labor this week at Swansea President BOW
er1nan, in the course of his inaugural address,
described the decision the signal for the
legal pauperization Of workmen, since under IL
the funds of the trades unions would become the
sport of employers and speculative solicitors
The parliamentary committee quoted the opln-
ion of its counsel to the effect that under THIS
judgment ii would be exceedingly difficult Tor
any labor organization TO conduct a strike WITH
out rendering itself financially liable to en-
poyers for the damages caused by picketing
and other illegal acts. The discussions revealed
general conviction that the utility of trades
unions would be at an end If they were exposed
TO litigation collectively for the acts Of indi-
Ndual members Every strike would be fol-
lowed by enormous demands for damages ana
the savings of the workers would be exhausted
in reimbursing the employers losses The lead
ers of the congress emphatically declared that
nothing could be done in future by organized
labor for the regulation Of wages and working
time and the promotion of workmens interests
II the treasures of the unions were exposed to
employers raids.
The defensive measures recommended by the
parliamentary committee and approved by the
congress were cautious and conservative. One
was the earliest possible access to the House Of
Lords for a close and definite decision respect
ing the legality of picketing Another was the
establishment of a legal defence fund. available
for the requirements of any union attacked In
the courts by employers. A third was the
amendment of the rules of the unions repre-
sented in the congress TO minimize haoih-
ties to employers and to safeguard the FUNDS ac-
cunulated for specific purposes. These expedl-
ents were considered inadequate, but the con-
gress was not prepared to recommend raul-
cal revision of the Trades Union act and the
law OF conspiracy. 1t was evident that a test
case required in order to enable the unions
TO find out where they stood, and what legal
means they could adopt when a strike had been
ordered. The Blackburn strike seemed most OPP
Fortune. for an order had been asked for in the