Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-15
AN|E|NJUNCI|0N Bill
Thru Speaker Henderson's Ell
forts 1t Has Been Reported
to the House.
Expected it Will Soon Be Taken
Up for Consideration and
Debate.
The Speaker Said to Be Anxious
to Have It Passed This
Session.

ScSSlOus
Washington. April 15.-owing to the
| efforts of Speaker Henderson, Repre-
sentative Ray. of New York, chairman
of the committee on judiciary, has re-
ported the Hoar- Grosvenor anti-in-
junction and anti-conspiracy bill, and
| the speaker hopes to be able to secure
early consideration by the house of this
measure The committee ordered the
| bill favorably reported about three
weeks ago. but, owing to the request of
Mr.. Iittlefield, of Maine, that he be
given time to file a minority report, Mr..
Ray delayed filing the majority report.
At the solicitation of the speaker, how
ever he presented the committees re-
port with the understanding that Mr..
Littlefield was to have time in which
to present his views.
The bill is designed to limit the
meaning of the word conspiracy" in
connection with trade disputes. and is
one in which the labor organizations
are particularly interested, especially
the railroad men. 1t has been endorsed
by a great many of the railroad mems
associations. Under the construction
| placed upon the Sherman act by GER
tain judges it has been contended that
| employees who, as a body or in numbers,
quit work in railroad yards or at
| freight stations, or who quit work on
trains. even at the end of the trip, or
who solicit or induce others to do SO,
or who agree merely to so quit work,
commit a crime under this law as 1t
stands. if they are handling interstate
or foreign freight, or are running in
terstate trains, as the case may be, OH
the ground that such acts are in re-
straint of such commerce, because they
delay 1t for the time being, and ere
done pursuant to an agreement which
when executed has that effect, and that
the mere agreement to SO act is a crime.
because in restraint of trade or COM
merce If executed.
Under this construction carried to it's
logical conclusion such employees may
not meet together consult and agree
to quit an employment distasteful TO
them. or counsel, advise or solicit their
companions or co-employes to do so. OIL
even agree to meet for that purpose.
Taking the act Of July 2. 1890. and
that of May II. 1879, together 1t is
easily understood that under the above
construction a lawyer, and even a Judge
may Gas has been done), build up a
case of conspiracy on very flimsy
grounds; that an injunction may be is
sued, and honest and law abiding men
restrained from expressing honest
opinions, their honest convictions as to
the merits of trade dispute giving
honest and well-intended advice. or
even pursuing their ordinary avoca-
tons under pain of fine or imprisois-
ment for contempt of court in disobey-
ing injunction orders not understood,
not justified by the facts and, in some
cases, not served upon them, for such
orders are operative on persons not
parties to the action and not served
with process or the injunction in many
instances, If knowledge thereof is
shown.
The bill is intended as remedy for
evils and not as sword in the hands
OF employees. The United States got
along very well prior to July 2, 1890.
and 1t was not supposed that the Sher-
man law was aimed at or intended to
strike employees. That act was herald
ed as triumph of the people in their
war against monopolies and trusts. 1t
has fallen into "inocuous desuetud,s" so
far as monopolies and trusts are con-
cerned, for it's held not to apply to
manufacture and production and those
engaged therein, and who form trusts
and combinations and conspiracies to
monopolfze, and who do monopolize,
those industries. Witness the iron and
steel trust. the whiskey trust, the to-
bacco trust, and many others which
control production and the cost of
these articles to the consumer.
The report of the committee claims
that the bill, If enacted into law, will
not interfere with the proper protec-
ton of transportation companies en-
gagged in Interstate commerce or in
carrying the United States mails. The
committee claims that:
II this bill becomes a law, in all Ia
Dor disputes between employers and
employees the following conditions will
exist:
First-It will not be crime to
merely make a contract, combination
or agreement to do an act which may
be in restraint of other interstate or
foreign commerce, If such act when
committed by one person acting alone
would not be a crime.
Second-1t will not be a criminal
conspiracy for two or more persons to
merely contract, combine or agree TO
do an act in restraint of interstate or
foreign commerce, if such act would
not be criminal IL actually committed
by one person acting alone.
Third-Such contracts, combinations
or agreements will not be considered
as in restraint of interstate and for
eign commerce.
Fourth-No injunction or restraining
order will lawfully issue based soley
on such contract, combination or
agreement.
Fifth-All other contracts, combina-
tons or agreements will remain I'M
affected and will be criminal conspir-
acies, etc.. the same as now.
Sixth-It will be crime for two or