The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-03-11
Injunction RELIEF
RESENTED BY LABOR
Commissioner Garfield's New
Measure Does Not Meet with
Popular Approval
Labor Seeks No Immunity
from Law, and Offenders
Should Be Punished.

O"~ AS" "COhS o6O ~ was
nounced from Washington that plan
had been hit upon. through suggestions
from the White House, which, if adopt
ed, would stop government by injunc-
ton" The proposed law was carefully
analyzed by the labor press of Ameri-
ca. 1t was pointed out that the only
advantage offered by Commissioner
Garf1eld's plan was to give both sides
an opportunity to be heard before even
a temporary order was issued. While
this in itself was q worthy feature, it by
no means fsyes s4szQnathe xeai Aakstt
deserved The Labor World pointed
out during the discussion Of the ques-
ton many Of the evils of the present
system, which the proposed bill failed
to reach
Now comes the American Federation
list. the official organ of the American
Federation of Labor, with a strong
labor's position, and its attitude to-
ward the law. 1t says:
For several years an important,
reasonab BILE, and just bill, limiting gov
ernment by Injunction and doing
away with its notorious abuses, has
been before Congress-.
Recently Chairman Jenkins, of the
Judiciary committee of the house of
representatives, introduced bill which
some friends have been led to believe
would obviate the wrong and abuse in
the issuance Of injunctions in labor
disputes. 1t has been heralded broad
~ CT hr- ifc ~ 0nH TO-, n
that the bill meets the approval of
President Roosevelt, Attorney General
Moody, and Corporation Commissioner
Garfield. From the first, however, we
were confident that though the inten-
ton Of the authors of the bill may have
been Of the best, the bill itself was
not only ineffective to remedy the
abuse and the wrong, but contained
actual statutory authority for the issu-
ance Of injunctions in labor disputes.
"Organized labor has repeatedly de-
clared, and its sincerity should not be
questioned, that it seeks no immunity
from the law, and that if any of it's
members or votaries are guilty Of any
offense against the law they should
be apprehended and dealt with in ac-
COFudHCe With law, cAdClly dS any OIu-
er person or association of persons.
Labor protests, and justly, against
being subject to court decisions and
court-made law which are not applied
to others than workingmen engaged in
a controversy with their employers.
"Organized labor is engaged in a law
full and humane effort to obtain better
material, moral, and social conditions
for the working people, and for all the
people. 1t makes for the uplifting Of
the human race. 1t is not necessary to
resort to any unlawful conduct or pur-
sue an unlawful course to attain sue
cess. It asks that it be accorded fair
and equal justice before the law; that
its movement shall have lawful protec-
ton, and particularly that it shall not
be the subject Of special class decis-
ions, as typified by the cruel, oppress-
i've. and distinctive injunctions issued
against none of our people other than
themselves.
Labor will continue to organize and
avail itself Of all the rights to which it
is entitled under the law; it will work
for the good, protesting against wrong
and error. AS a result of the campaign
of organization and education, it will
yet secure from Congress and the
courts the constitutional guarantees of
equality before the law.