Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-13
OPPOSES INJDNCTIoNs
aoMPERs CLAIMS COURTS HAVE
MIscoNsTRuED THE LAW.

NEW YORK, December 13-Samuel Com
pers president of the American Federation
of Labor, was among the speakers at the
annual dinner of the National Civic Fed
Grafton last night The question of injunc-
tions was extensively discussed
The position of organized labor. as rep
resented by, the American Federation of
Labor, was presented by Mr.. Gompers,
who contended that there is not now
upon the statute books one line that
by its fair Interpretation is a warrant for
the issuance of injunctions in labor dis
putes. He claimed that under the injunc-
tons the very things men might do as in
dividuals and citizens they are denied the
right to do as workingmen.
Z We contend" said Mr.. Gompers, that
the writ of injunction was never intended
to be issued to enjoin men from committing
any unlawful or criminal act: that both our
country and our states provide for the ap-
prehension and the trial by jury of per-
sons who commit such acts, to ascertain
whether such persons have been guilty Of a
criminal act and to punish them if found
guilty. and that organized civil society has
constituted police force large or small
apprehension and prevention Of any GRIM
fnal act. The representatives Of labor
neither directly nor indirectly nor remotely
aim to attack the writ Of injunction a
Will we recognize It's importance ana us
value and efficiency and appropriateness
and effectiveness within the limits of its
original purpose and that is to protect the
property rights when there is no other rem
edy at law
President Gompers said that what the
American workingmen want is an effective
bill that shall remove the condition that has
selected them as workmen specially to have
injunctions issued enjoining them from do
ing things that apply to no other man,
woman or child.
What organized labor objects to, he said,
is the fact that the courts have read into
he stated, from court-made law rather
than statute law" and he indicated that
the object Of their bill lis that the law
and Its purpose shall be as it existed prior
to the existence of these modern injunc-
tons in trade disputes arising between en-
ployers and employed"
An Extraordinary Remedy.
I'VE hold" he said, that the issuance of
an injunction is an extraordinary remedy
which is to be resorted to only when tho
end to be reached can be obtained by no
other legal process That there is a legal
remedy for the things which an Injunction
can enjoin goes without saying, but it is
the purpose of the opponents of our legis
lation on this subject to get rid of the trial
by jury in the regular process of the law.
Their purpose Is to make the judge who
issues the injunction both the judge, the
jury and the executioner, and, indeed, to
take away from the workmen enjoined the
constitutional right of being tried before a
jury of his peers for any crime or unlawful
offense with which he may be charged"
Where the injunction affected property
Mr.. Gompers stated, he is in entire accord
with the best conception of the writ of
injunction, but when it involves personal
liberty, the freedom and the exercise of
lawful rights guaranteed to the citizen, he
holds that under no circumstances should
the writ of injunction apply.
In demanding anti-injunction legislation
Mr.. Gompers stated that organized labor
asks for nothing that is unjust or i'm.
proper He said that they want no i'm
munity from the law for any crimes or un-
lawful conduct Of which any man in the
labor movement may be guilty