Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-31
MAY ARREST GOMPERS
Head of Federation of Labor
Said to Be Wanted
BY CHICAGO AUTHORITIES
Contempt of Court During Speech Is
Alleged.
MAY BE WITHOUT FOUNDATION
Chairman Parsons of Printers Eight
Hour Strike Committee Replies
to the Typothetae.
MAY BE WITHOUT FOUNDATION


can Federation of Labor, on the
charge of contempt of court, is in
timated in a communication re-
ceived here today from President
Wright of the Chicago Typograph-
ical Union. The contempt, it is
said, was committed during
speech recently made in Chicago
by Mr.. Gompers while injunction
proceedings were pending. The
injunction suit of the local Typoth-
etae is to be filed today. The strik-
ing local printers have replied to
the recent official statement of the
Typothetae to the public.
Two important announcements re,ating TO
the strike of the journeynlen printers for
the eight-hour day and the union shop were
made this afternoon. The first was based
on information received today from Chi
cago by the printers eight-hour strike COM
mittee here that it was believed the au
thorites of that city were secretly ckinS
for Mr.. Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. for the pur
pose of arresting him on the charge of
contempt of court in connection with the
recent injunction proceedings instituted
against the Chicago Typographical Union
by the Typothetae of that city.
This information came from e, r. Wright,
president of the Chicago Typographical
in the injunction proceedings there, and
who was fined $50 and committed to-~tail
for thirty days. At the same time the court
imposed a fine of 81 600 on the Chicago
printers union.
The presiding judge in those proceedings,
it is said, took exception to certain state
ments made by President GomperS during
speech before a body of workingmen while
the injunction proceedings Were in progress,
and that order for his arrest was quietly
issued President Wright Is said to believe,
should Mr.. GomperS be taken in custody to-
day, the court may sentence him tomorrow.
Inquiry at the headquarters of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor in this city this
afternoon elected the information that
President Gompers had not returned from
Chicago.
A dispatch from Chicago late this after
noon says the report. sent by President
Wright. that Samuel Gompers will be ar
rested is probably without foundation.
In his communication President Wright
Of the Chicago Union declares the witnesses
for the prosecution in the injunction suit
were mainly vicious characters and men
of unrelability.
1--WE are satisfied he adds. that the
courts action will hasten the complete vic
tory for the union forces There are no
cold feet in Chicago, and we will fight to
the end"
Injunction Proceedings.
Ac stated aycluSiveIv In The Star vester-
day, injunction proceedings against Co
lumbia Typographical Union. No 101. will
be instituted late this afternoon in the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia.
1t is understood the bill of the Typothetae
of Washington, the complainants, viii set
forth interference with the business OF the
members of the Typothetae and violence
The allegations as to Interference Will state
It is said, that members of the union
known as the eight-hour strike committee
have lured away from their places of en-
ployment non-union printers, 9ud, on one
occasio at least, that violence was used
by the union printers toward a non-union-
ist.
In reference to this latter charge, Chair
man r. c. arsons and the other members
Of eth strike committee of the union de-
clare that the non-union printer was the
aggressor and first attacked q nlCmber of
the Typographical Union; that the nom
unionist made statement concerning the
union, whereupon union printer retalated
The non-unionist then struck the union
printer in the face II is added, and the lat
ter struck back.
The statement was also made that the
attorneys representing the Typothetae will
ask the court to require an answer 10 the
injunction proceedings in open court before
noon tomorrow.
Reply to Typothetae.
Chairman T. c. Parsons of the Journey
this afternoon gave out the reply of Column
bia Typographical Union to the Structures
| contained in recent statement of the Ty-
pothetae of Washington, which appeared in
| The Star at the time it was issued. The
statement of the union printers follows
'"The members of the Typothetae of
Washington, who employ when full handed
only about one-third of the men in the
book and job branch of the printing busi-
ness, are so hard pressed for reasons to
justify their course in refusing to grant
such q just and reasonable demand as an
eight-hour workday to their employees that
they are forced to resort to charges against
the Typographical Union which they must
know are baSeleSs.
I'VE are charged with coercion with nm
blushingly' demanding an increase In the
cost of labor of from 20 to 80 per cent, with
attempting to run their business and with
tyrannical methods generally.
THE men who employ two-thirds of the
book and job printers in Washington can
refute this desperate wall of employers
who, If they succeeded In their efforts,
would make 1t impossible for men with
families to sustain them deeently The
only excuse for the charge that we want to
run their business is that we claim the right
OF something TO say as to how many hours
We will work and at what price. Since, In
this particular, We only want to establish
an eight-hour workday at So per day,
these hours now prevailing In all other
trades, and the price asked being less than
is paid In any other trade in the District,
we will be given credit for being very mod
crate In our wishes.
LAS we simply want the hours reduced
from nine to eight the charge that we 'un-
blushingly demand a raise of 20 to 80 per
cent in the cost of printing Is somewhat
ngspostsrous. but al men who have had