The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-27
LABOR UNIONS
ARE ENJ0INED
Boycott Against Buck Stove Com
pany Declared Illegal Conspiracy
A DECISION OF COURT
Action of. Federation of Labor Given Hard
Rap BY Judge in District of
Columbia Tribunal.

OF far-reaching Importance TO labor
and business interests throughout the
country was a decision announced on
Tuesday by Justice Gould Of the equi-
ty court of the District of Columbia,
enjoining the American Federated. of
Labor, with its membership Of two
million or more, from boycotting the
Buck Stove and Range company of
st. Louis and from printing in it's Of
fetal organ the company's name in
unfair" and 1--WE don't patronize" lists,
and the decision arraigns the action
of the federation as an illegal conspir-
acy.
The injunction granted, while of a
temporary character, was allowed in
a decision in which Justice Gould eX
haustively reviewed the case, made
COUlOuS GILdIIOI0 vi duLllOl lG10O N0OCO0
precedents as to boycott definitions,
and said there was no room for ar
gument as to the conspiracy alleged
being established. The question of a
permanent injunction will come up
probably next spring, and which ever
side wins in the final settlement, the
case, it is believed, will be appealed
to the supreme court of the United
States.
Judge Gould pointed out that he had
not, in his decision, taken up the
question of inhibition of the boycott
under the Sherman antitrust law or
the interstate commerce act.
Judge Gould said it was not sur
prising that there was so little differ
ence of opinion among the courts upon
the question involved, and that the
conclusion that such combinations as
that disclosed by the aff1davits filed by
the Buck Stove company in this case
were held to be unlawful was based
upon an appreciation of the fundamen-
tai rights of free men in free coun-
try.
He said there was little room for
argument OF discussion of the ques-
ton, as the plaintiff company had
shown the existence of an unlawful
combintion and conspiracy to destroy
his business.
Judge Gould also handed down two
opinions granting permanent injunction
in the case Of Bender against the Bak
'ers' and Confectioners' Union and Law
son against the international Carriage
and Wagon Workers, two local cases,
which the court decided along the same
lines as the Buck stove case.
A bill in equity was filed by the Buck
Stove and Range company last August
for a permanent injunction restraining
the federation from boycotting the
company and putting it on the "un.
fair" list and later a supplemental bill
was fled charging that notwithsrand-
ing the pending proceedings the fed.
Grafton was still actively engaged in
pressing the boycott and a temporary
injunction, passed upon Tuesday, was
asked for.
The American Federation of Labor
was not only named as defendant in
this case, but also President Gompers
and Secretary Morrison of the fedora
ton individually as we'll as nine 9th.
ers of the executive council of the fed
Grafton individually.
The Buck company, which runs an
"open" shop, alleged that the labor or
CARNATIONS placed its name on the
unfair" and I'VE don't patronize' lists
in the labor publications, and that the
boycott also was carried on through
thousands of circular letters to the
: company's customers and the public
generally, and by threatening the COM
pany's customers with loss Of labor
patronage and businesses