Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-12
ALL HAVE SERVICE
EXCEPT one POINT
Butte Now Only Place On Bell
System Left Without
Telephones.
PROTECTION FROM COURTS.
Montana Judges Make Rulings That
Have Great Effect on Situation
Boycotts Tolerated No More.

Reports received by the Rocky
Mountain Bell Telephone company
this morning showed that service is
now being maintained at every point
of the company's system, except Butte,
which is still tied up in a sympathetic
strike. At Helena, where the service
was suspended two days last week,
things are going along to the salts
faction of the company and its pat
rons with full force of non-union
operators. 1t is not yet known just
what will be done at Butte, but Cen
eral Manager D. S. Murray is still in
Montana and it is possible some move
toward relieving the situation at the
big mining camp will be made this
week.
The decisions of Federal Judge
Hunt and District Judge Bach at He
lena last week have had great
effect on the situation in Montana and
are likely to prove important pre-
cedents in all future labor troubles
in that state. which has had mere
than its share OF industrial disturb
anceS.
IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
Judge Hunts decision, which was
referred to briefly in the press dis
patches, gave the telephone company
an injunction against the Montana
Federation of Labor and other union
organizations and union leaders. The
case grew out of a boycott initiated
by the unions at Livingston and af-
fecting not only the telephone COM
pany but the business men of that
town. The labor people got out cir
culars. advising people TO refuse TO
work for the company or to patron
ize 1t and singing out by name local
firms that should be patronized. To
protect itself and its patrons, the tele-
phone company applied to the United
States court for an injunction and a
temporary restraining order was is
sued last "Wednesday. In granting t1S
injunction, Judge Hunt said the facts
clearly disclosed a combination to in
jure the company and constituted un-
lawful interference with its affairs.
Judge Bach granted writ OF man
date to the Helena Cab company the
next day. requiring the company to
resume telephone service at once. The
company met the situation by estab-
fishing service immediately, using
now in good working condition. In
granting the writ, Judge Bach said it
did't make any difference how many
employees left the service OF the COM
pany. the company had duty TO
perform and must perform 1t. IL
there are any efforts made by anybody
to prevent the operation of the COM
pany's business, / will follow MIR. JUS
Ice Hunts decision and restrain and
oh, Nuh Interfere
with your lines he said.
NO MORE BoYcoTTs.
These decisions establish that the
courts of Montana will not tolerate
boycotts, coercion or violence in labor
troubles, and that they Will protect
non union as we'll az union people en-
gagged in lawful occupations 1t Is
thus evident that the decisions are
of the utmost Importance to both en-
ployers and employees in that state and
will probably do much TO restore peace
in Montana and bring that state bach
TO normal industrial condition.
"Our troubles in Montana are due al
most entirely to sympathetic strikes
said a. @. Mckenzie of the Bell COM
pany this morning. I'VE had agree
ments with every union OF operators IN
the state and they had no actual grieV-
nnce. The same was true of the line
mon at Butte hut the agreements have
boen violated on the plea that striking
linemen in Utah and other places need
sympathy 1t works a hardship on the
girls and the company regrets this es-
perlally because we believe many OF
INC girls were ordered on strike
against their will. We gave the strik-
ing girls at Helena a chance to return
10 work and have given preference "a
Helena girls In making up our present
force there. We were forced by the
unions into our present attitude In Mon
tana. They left US no recourse other
than the means we have employed. we
arc required TO give service and we IN
tend 20 do H.
HAVE NO TROUBLES"
Disousslng the situation at Helena,
the Independent OF Aug says edi-
IA few girls who have contract with
the telephone company have been
forced 10 quit work In order 10 forward
the Interests Of few linemen who are
on strike. The girls who mus struck m
alleged sympathy have been replaced
Tho strike prompted subscriber "a
hrine and effect mandainus against
the company, because his business was
being grieyously injured by lack Of tele-
phone service
'oTolephone service yesterday was
pretty good. 1t will get better The
girl operators who struck In sympathy
nre OUT OF work. They are losing
money. Nobody Is mad except q few
mar-plots who are working plans foI
their own personal advancement. TIL,
public, IS 900 to 10000 people. were in
omIlodod and endangered for two