The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-09-20
A GREAT WAR ON
UNION LABOR PLANNED
EMPLOYERS ORGANIZE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION PROPOSE
TO HAVE A FUND OF MILLION A HALF WITH WHICH
TO FIGHT THE EVILS" ORGANIZED LABOR SAMUEL
GOMPERs VIEWS

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept q
What may be the most important de-
velopment in 20 years in the industrial
history of the country is the movement
among employers to organize to make
war on union labor The next three
years will see a titanic struggle be-
tween unionism and the powerful in
dustrial forces which have united to
cripple or destroy the union system.
The first move of the big game is
the organization of employers under
the name of the National Association
of Manufacturers which has determin-
ed to raise fund of $1,5OOOOO for a
three-year campaign.
Next came the starting under the
auspices of this association, of suits to
test the constitutionality of the boy
colt and even of the fundamental prin-
ciple of organization on which all uni
onism is based
The case to test the boycott, or So
called unfair list, is the case of the
Buck Stove Co., St. Louis, Jas. w. Van
Cleave, president, against the A. F.. OF
L. The bill asks for an Injunction
against an alleged conspiracy to iniure
this company's business. Another
which is of equal importance. is a case
which came to the supreme court July
IL, entitled Law VS.. Lawler. It is the
case of Connecticut hat concern that
seeks to test the legality of unionism
in the light of the Sherman antitrust
law. An effort is made to show that
trades union organizations are trusts,
can be dissolved, or their organizers
and members punished. The money to
fight this case is understood to come
from the National Association of Man
ufacturers treasury.
According to Samuel Gompers. presi-
dent of the A. F. of L., the employers
campaign has for its object the de-
struction of unionism. According to
Van Cleave, the purpose is to correct
the abuses of unionism."
Gompers said: 1--WE are prepared to
fight any legal steps which may be
taken by organized capital to divide
labor or to deprive union organizations
of their natural weapons of defense.
This is the policy of the executive
council of the federation unanimously
determined upon after its members
had been served with notice of a suit
brought by Van Cleave to enjoin the
federation from using the so-caIled un-
fair list.
THE use of the boycott list is one
OF the innate rights of organized labor.
just as much as the right to organize,
the right to speak or the right to have
freedom in publishing the truth. We
believe these rights are constitutional
and we are prepared to fight this or
other cases to the supreme court.
Meantime, We will go on doing what
we believe we have every right to do. .
Van Cleave said: I'VE want to fed
crate the manufacturers to effectively
fight industrial oppression. We ought
to have 100000 a year for three
years"
Some of the money, it is admitted,
will go for the hiring of lobbyists to
appear before congress and state legis-
latures to oppose union labor legisla-
ton.
Regarding this, GOmpers said:
what does the association propose
to do? Hire spies, establish agencies
of strike breakers. corrupt and bride
lawmakers or others, maintain lob
bies? Their officers would say, not at