Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1907-08-23
TO PREVENT BOyCOTTS
THE LAWS AID Is INVOKED BY
A MANUFACTURER.
Columbia Is Asked to EnIoin the
American Federation Of Labor.

Washington, d. CA significant
legal action was begun in the SUI
preme court of the District of Column
bia Monday by James w. Van Cleave,
president OF the National Association
of Manufacturers, to enjoin Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and other Of
ficers of the American Federation OF
Labor and several of its subsidiary
organizations from using the boycott
and so-called unfair list" Mr.. Van
Cleave institutes the suit In the name
of large manufacturing company In
st. Louis, of which he Is president,
whose products are alleged to have
been declared unfair by the labor
unions.
The significance of the action lies
In its being a test case wherein Mr..
Van Cleave as head of the Manufac-
turers' association seeks to perma-
nently enjoin organized labor from
using the unfair" or I'VE don't patro-
nize" lists In its fight against firms
and individuals. The papers were
filed here in order that personal serv-
ice might be Immediately obtained
against a large number of the labor
leaders named in the complaint who
are in Washington in attendance upon
a general conference.
The complainant Is tho Bucks Stove
and Range Co., OF ST. Louis.
The plaintiff asks that the defend.
ants be enioined on nine special
points, first alleging a conspiracy un.
lawfully to injure its business.
The complaint states that the Amer
lean Federation of Labor has repeat.
edly declared boycotts against the
business and product of the custom.
ers OF numerous individuals and con-
Germs, and has actively prosecuted
them by using its power for that pur-
pose to wage destructive attacks upon
any person or business under its
ban" and that this power is now be-
ing directed maliciously against the
business of the plaintiff.
The steps leading up to this action
are set forth in the complaint to be
the outcome of a strike. According
to the complaint, August 20. 1906,
without previous notice the members
of Metal Polishers' Union No. Is, OF
st. Louis, in the employ of the stove
company struck in body and without
notice to the company or waiting for
an adjustment of grievances, which is
set forth to have been in violation of
an agreement between the Interna-
tional Union of Metal Polishers and
the Stove Founders National Defense
association, of which the Bucks Co. is
a member and under which all differ
ences have been for IA years success
fully adjusted by a conference COM
mittee.
On the failure OF the strike. the In
ternational Union Of Metal Polishers
declared a boycott against the Bucks
Co. and It's product, inserted the com.
pany's name In its unfair" list and
published 1t In the union paper the
Journal. The local union No. 13 also
joined in the boycott and procured its
endorsement by the Central Trades
and Labor union OF st. Louis and the
metal trades council of ST. Louis, both
subordinate unions OF the federation.
In November, 1906, at the annual
convention of the federation in Min
neapolis, the products of the company
were placed on the I'VE don't patro-
nize" list of the federation, and was
published In this list in the "Amerk
can Federationist" In the June and
July, 1907, issues.
The complaint says that the feder-
alton has greatly diminished and in
many places destroyed the company's
trade.