Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-25
LABOR LEADERS WILL
FIGHT TO he FINISH
Executive Council Of American
Federation Of Labor 10 Meet
and Deliberate.
MORRISON Confident OF RESULT
Secretary Declares Issue Of Free
Speech and Free Press at Stake
No Limit to Contempt Sentences In
District of Columbia--Beiieves
Leaders Right.
(By Associated PreSso

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Dec. "a
The whole question OF the sent nCing
for contempt Of co'Irt Of rC>'dent
Gompcrs. Nicr-Presid. Mitchell and
Secretary Morrison. of the American
Federation OF Labor. L.; JuSt'c"
WRIGHT i'm the Supreme Court OF To"
District OF Columbia yesterday. Will
,n ,hreshrd urt at a meeting of IN"
Executive Council OF the Federation
to b held in this city on January
18th next This meeting Will" a reg
u!arlv schcdu'rd one will b" notable
undnub. rdly. ErCaus" of the vital Is
sues aft, citing labor involved in the
action Ct the court.
Resolutions sustaining the attitude
of the leaders OF the big organiza-
tions with its thirty thousand odd
councils and two millions of members
vii! be Submitted for action and the
policy Of the Federation in view OF
the courts action and scathing ar
raiynmant carried in (ne decision Will
be outlined Pre- sident Gompcrs was
not az his office today. and no infor'
nation was given out there as to
where he could be found. Secretary
Morrison. who was given the lightest
sentence of the trio OF leaders-six
months-while Gompers got twelve
and Mitchell nine months. was at the
Federation headquarters today busy
with his routine duties.
Active Steps Next Week.
Active steps in the framing OF the
figh against she carrying out OF the
sentences are not likely until next
week and Secretary Morrison said to-
day the plans so far as the officials
of the Federation themselves forsee
is to 90 nothing about it until after
the holidays.
1T seems" said Mr.. Morrison. that
in the District OF Columbia there Is
rtql!y no limi, TO the sentence that
can be imposed for cOnts mpt OF
court. in a great many states there
is \ limit. In New York for instance,
six months is the maximum
We purpose" he added. Ito ex'
hausi every effort to sustain our right
TO a free press and free speech.
believe and | am confident that the
position taken ly the federation Is
right and that the citizens OF this
country will r2tify the attitude OF the
federation in this matter. l believe
thai they will give to the trades un,
ionists in Great Britain. as provided
for by the trades dispute act adopted
there two years ago Mr.. Gompers
referred 10 that act in his spe ech as
10 the court yesterday. Under thai
act union cannot be mulcted in
damages on account Of a strike"
Forty Days to Appeal.
II is not likely that arguments on
the appeal will be heard in the Court
of Appeals of The District OF Columbus
unit, March and perhaps not then.
The defendants have forty days in
which to perfect their appeal and M
on a proper showing the court III II
Disc. ton may extend tho time. i
is mandatory. however. tina; the an
Dea, bond must be fled within twenty
DAYS.
In view Of tho great importance OF
IN. case and the wild spread interest
il has provoked throughout the coun
try. il Is the general feeling here
fha, the hearing b. fore the Court o'
Appeals vii! be a lengthy one. BRING
ing together noted counsel on boil
sides Should the upper coir suS
tain tho ruling OF Justice Wright ana
a further appeal 10 the Supreme CoIT'
OF the United States is granted. the
case necessarily would not com" VI
for decision in the highest t-ihuna
in the land UniiI the fall term. which
begins next October.
Tho railing r. justice Wright was
lhc absorbing topic Of conversation
here today. aud both sides Of III" case
are preparing Tor legal hair" Wh'cn
will add sn importsn, chapter TO the