The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-28
lnjunCtiOnS Are Discussed
by the President.
.TRAiNMAN'S QUERY ANSWERED
Roosevelt Declares That Taft Has
Laid Down Principles That
Have Been Accepted by
Leaders of Labor.

Washington, Oct. 26.-In response to
q letter from T. II. Grace, q member
Of the brotherhood OF Railroad Train
men, inquirlng about Mr.. Taft's record
in respect te injunctions and labor
matters in general President ROOse-
welt has written to Mr. Grace as fol-
lows:
ain the matter of the injunctions
Mr.. Taft issued he was absolutely
right, and the principles he laid down
In those lnjunctiOns have since then
been accepted by every worthy leader
Of labor, and they are embodied in the
principles and practices Of all the rail-
road brotherhoods at the present dag.
"a year or so ago the editor Of the
paper specially devoted to the Iron
Molders' union called upon me to say
that a decree had been entered in the
United States circuit court at Milwau-
kee in the summer Of 1906, which he
regarded as grossly unjust and I'M
proper and rs practically fatal to trades
unionism. The case was that OF the
Iron Molders' union against the Allis-
members Of the union, having made
certain demands for the betterment Of
their conditions of service, which were
refused, went on q strike, and an in
junction suit followed in the United
States circuit court. The late employ
ees We're enjoined from alleged illegal
Interference. The final decree was Of
the most drastic and far reaching char
afteg. and besides enjoining the late
employees from doing acts which were
clearly illegal II also enjOined them
from any form Of picketing. from in
ducing employees to leave the service
Of the Allis-C Chalmers company by per-
suasion or otherwise and from any
kind of interference with the company
direct or otherwise So sweeping were
the terms of this injunction that It
practically forbade the union from
making any effort no matter how
peaceful and proper to maintain their
position in this trade dispute. The edi-
tor of the Iron Molders' Journal. Mr..
]. p. Fry, brought the case before me.
stating that the union did not know
what to do; that its funds were limit
ed; that he felt that they were suffer
ing from gross injustice which they
were powerless to remedy. I called In
Mr.. Taft and asked Mr.. Fry to lay the
case before him, as, Of course, Mr..
Taft was far more competent that I
was to express his judgment as to the
legality and propriety of the action
taken.
"Mr. Taft satisfied himself Of the
facts and at once became exceedingly
indignant at such an injunction having
Issued He stated that In his opinion
the position taken by the court In is
suing the injunction was clearly un-
tenable and that what was needed was
that the union should get some first
class lawyer to represent them and
should bring the case before the higE
er courts. He suggested, in response
to Mr. Fry's request, that the union
retain +. n. Judson Of st. Louis, who
had represented the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Eiremen In the Wabash
case In 1893 and who, by the way, Is the
author of the review Of the labor deci-
sions Of Judge Taft published In the
Review Of Reviews In 1907. Mr.. Taft
explained that one Of the troubles Of
the labor unions was that 30 often
they did not get the best type OF coun-
sci, 30 that their cases were not prop
erly presented, and that In his judg-
ment Mr.. Judson would be sure to
present this case Alright. He stated
that the decision of the court ought
certainly to be In their favor. The case
was argued before the United States
circuit court Of appeals by Mr.. Jud-
son and Mr.. Rubin of Milwaukee for
the union and by James M. Beck, coun-
sci for the National Manufacturers
association, for the company.
'"rhe decision Of the court was hand
ed down In Chicago on the 9th day of
this month, and 1t Justihes Judge
Taft's wisdom, for 1t sustains the most
important contentious Of the labor un-
IONS The court holds that while un-
der the facts Of the ease the company
was entitled to some injunction relief
the decree went far beyond the prop
er limits. 1t struck out Of the decree
all Of the provisions which prevented
peaceful picketing or the exercise Of
the right Of persuasion In inducing en-
ployees to join the strike and also all
reference to boycotting on the ground
that there was no boycott. as the men,
bers OF the union had a right to re-
fuse TO handle struck work-that is,
the work from factory where they
were on q strike-wherever they found
u. The opinion 10 important especial