Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-24
A. r. Of L. EXECUTIVE. COUNCIL
Will Hold Meeting in Washington
Ian. II and Thresh Judge
vvright's Decision Over.
President and Attorney General VIII
Read Testimony in Case and Decide
What Action is to be Taken.

Washington, Dec. 24.---Ile whole
question of sentencing for contempt OF
court Of President Gonpers, Vice Pres
ident Mitchell and Secy. Morrison, OF
the American Federation of Labor by
Justice Wright in the supreme court OF
the District Of Columbia, yesterday, viii
be threshed over at a meeting OF the
executive council OF the federation to
be held in this city on Jan. II next
This meeting, which is not a regularly
scheduled one, will be notable un-
toubtedly because Of the vital issues
affecting the labor involved in the ae-
tion of the court. Resolutions sustain
ing the attitude OF the leaders of the
big organization with its 10000 odd
councils and 100000 members will be
submitted for action and scatlling ar-
raignment of the decision will be out
lined.
President Gompers was not in his Of
fec today and no Information was Civ
en- out there as to where he could ba
found. Secy. Morrison was at the fed
Grafton headquarters, however. busy
with his routine duties, Active steps IN
the framing of the fight against the
carrying out OF the sentences are not
likely until next week and Secy. MOI
rison said today the plan SO far as the
officials Of the federation themselves
foresee. is to do nothing about 1t until
after the holidays.
sECY. MORRISON TALKS.
at seems said Mr.. Morrison, that
E i'll the District of Columbia there really
is no limit to the sentence that can be
imposed for contempt OF court. In q
great many states there is a limit III
New York, for instance, six months III
the maximum. Is! SIT
..Wc purpose he added TO exhaust
every effort to sustain our right to y
free press and free speech. BELIEVE
and i am confident, that the position
taken by the federation Is right, AMI
that the citizens Of this country Will
ratify the attitude of the federation IN
this matter. i believe that they VIII
give to- the trades unionists the, same
rights and privileges that are being &C
corded to trades unions In Great Brit
ain, o $ provided for by the trades dis
spute act adopted there two years ag,1:
Mr. Gompers referred to that act in his
speech to the court yesterday. Undef
that act a union can not be rnulcted Ia.
damages on account of a strike.
1t is not likely that arguments on the
appeal will be heard in the court ofE
appeals of the District OF Columbia
until March and perhaps not then. The
defendants have 40 days IN which to
perfect their appeal and upon a prop
er showing the court in its discretion
may extend the time. 1t is nlanda-
tory however. that the appeal bond
must be filed within 20 days.
In view of the great Importance of Il
p the case, and the widespread interest
1t has provoked throughout the cour-
try, II is the general feeling here that
the hearing bsfore the court of appeals
will be a lengthy one and will add al e.
important chapter to the already FAM
GUS case. Should the upper court srs-
tain the ruling of Justice Wright and
"a further appeal 10 the supreme court
of the United States is granted. the
case necessarily would not come UP
for decision In the highest tribunal III
the land until the fall term, Whicl.
begins next October.
&. PRESIDENTS COURSE.
Many kilograms have reached the
White House from labor leaders in
many parts of the country. protesting
against the sentence Imposed upon
Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison. The
president turned all OF them over to
iAtty.-Gen. Bonaparte for such consid-
Grafton as may be determined to give
them 1t is expected that the presi-
dents mall on this subject will be
heavy for the next few days.
The president and attorney general
will read all of the testimony in the
case and will then decide what action,