Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-10
TOFORMLABORPARTY
Federated Union Of New York
Plans to Start Organization.
WILL BE NATIONAL IN SCOPE

WILL BE NATIONAL IN SCOPE
Recent Decision Of Supreme Court
Which Had That Unions Are Amen.
able to the Sherman Antitrust Law
Inspires Movement.
New York, Feb. 10.-Smarting under
the recent decision of the supreme
court Of the United States, which held
that labor unions were amenable to
the Sherman antitrust law, the Cen.
trail Federated union took steps to
form an independent labor party un.
der the guidance Of the American Fed.
GRAFTON of Labor for the purpose of
starting campaign against what the
delegates termed arbitrary govern,
ment by the courts. While the ques.
tion was under discussion speeches
were made attacking members of the
supreme court as ''old fossils who had
outgrown their usefulness to the coun-
ing We're Incapable Of grasping the
true relation between employer and
employee ~.
One delegate went so far as to assert
the supreme court was ruling the coun-
try despite the powers of the legisla-
tive and the executive departments,
much as a tyrant would rule. De
mands were made that the constitution
be amended so as to reorSaniZe the
courts of the country to give the labor
unions fair play.
Resolution viii Pass.
The method of forming an independ.
ent political party proposed was en-
bodied in resolution submitted by
the executive committee. 1t declared
that in view of the recent decisions
made by the United States supreme
court the American Federation of La
Dor should Immediately call conven
tion of delegates representing all Ia
Dor organizations in the country to
meet in central city for the purpose
of drafting q political platform that
would be the basis of the new party.
Though the resolution was not final
~ disposed of, 1t was voted to make
the discussion of it special order of
business on the first Sunday in March.
1t was apparent from the speeches
made in support Of the plan that the
resolution would be passed at the spe-
cial meeting.
The Danbury Case.
The delegates of the Central FEEDER
ated union wer aroused to action by
the decision in the case Of Loewe &
Co., hatters Of Danbury, Conn, against
the United Hatters' union and the
American Federation Of Labor, in
which 1t was held labor unions be-
came combinations in restraint OF
trade when they attempted to inter-
fere with the business of a firm or
corporation whose business extended
into several states. In substance, the
decision declared that in such q case
where the union enforced boycott
the boycotted firm could collect dam.
ages under the antitrust clause of the
Sherman law. The decision was given
on Feb. 3 and was the third severe
blow dealt to the unions by the SUI
preme court within few weeks.
A noteworthy feature Of the discus
sion was the fact that the members of
the Socialist wing Of the Central Fed
Grated union, with the exception of
Morris Brown, supported the plan In
its essential features. Brown said
that while the attitude Of the courts
toward labor unions demanded prompt
action by organized labor, he did not
favor the formation Of any new party
and suggested that the Socialist-Labor
party would do just as well. That pro-
voked an animated debate between
Brown and Timothy Healy, who want
cd to know whether the Socialists
would support party il one should
be formed under the auspices of the
American Federation of Labor. Brown
replied that IL the platform OF the new
party declared for the ownership of all
property by the producers of 1t the
Socialists would undoubtedly support
the new party. .-
Lauds Roosevelt.
in other words" said Healy. with
a touch Of sarcasm. IF the Socialists
are permitted to draft the platform for
the new party they will support it,"
Herman Robinson, treasurer Of the
Central Federated union and dis
trict organizer of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor. took occasion to pay
compliment TO President Roosevelt
while the discussion of the new party
was under way. Robinson said that
the president had recently said the
Sherman antitrust law should never
have been applied TO the labor organl-
cations.