Evening star., 1908-01-25
"DEF|" TO THE COURTS
Samuel Gompers on "the
Abuse of the Injunction Writ"
VIEWS IN FEDERATIONIST
Not to Comply With All the Terms
of Judges Order.
AS TO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
Protest Against Alleged Denial Of
Equality Before the Law.
Basis Of Contention.
VIEWS IN FEDERATIONIST
AS TO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

American Federation Of Labor has prac-
tically given his def to the courts in
his proposed campaign against what he
terms 1.-The abuse of the injunction writ
In this Mr.. Gompers is said to be
backed by the executive council and or
ganized labor throughout the United
States. Although enjoined from making
any reference to the controversy between
the American Federation of Labo- and
the Bucks Stove and Range Company,
Mr.. Gompers. in an editorial in the cur
rent issue of the American Federationist.
comments on Justice Gould's recent de-
cision at great length and declares pur-
pose not to comply with all its terms.
1T is an invasion Of the liberty Of the
press and the right of free speech" de-
clares Mr.. Gompers. 1--WE would be re-
creant to our duty did we not do all in
| our power to point out to the people the
| serious invasion Of their liberties, which
has taken place. That this has been done
| by judge-made injunction aid not by
| statute law makes the menace all the
| greater. The matter Of attempting to
suppress the boycott of the Bucks Stove
and Range Company by injunction, while
important, yet pales into insignif1cance
| before this invasion and denial Of consti-
| tutional rights.
Obliged to Protest.
1--WE discuss this injunction and feel
| obliged as a matter Of conscience and
principle to protest its issuance and its
enforcement, yet we desire it to be clearly
understood that the editor Of the Amer
ican Federationist does not consider him
self thereby violating any iaw OF either
state or nation. nor does he intend or ad-
wise any disrespect toward the courts Of
our country. And yet inherent, natural
and constitutional rights and guarantees
must be defended and maintained"
| Mr.. Gompers states that the services OF
some Of the foremost lawyers in the
country have been secured, and that the
case will be carried to the United States
| Supreme Court.
| He also says:
1T is the American Federation Of La
| Dor and the American Federationist that
| are now enjoined. Tomorrow 1t may be
another publication or some other class Of
equally law w-abiding citizens, and the pres
ent injunction may then be quoted as a
sacred precedent for future encroachments
upon the liberties Of the people.
with all due respect to the court It is
| impossible for us to see how we can COM
| ply with all the terms of this injunction
| We would not be performing our duty to
labor and to the public without discussion
of this Injunction. A great principle is at
stake. Our forefathers sacrificed even life
in order that these fundamental constitu-
| tional rights of free press and free speech
might be forever guaranteed to our peo-
pie.
Right Of Free Expression.
There is no law in our country and
| we feel safe in saying that no law could
be passed by the consent Of the people
which would deny to the humblest cit
izen the right Of free expression through
speech or by means Of the press, and yet
this Is now attempted by injunction.
! Suppression of freedom Of the press
4 is most serious thing. whether occurring
in Russia or in the United States. 1t
is because the present injunction COM
| mands this that we feel 1t our duty to
enter an emphatic protest
The publication of the Bucks Stove
and Range Company on the We Don't
PatrOnize list of the American Fedora
| tion of Labor is the exercise Of plain
right. To enjoin its publication is to in
wade and deny the freedom Of the press
"a right which is guaranteed under our
| Constitution.
THE right to print which has grown up
| through the centuries Of freedom has its
basis in the fundamental guarantees Of
human liberty. 1t has been defended and
upheld by the ablest minds. 1t ought not
to be forbidden by judicial order.
| The matter of attempting to suppress
the boycott of the Bucks Stove and
Range Company. by injunction. while i'm
portant. yet pales into insignificance be-
fore this invasion and denial of constitu-
| tional rights.
I'VE shall consider this question fully
and we urge the most serious and careful
| thought on the subject by our fellow
| workers and fellow-citizens.
| For yeors we have pointed out the fact.
and we believe the greater part of the In
| telligent public are in entire accord wich
US. that the Injunction process was orig
inally intended to apply to property rights
| only. and never was intended to interfere
| with personal rights-personal liberty. In
| fact 1t never~is applied to the personal
rights and liberties Of citizens other than
If these citizens are wage-workers.
Alleged Unscrupulous Means.
I'VE do not for an instant insinuate or
affirm that Justice Gould knowingly lent
himself to the Vaccinations of the Manu-
| facturers' Association. but we feel con-
vinced that he was not at all familiar
with the INSCRIPTIONS means which the
Manufacturers Association adopts in
order to accomplish its purposes. or he
might have hesitated to accept in good
faith the allegations of the Bucks Stove
and Range Company in regard to its
treatment by the American Federation Of
Labor"
President Compers also says: True,
ntnr has SrHfV ~ lon OF