The sun., 1908-02-27
Mr.. GOmpers Reverses tho Supreme
Court OF tho United States.

Mr.. GOmpers Reverses tho Supreme
Court OF tho United States.
In a signed editorial article in the cur
rent number of the American Federd-
ZIONIST Mr.. SAMUEL GoMPERs, president
Of the American Federation Of Labor,
makes bitter attack upon the recent
decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the Danbury hat case.
He vehemently disputes the conclusion
unanimously reached by the court. In
somewhat mystical phrase he accuses 1t
Of "mediBval procedure and to this
mysterious indictment he adds that the
decision makes it clear that the Supreme
Court has not formed Itself on modern
economics With Bryanesque verbal
stiffness he accuses the great court at
whose bar he and his federation stand
condemned Of believing that -the rights
81 hats seem to be greater than the
rights Of men," The decision is SO thor
oughly iniquitous in Mr.. GoMPERs's
opinion that only selfish, avaricious,
oonsCienceless type Of employer would
avail himself of it, even though it be the
law Of the land. In his judgment the
Supreme Court is wholly wrong in its
conclusion that interstate trade was re-
strained by the boycott, which he claims
did not result in fewer hats being pur-
chased by the community" Mr.. Com
PERs reverses the Supreme Court by
asserting as matter Of law that it was
justifable to ruin Mr.. LoEwRs interstate
trade in hats, provided the American peo-
pie still wore the same number Of hats.
Mr.. GOMPERs, indeed, goes so far as
TO intimate a disposition on his part
to abolish the Supreme Court. In COM
menting upon the finality Of its decision
he remarks:
II Is true that this is the only country possessing
such tribunal and IL is a subject OF serious specu-
laton whether we might not do better under some
other form of procedure"
Moreover, in Mr.. GoMPEIs's annual
report as president OF the American
Federation, addressed to that body at
its annual convention of 1906, after re-
ferring TO the practical assistance which
the $1,000 central unions had been in
executing the plans which the execu-
tive committee had promulgated, Mr.
GOMPERS said:
when. hoDsrsr. the nndl DOrd hIs been spoken
D. he COuu or last resort Of labor composed OF
the representatives OF the intelligent organized
wage earners OF America. to these at least con-
formlty by our central bodies is essential to the
safety OF the well being OF the labor movement.
- II is gratifying 10 be In position To re-
port that there is constantly increasing mani
fcstaton OF loyalty and faithful adherence by
our central bodies to the general trend. policy.
decisions and lars Of the American Federation
Of LlbOr. but the greatest good cannot be accom-
pllshed nor the largest degree OF achieved
10 long as there Is even central body which for
ans reason hampers blocks the contamination
of the attainment OF the common concert Of action"
The self-styled Court Of Last Resort
Of Labor has long since spoken on the
subject Of the boycott. In an editorial
article in the American FedeTGtionist
of November, 1902. Mr.. GoMPERs stated
that the American Federation of Labor would
never abandon the boycott and that the threats
against the federation arc idle. impudent and
impotcnt'
He added:
Why. this the bOycOtti may spell ruin and
bankruptcy 70 the boycottedl Certainly Il may,
But what follows from thls' Nothing whatever
except that the rabid and indignant critics Of the
American Federation OF Labor have no intelligent
notion OF the ideas represented BY the terms lib
ersllty OF contract. &C."
When the Bucks Stove and Range case
was commenced in the Supreme Court
of the District Of Columbia Mr.. Con-
PERs in an editorial in the FederatioHisl
Of October, 1907, said:
The Bucks Stove and Range Company OF So.
Louis lof which Mr.. VAN CLBAvE is PRESIDENT will
continue to be regarded and treated a. Unfair
until It comes to honorable agreement with
organized labor, nnd this. TOO. Thsthsr or not Il
appears on the We do not pstrOnEe Hat
In the same FederdtioRist il was sought
by anticipation to nullify any injunction
that the Supreme Court of the District
might grant by urging the members of
the federation to continue the boycott
even though the executive council might
be enjoined. In the same editorial Mr..
GoMPERs added:
They tths federatlonIstsl have q lawful right
70 do As they wish. all tho Van cleavos. all ne
,nJunchOns. all the fool or vicious opponents 70 tAs
contrary nosVsaAsfandiH0."
TO this with characteristic grace of
diction was added:
Go to - with your injunctlonsI-
This conflict between the Court of
Last Resort of Labor las yet not recog-
nized by the Constitution and the Su-
premei Court Of the United States would
-. -~-~--~-s
q y n m