The San Francisco call., 1908-12-24
LABOR CHIEFS
ADIUDGFD GUILTY
GOmpers, Mitchell and Morrison
Sentenced for Violating
Court Injunction
Confined from Page

the officials Of the federation began in
August. 1907. The original action was
3 test case, wherein it was sought to
fnjoin the labor unions from using the
unfair" and we don't patronize" lists
iu thei- fight against firms and indi-
ylduals
Justice Gould of the supreme court Of
;he District Of Columbia issued an in
junction which later was made perma-
nent forbidding the publication of the
compsny's name in these lists.
President Gompers, in an editorial in
he Federationist Of January ] last,
made known his intention not to obey
the courts order, contending that the
aJanction issued was in derogation of
the rights OF labor and an abuse of the
.njunctive power of the courts Com
Ycrs Mitchell and Morrison subsequent
ly were cited FOR contempt, and this
phase or the case has been before the
coort for many months. the proceedings
taking the form Of hearing of testi-
mony before an examine and many
arguments. =
Judge W-ishts decision was a seath-
iug denunciation OF the defendants He
reclted the condition anteceding the in
junction and referred 10 the fact that
Tor - years the Buck plant had oper-
Rted as 10 hour shop and always had
maintained an open shop" He also
spoke Of the numerical strength OF
The American federation OF labor with
its 2.000, 600 members and OF its re-
peated indorsement of the boycott of
the Buck stove and range company,
81 E'adorc
The federation's official organ; speeches
by the defendants, letters circulars.
etc
UNIONS WERE CoERCED
The court referred TO the use OF the
we don't patronize" list and unfair
list Of the labor organizations and said
mat members OF labor unions Were
Sorced and cOerced into supporting il
ing or disapproving," BY various
methods. The court read extracts from
numbers Of resolutions of labor organi-
za1ons bearing on the Buck case as
tending 10 show the methods of infiu-
encing members Of unions, and these
methods the court remarked seem
TO be known as persuasion"
The customers of the stove company,
the court said. had been intimidated.
brow beaten and coerced out of their
business relations with their custom
by boycott of their (customers) trade
relations with their own customers
Following an exhaustive discussion
OF conspiracies in restraint of trade
Justice Wright said:
From the foregoing it ought to seem
apparent TO thoughtful men that the
defendants 10 the bill, each and all OF
them, have combined together for the
purpose Of:
'-f7irst-Bringing about the breach OF
plaintiffs existing contracts with
others.
'Second-Depriving plaintiff of prop
erty tthe value OF the good viii of its
business) without due process Of law.
'Third-Restraining trade among the
several states.
Fourth - Restraining commerce
among the several states
PURPOSE UNLAWFUL
The ultimate purpose of the defend
ants, the court said in this connection.
was unlawful, their concerted project
an offense against the law, and. il
added. they were guilty Of crime Com
ing 10 the question of violation of the
courts injunction. Justice Wright said
That Gompers and others had in
advance OF the Injunction determined
10 violate ii If issued. and had in ad-
vance Of the injunction counseled all
members Of labor unions and the
American Federation of Labor and the
should be issued. appears from the fol-
lowing. which references point out also
the general plan and mutual UNDER
standing Of the organizations and their
various members.
The court here read a mass of ex-
tracts from reports of proceedings of
conventions of the federation reports
Of President Gompers, editorials from
the columns OF the American Fedora
ZIONIST and the labor press generally in
support of his statement that there
was predetermination to violate
VIOLATION OF INJUNCTION
Discussing the actions of the defend
ants since the issuance of the injunc-
fion. Justice Wright said:
Having in mind what might be in
tho foregoing delineation which indi-
Gates that either of the three respond
ents did before the issuance of the
Injunction deliberately determine to will
fully violate il and did counsel others
TO do the same. let US now turn to