The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-06-06
soycous AND sovcors

SOSCoTTS AND 6OfCOtfS
When a body of workingmen insti-
iute = boycott for the purpose of pro
tec1ing themselves they are hailed be
lore a federal Judge and hned and
When a body of merchants institute
= boycott for the purpose of protect
ING their dollars they are hailed as
men of independence and determine
ton
The United Hatters of North Amer
lea Instituted boycott against an
unfair manufacturer al Dsnbury. and
inc supreme court declared them
guilty of an infraction of the law for
Kidding interference with Interstate
commerce The fact that it was no
where IN the trial shown that the
boycott reduced the number of hats
worn by American men was over
looked by the wise and reverei SUI
preme judges The fact that If the
number of unfair hats sold was re-
6ueed the number of fair hats sold
was increased. thus proving that in
nc wise was interstate traffic re-
strained or disturbed. was 3 fact
that seemed unable to penetrate the
srupsndous inIellec1s that make up the
greatest tribunal of Justice in the
world Having been thus declared
guilty the United Hatters OF North
America stand 10 lose all their union
funds as well as their individual
liberty.
When the American Federation or
Labor boycotted the Buck Stove Co.
because OF its unfairness and its vio-
laticn of a contract, the supreme court
issued an Injunction forbidding the
Federation 10 publish the fact that
the Buck Co. is unfair. The Amer
lean Federation of Labor is made up
of men and women who are seeking
&C benefit common humanity. and hu-
man flesh and blood lacks the stand
ing in court possessed by American
dollars. This fact reminds us of a
point made by Raymond Robins re-
Gently. Noting that No. SS,r work
man in a Chicago mill had died, and
that neither the coroner nor the un>
dertaker could ascertain who NO. sS'
was. Mr.. Robins tersely remarked:
You couldn't lose dollar like that
in this Christian country
But when business men institute a
boycott il is different You haven't
heard of the Board OF Trade mem
bers of Omaha being haled before a
court and threatened with fine and
Imprisonment. have your You haven't
noted that they were enjoinej By some
federal Judge. have youe
Yet the Omaha Board of Trade is
prosecuting a boycott against the
Rock Island Railway Co, and pushing
il with : vigor that would make Uncle
Sam Gompers go some TO keep ster
with
The Omaha Board of Trade insists
that the Rock Island road has dis
eliminated against Omaha in the mat
ter of grain rates. giving Kansas Cit,
The best of it. and for that reason
the organization is issuing boycott cir
cuisrs and Omaha business men an
ooycoVring the Rock Island in grea
shape, But this particular boycott i
matter of dollars. not 4 matter o
human flesh and blood 1t is pros
eu1ed for the purpose of putting NOR
: dollars into the till. not more foo
. into the mouths Of hungry humanit,
II Is prosecuted for the purpose c
putting more champagne in the &C
: lar. not more clothing upon shfverin
children
. No. the Rock Island isn't ralkin
about resorting TO the courts, Pres
. dent Biddle is pleading for -srhiSr'
. ton If he were dealing with q X
4 lot of common. ordinary workingme
: he would not waste his time talkir
about fair play" and arbitration
He would send one of his trusty leg
s henchmen 10 the nearest and mo
: complsisans federal Iuds@and. pre-