The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-18
MIR. GOMPERS ON THE STAND Labor Leader Answers
 Question. VIOLATED COURTS ORDER Tells Why He Rushed Out His
 Paper. Says He Wanted to Get the stove Conn pany on the "Unfair List' as
 Quickly as Possible
 To Do So.

Washington, Sept. 1.-The taking of testimony in the Gompers-Mftchell- Morrison alleged contempt case in connection with the Bucks Stove and Range Company anti-boycott proceed ings against these officials of the Amer ican Federation of Labor was resumed by Examiner Harper today with Presi- dent Gompera on the stand.
 MT. Day enport again was interro- gator for the prosecution and he sought especially to develop the facts concerning the circulation of the Jan uary issue of the "Federationist." the official publication of the organization, which number. Mir. Gompers stated, was expedited In order that 1t might be gotten out before the injunction should become operative.
 MT. Gompers said that he personally attended to the getting out of the publication but he could not recall that an exceptionally large number had been printed.
 When Mir. Davenport sought to de- yelop particular details about that proceeding Mir. Gompers replied:
 If you'll tell me just what you want, I'll frankly tell you and thus save you the time and trouble neces- sary to do much probing.
 ContininE, Mr. Gompers said that when he gave orders for the expedtt- ing of the edition he had not been aware that the injunction would be made operative, but on the contrary ne had considered It possible that the stove company would rest satisfied after obtaining Justice Gould's opinion and would not further prosecute the matter.
 When the injunction became effec- tive. he had taken the precautfon to call In the employees of The Fedora tionist and caution them doing any thing that might be in violation of the courts order. He said that after the injunction went into effect he had not done anything to head off the copies that had been placed in the malls or sold to the news companies,
 Davenport Questi0ns.
 Mir. Davenport asked Mr. Gompers 70 state ass puTDoaa ifa sendanB o0f kne January issue after the injunction was granted.
 was 1t to anticipate the operation of the decree which otherwise would have prevented you from Issuing itT'
 MT. GoInpeTs reElied that he had not been sure whether Mir. Van Cleave would file his bond and thus make the decree operative. But in any event. he went on, " l wanted to issue the January number just as 1t had been prepared prior to December g"
 with the name of the Buck Stove Company on the unfair list?' Mir. Day. enport suggested.
 X Mir. Gompers replied in the affirma- tive.
 Was not your motive to be found in the apprehension that the injunction would be carried into effect?
 "I had no motive in particular There was no injunction in existence to pre- vent my getting the issue out
 What was the occasion for the hurryT
 T wanted to get the issue out before tEe injunction decree became opera tive"
 "Why?"
 That Is a question I ought not be called upon to answer"
 MT. Davenport insisted and Mir. Com pers replied: "I wanted to get the issue out so we could continue the we don't patronize list without interrup- ton"
 without interruption by whom?"
 '"Without interruption by any one." MT. Gompers replied.
 Did you not mean that you wanted to avoid the interruption of the court?"
 'The answer includes all" said Mir. Gompers. --.,.-
 There was danger of interruption by the Rucks Company"