Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-11-02
Axslast Oompsrs.

OpiutOu s"ocpiuS III h7 $780,
I OF Appeals OF the District OF Columbia
today affirmed the judgment of Justice
( Wright of the Supreme Court OF the Dis.
trict OF Columbia 10 imposing Jail stnt'
ences on President Gompers, Vlce-Psesi-
dent Mitchell and Secretary Morrison, OF
the American Federation Of Labor, Tor
contempt OF court In violating the In
junction 10 the Bucks Stove and Range
case.
These sentences were: Gompers, l
year; Mitchell, 9 months, aud Morris
son months.
The opinion was rendered by Associate
Justice Van 0rsdel, and concurred 10
by Justice RObb. Chief Justice Shepard
dissen,td.
"Iudividual interest,"" Justice Van
Osdel said, "dwindles into inslgui6cance
when compared with the higher prici.
Die involved 10 this cause. The fnnda-
mental issue is whether the constitu-
tIousl sgeucies OF government shall be
obeyed or defed. The mere fact that
the defendants are the officers OF orgs-
piEsd labor In America lends importance
to the cause and adds to the gravity OF
the situation, bat it should not be per-
mitted to influence the result. II an
organization of citizens, however large,
may disobey the mandates of the court,
The same reasoning would render them
snbisct to individual de6snce. The one
has no greather right 10 the eyes of the
Law than the other. Both are subject to
the law and neither is above It,"
The District Court Of Appeals has
had The contempt case under consider
alton since lsst spring, aud decision has
been expected sioce the converting OF
their fall term In October. The court
does not render opinions orally from the
bench, and, ia The case of the present
Judgment, the three opinions we're
merely handed to CLERK Hodges, who
in turn transmitted them to the news
paper correspondents. =.
The matter decided today grew out OF
the action Of the American Federation
of Labor in placing the Bucks Stove
and Range Co., of ST. Louis, on the
"we.don't.palronize' list in The monthly
official organ Of the Federation, follow
ing the failure OF an adjustment Of the
Dispute between the Metal Polishef's
Uoion and the Bucks Company, 10
March, 1907.
The Ct. Louis concern thereupou OBJ.
tanned an INJUNCTION from Justice Gould,
of the Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia, 10 prevent further use of their
name 10 that connection. Justice Gould's
l injunction was Of sweeping character,
and forbade any reference in the FEEDER.
alionist or otherwise by the officers OF
the A. F. OF l.. to its alleged unfsirness
TO organized labor. Although emitting
the name Of the company from the 1--WE.
don't.pstronize" list, Gompers and the
others officials OF the A. f. OF L. con.
liuued their csmpsign sgainst the con-
cern 10 editorials, public statements,
snd speeches.
The Bucks Company brought these
facts to the attention OF Justice Wright,
in the absence OF Justice Gould, and last
January he sen eUced the labor leaders
10 jsiI, after delivering one OF the most
scsthing opinions ever handed down in
an American court
He characterized the course pursued
by the defendants as "uiter, rampant.
insoIent defiance" snd further ssid that
"unre6ned insult, coarse sffrOnt, vulgar
indignily measures the litigsnts' con-
ceptiOn of the tribunals due"
President G)mpers aud Vice.president
Mitchell ere oct of town having gone to
New York. Secretary Morrison is 10
the city, but was not ct bis office when
the opinion was reached. All three are
uuder bond.
President GomperS had already de-
clsred that If the decision OF the Court
oil Appeals should go against him and
his associates, the case would be carried
up promptly to the Supreme Court Of
the United States.
Frank Morrison, secretary OF the A.
F. Of L whose sentence By Justice
Wright to six months in Jail was sffirm-
ed 10 today's decision, esid this after
noon that steps would be taken by the
attorneys for the federation Immediately
for an appeal to the Supreme Court of
the United States. Morrison, who was
busy at bis Office, did not even take the
time to read the newspaper reports Of
the decision. He requested his attor.
neyp, however, to procure full copies OF
each of the three opinions, 10 order that
they might be laid before the cOnVen-
ton.
New York, Nov. 2.--Ssmuel Com.
psrs, when he hesrd that the Circuit
Court OF Appeals Of The District of Col.
umbis bad sffimed the sentence imposed
upon him by Justice Wight, of Wash
iuetou, said:
"Whh all due respect to the majority
of the court, | cannot surrender con.
stitulionsliy gpsrsnteed rights because a
Judge will issue an Injunction invading
and denying these rights"
While Gompers has not rad time to
confer with bis attorneys snd cannot
therefore say what future action will
be taken, be indicated that there was
little doubt that the case would 60 i'm
u,edistely to the UOited States Supreme
Court
The Trial of Msdame Sielnheli.
Paris, Nov. 2.-MeD high 10 public
and soclal life of Franco are trembling