Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-04
G0MPERS ET AIS
MUST GO TO JAIL
Court of Appeals Affirms Decree
Adjudirg Labor Leaders in
Contempt.

Washington, Nov 1.-The district
court Of appeals to-day affirmed the de-
cree OF the supreme court OF the District
Of Columbia adjudglng President Samuel
Gompers. Secretary Frank Morrison and
president John Mitchell OF the
American Federation CT Labor guile ~
contempt OF court In tho Buck stove and
range case. Chief Justice Sheppard dis
sented from the opinion of the court On
constitutional grounds.
The court held that the fundamental
Issue was whether the constitutional
agencies OF government should be obeyed
or de1ed. The mere fact that the de-
PENDANTS were the officers Of organized
labor in America said the court, lent i'm
portance to the cause and added to the
gravity Of the situation, but II should not
be permitted to influence the result. "1f
an organization OF citizens. however,
large" the court held "nay disobey the
mandates OF the court, the same reason
Ing would render them subject to individ-
ual defiance. Both are subject to the
law and neither Is above 1t. II citizen
though he may honestly believe that his
rights have been invaded, may elect when
and to what extent he will obey the man.
dates of the court and the requirements
OF the law as interpreted by the court in
stead of pursuing the orderly course OF
appeal. not only the courts, but govern
ment itself would become powerless and
society would be reduced to a state OF
anarchy"
The action Of the Supreme Court Of the
District Of Columbia in sentencing Sam
uel Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison 20 H.
nine and six months imprisonment. in
Jail. respectively. was the result Of their
failure to obey the order OF the court
directing them TO desist from placing the
Bucks Stove e. Range company {. ST
Louis on their unfair list in the prosecu-
| ton Of a boycott.
PLOTTED IN COLD BLOOD"
ST. Louis. Mo, Nov. 2-J. w. Van
| Cleave. president of the Bucks Stove and
Range company. to-day issued the fol-
! lowing statement concerning the de-
cison in re Gompers. Morrison and Nit
chell:
The assault upon me by the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor in 1906 was
plotted in COLI blood. was assailed
not as an individual but as president
| of the National Association of Manu-
| facturers. The federation did this N
order to show It's power. 1t aimed tc
strike terror into everybody outside It's
own ranks. workers. employers and the
general public alike. and to coerce the
| President of the United States, the Con-
gress and the courts federal and STATE
to do its bidding.
| "Supposing that the leaders of the
federation would deslst from their at
tacks upon our business when enjoined
by the court. was amazed when. t.
disobedience, they added open defiance
| And let IT he rememt cred these VIC
lntors OF law and these assailants ~
the courts were not individual offenders
but acted In the name OF c,cooOO persons
whom they claim to be members o.
their league. What would the countr,
think II tho head OF any great industrial
commercial or transportation interes
I should violate the laws as these ne,
have done and should challenge thu
courts 70 carry out tho law and to en-
force their DEGREES.
1T must be remembered that these
men are not convicted because OF thei
attempt to destroy he business Of thu
Bucks stove and the Range company bu
because they openly dcfed the order
of the federal court"