The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-11-11
.4mti-TruSt Law and Hatters.

In connection with the decision of
the United States Supreme Court in the
suit brought under the Sherman Anti
Trust Law by Loewe & Co. against the
United l1atters of North America, it will
be remembered that the original suit for
$4,000 damages was Iemanded for trial
The Federal court for the circuit of Con
necticut authorized the taking of deposi-
tons, then the attorneys for the Loewe
Company led the representatives of the
matters and their attorneys merry
chase around the country, going as far
as California and covering period of
several months. The trial of the case be-
fore jury began Monday, October IL,
and has continued up to the present time
on the part of the plaintiff, the Loewe
Company. All indications point that the
case will be drawn out and that, it may
not be concluded much before the end of
the year.
OF course, it is not difficult to fathom
the reason for such litigation and the
purpose of its prolongation, continues
President Gompers 1.-The whole pro-
eeedings were instituted at the instance
OF the worst elements of the capitalist
class-the National Association of Manu-
facturers and it's allies. The creation
and collection of war fund of a million
and half dollars, under the presidency
of James w. Van Cleavc by the National
Association of Manufacturers discloses
at once the financial ability to insure the
expense of this suit by the plaintiff, the
Locwe Company. It is the evident hope
of labor S opponents to harrass the men
engaged in our movement by litigation;
to exhaust our energies and resources
in defending our organizations and our
men before the courts.
There is a remedy for the outrageous
course pursued by those who autagon-
ize our every effort, that is, the more
thorough organization of the workers and
in the quickening conscience of the people
by which relief may be secured at the
hands of Congress.
1t is pointed out, also, that the VERY
title of the bill conveys it is a law con-
templated to reach, regulate, and deal
with the trusts whose operations are not
with labor, but with the products of la
Dor; that the organizations of the work
with the labor products, but with human
beings, the law ought not and could not
properly have application to them.
Congress has thus far failed to pass
any amendment to the Sherman Anti
Trust Law relieving the labor organiza.
tons from the operations of that law
interpreted by the Supreme Court of the
United States in the suit of Loewe &
Co. Though it is true that since this de-
cision has been rendered but few suits
have been instituted against organized
labor under the provisions of the new
placed upon the law, yet
it is also true that every labor organiza-
ton and every individual member of the
organization are menaccd by the present
status
Effort to 1mend Eight-Hour Bill
MANY strenuous efforts have been
made, proceeds Gompers, "to obtain an
to the Federal eight hour
law SO as to extend its bcneficent pro
visions to all government employees and |
employees of contractors and sub-con- |
tractors doing work for or on behalf of |
the government
1--WE should press the demands for Il |
bill for an eight-hour day to cover the
field here described and hasten the time
when the long, unnecessary and uneco-
nomic ten-hour day will have forever |
passed in our wonderfully productive
workshops, bearing ever in mind that
reducing the hours increases the pay.
adds longer and happier years to life
reduces disease, and is a never failing
preventive or cure for the great white
Dlague.''
In advocating labor secretary in the
Presidents Cabinet. Gompers says:
This demand for department of la
Dor, Independent of any other depart
nent under the government. with. n secre-
AIRY at its head, has been the unanimous
declaration of the organized labor move
ncnt of our country time and again It