The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-02-27
Denial of Free Press and Free
Speech is Destruction of
American Liberties.
NATION IS CONFRONTING
MOST SERIOUS CRISIS
Shall Judges Created by Congress
Enact Laws That Congress
Cannot Enact?
Special to Labor World.


that their leaders shall not be sent
to Jail for asserting their rights of
free press and free speech, union men
and women of this city attended in
large numbers the protest mass meet
ing recently held under the auspices
OF the Central Federated Union at
Grand Central Palace. ..
Resolutions Adopted.
Resolutions pledging moral and
financial support to the American
Federation Of Labor were unanimous
ly adopted. The resolutions are as
follows:
Whereas, on Wednesday, December
2S, 1908, Judge Wright Of the Supreme
court Of the District Of Columbia
handed down a decision in the con-
tempt case of the Buck Stove and
Range company, and declaring Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank
Morrison, respectively president, vice
president and secretary of the Americ-
an Federation of Labor, guilty of con-
tempt in violating an injunction and
each receiving a sentence Of one year,
nine months and six months. respec-
lively. in the penitentiary; and,
Whereas, organized labor contends
that the use of the writ Of injunction
in labor disputes is contrary to con-
stitutional law and destructive to
American liberties and a denial of
the right of free speech and free
press; and
Whereas, Brothers Gompers, Mitch
ell and Morrison in performing their
duty have neither violated any law of
state or nation, the contempt alleged
by Judge Wright being a restraining
order which would prevent them from
exercising their rights as guaranteed
by the constitution of our country,
and for exercising those rights as
guaranteed they are declared guilty
OF contempt OF court therefore, be it
resolved. that organized labor, it's
sympathizers and friends in mass
meeting assembled at Grand Central
Palace, New York city, on Wednes-
day, February II, 1909, enters it en-
phatic protest against said decision
and against any judge-made law; and
be it further
"Resolved, that we commend Presi-
dent Gompers, Vice President Mitchell
and Secretary Morrison and pledge
financially in their endeavor to legally
secure for the wage workers the in
herent right of free speech and free
press; and be it further
Resolved, that copies of these reso-
lut1ons be forwarded to the president
OF the United States, to the president
or tine American Federation Of Labor
and also be given to the press
Excerpts from Addresses.
Judge Wright says that the con-
stitution does not confer free speech
and free press upon US; it simply
prevents the federal government from
interfering with free speech and free
press. But you would infer from that
that there was nothing to prevent a
judge from interfering with free
speech and a free press whenever he
wanted to. 1t IS funny opinion, and
Gompers says, if any man can under
stand what Judge Wright meant he Is
not sane, that's all.
I simply want to call your atten-
tion to this: That the constitution of
the United States no more confers
upon you your religious freedom.
It simply says that the federal govern
ment shall not interfere with it. Isn't
that so? It stands on the same foot
ing as tnis question of free speech.
and there is nothing in that constitu-
tion to prevent Judge Wright from
crushing out religious freedom in the
same way.
I hope the supreme court will re-
verse Judge Wright. But it will de-
pend very much upon what the labor
Ing men of the country do and say.
If 1t is affirmed you won't be per-
united to say anything. You will be
shut up. If the laboring men do not
realize this crisis and act as best they
may, nobody will act. AS in time
of war, so today. it depends upon the
great body Of laboring men to save
the country.
The judicial decision against which
we are met tonight to protest is no
isolated manifestation Of class con-
sciousness on the part Of the capitalist
class. The disposition Of the courts
OF the country to crush the organiza-
tions Of labor has been previously
manifested in many Of the states. Six
months ago in Massachusetts, the su-
prerne court utterly killed trades
untonism by making it illegal for a
labor organization to fine it's own
members for disobedience to the rules
to which they had mutually sub
scribed.
Conservative lawyers stood aghast
at this astonishing judicial perform
ance; and even the students of the
Boston law schools saw its absurdity
and discussed it with wondering COM
ment. But, however absurd it may be-
the decision Is of legal record, and
trades unionism in Massachusetts will
feel the iron bands which fetter it,
Al s&sSFE C0ntSnuod on Page T. ri