The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-29
BY Peter Power.


|preme court decided, in the cele-
brated case of Loew versus the
United Hatters, that boycotting is
illegal, and that the hatters were
liable for damages and costs ag-
|gregating about 100000, has or
|ganized labor received such stun
ming blow as in the decision rem
|dered during the past week by the
Manitoba court of appeals against
the United Association of Plumb
!ers, Gas and Steamfitters.
The plumbers were on strike at
Winnipeg, and, as Is customary in
such controversies, the men sought
to win over to their side number
|of strike breakers who had been
imported to take their jobs. The
employers asked the court for an
injunction to restrain the union
lists from interfering with their
employees, and their prayer was
granted. The plumbers appealed
the case, and the upper court not
only made the Injunction perma-
nent, but ordered the union to pay
the employers $4,000 damages,
and even rules that the union
members are to be assessed per-
sonally and that their property
may be attached to satisfy the
judgment.
The progress of this case has
been watched with keen interest
by union officials all over North
America, for, since the decision in
the hatters' case a number of la
Dor organizations have considered
the advisability of depositing their
funds in Canadian banks for safe
keeping, through their affiliated
local unions in the Dominion. Now
that avenue of escape from dam
age suits for striking, picketing
and boycotting seems to be closed
against them.
The Manitoba decision is being
widely discussed in labor circles,
and will probably continue to be al
live subject for months to come.
The labor officials are becoming
firmly convinced that the anti
union employers, both in thel
United States and Canada, are de-
termined to destroy the labor or-l
by mulcting their
and confiscating what
little property may have been ac-l
by the members.
Take 1t from me, Gompers,
and Morrison, who were
to serve terms in prison
ranging from a year to three
for boycotting Bucks
stoves, will not go to jail. In de-
Gliding Mat 1t is illegal to pub
fish an unfair list. but that the
three labor officials could not bel
prohibited from mentioning, re-
ferring and writing" about a con-
sern that they believed to be UNI
fair, the court of appeals in the
District of Columbia opened a way
of escape for the men.
I have got It straight from
headquarters in Washington that
while Gompers, Mitchell and Nor
rison were ready to serve the SEN
.ence imposed by Justice Wright,
the three men did not believe they
would be actually placed behind
he bars. Powerful politicians
have been planning some way out
If the dilemma, not because they
had any great love for Gompers
md his colleagues, but for the
reason that II those prominent Of
ficials were incarcer'ated a coun-
try-wide agitation would be Great
ed that would be very annoying,
since some very ''unde-
sirable citizens" like Messrs.
Hartman, Armour,
ct al, were charged with commit
ting contempt Of court, but never
served q minute in Jail.
The program Of the anti-union-j
lists Is to outlaw the unfair lists"
without creating too much of a.
row. Hence the prominent labor
officials will be let off with 81
but the little obscure
agitators viii be jailed without
conjunction.
In a Few days the long-expect-
ID struggle on the Great Lakes be-
.ween the vessel owners and thel
marine workers will begin fnl
II will be long. hard