The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-02-04
BOYCOTT IS
SUSTAINED
Anti Meat Campaign
Shows Weapon in
New Light.
By M. GRANT HAMILTON.
General Organizer A. F. of L.

The right of labor organizations to
abstain from purchasing the products
of establishments deemed unfair to
them was called into question when the
Buck Stove and Range Company insti-
tuted suit to compel the American
Federation of Labor to cease the publ
cation of the products of the company
in question in its "We Don't Patronize
List" The principle involved in this
case is whether or not the organiza-
tions of labor have the legal right by
concerted action to purchase or not to
purchase, for a reason or for no rea-
son, the products of any establishment.
The first boycott in American history
was that instituted by the Colonies
against the manufactured products of
Great Britain upon the passage by the
English parliament of the first stamp
act. The boycott resulted in a repeal
of the act. A second act, however, q
little different in form. caused the Col
onies to again place a boycott upon the
products of British manufacturers. sub
scriptions and bonds being signed by a
large majority of the merchants to car
ry to a successful conclusion the boy
colt.
Conspicuous among the champions of
this boycott We're George Washington,
Peyton Randolph, Patrick Henry, Rich
ard Henry Lee and Thomas Jefferson.
George Washington, in a letter to his
friend, Mr.. Mason, urged that the boy
colt be prosecuted with vigor, even to
the point of refusing to purchase any
of the wares of any merchant who in
sisted upon buying the tabooed articles
from British manufacturers. This let
ter constitutes what is termed the Sec
ondary boycott.
The right to boycott has become an
interesting question, inasmuch as the
public in general as well as the news
papers, has emphatically declared its
belief in it.
Paul Thieman, editorial writer for the
Kansas City Post, in the January oath
issue, pertinently summarized the pres
ent anti meat eating agitation in its
relation to the attitude maintained by
labor unions for the right to boycott.
1t is as follows:
"One of the very interesting features
of the antitrust crusade has been over
looked, namely the quick and excellent
generalship of the labor unions in seiz-
ing an opportunity of decisive benefit
to their cause. 1t will be re-
membered that the issue in the cele-
brated Washington case, in which ma
tional labor leaders were held to be in
contempt of court, rested upon the rela-
tion of free press and free speech to
carrying on a boycott. If
a boycott, when carried on by organi-
cations, contravened the Sherman anti
trustlaw, and the publicity of this boy
colt by printed and spoken word proved
the existence of conspiracy in restraint
of trade, then, in principle at least the
support of the present meat boycott by
organizations, is contravention of law
and presto! the entire American news
paper press is found fomenting the very
act for which the labor leaders were
held to be in contempt of court.
1t is, of course, impossible to prose
cute tens and hundreds OF thousands OF
persons and their sympathizers and thus
the meat boycott appears to sustain, in
the broad sense at least, the contention
of the labor unions. If an act
not unlawful on a large scale, how can
men be held in contempt of court fol
doing the same thing on a smaller
scaleY Contempt of court
cannot--in the final sense-be an
agency to penalize acts not wrong il
themselves. And thus. by
general public impulse, the lawfulnes'
of the boycott is now being established.