Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
FALL OUT
Social Science Meeting EnIiv-
ened by Hot Debates.
RALSTON VS.. LlTTLEFIELD
Injunction Against Labor Subject Of
Hot Discussion.
GOMPERS' TALK IS CUT SHORT
Everett p. Wheeler Refuses to Re-
quest Confederation Of Criticisms
Of Littleheld's Law Lore.
GOMPERS' TALK Is CUT SHORT

of Littledeld's Law Lore.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 9.-An-
mated discussion Of the old question of
the issuing of injunctions against labor
organizations. which stirred up feeling
among the speakers: severe criticism or
the manner In which newspapers report
criminal court proceedings and declara-
tons that the criminal insane should be
treated the same as sane Offenders, were
features Of the closing sessions Of the
annual meeting Of the American Academy
Of Political and Social Science here to-
day.
The morning session was enlivened by
an acrimonious debate between J. H.
Ralston of Washington D. c.. who spoke
against injunctions in certain cases, and
former Congressman c. e. Littlefield Of
New York, who took the opposite view.
At the close of the same session Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation Of Labor. also speaking on
the injunction question, was cut short
incensed that he had not been above.
the same time as other speakers and
charged that he had not been fairly
treated
vice PRESIDENT James 3 sherman, VINO
came here from Washington late this
afternoon, presided at the closing ses-
sion tonight. which was devoted to a
discussion of the respect for law In the
United States.
Ralston vs.. Littlefeld.
After Commissioner of Labor Charles
P. Neill. who presided this morning, had
explained the use Of injunctions, Mr..
Ralston, one of the attorneys for Messrs.
Gpmpers Mitchell and Morrison in the
Bucks Stove boy colt case, denounced the
misuse of injunctions. He was followed
in an address by Mr.. Lttlefield, who up
held the right of courts to issue 1nJunc-
tons in all cases where the court is con-
WINGED that irreparable damage is about
to be done.
Lttlefeld challenged every point in Mr.
Ralstons speech, which opposed the is
suing of injunctions in certain cases, and
defied him to show one case in which an
injunction was granted where the act
charged would not have been crime.
Mr.. Littlefield charged Mr.. Ralston with
suppressing much of the English law,
which Mr.. Ralston quoted in defending
the peaceful boycott. Mr.. Ralston denied
the charge.
They were rapidly getting to personalities
when Commissioner Neill ended the de-
bate, stating he felt sure that when the
two speeches are printed In the academy
would be able to decide the question un-
der discussion.
Gompers Cut Short.
The interruption of Mr.. Gompers came
at the end Of the morntng session. which
ran well into the afternoon. Mr.. Gompers
had spoken against the right of courts
to issue injunctions in certain cases, and
had occupied the platform about half an
hour. Then Chairman Neill arose and
touched him on the shoulder, informing
him his time was up.
Mr. Gompers gathered up his notes in
obvious disgust, and turned to resume his
chair.
We'll" he said. you allowed Little
field an hour and twenty minutes. But
that's always the way"
Instantly there were cries from all over
the house for the labor leader to go on.
He doggedly shook his head. Chairman
Neill declared the meeting adjourned.
Mr.. Gompers seemed especially bitter be-
cause of the attacks Of former Repre-
sentative Littlefield upon Mr. Ralston.
"Littlefeld's speech was insulting and
abusive" declared the labor leader. Raj
ston is neither scoundrel nor liar.
Mr. Littlefield Is an ex-representative and
I am proud to say that I assisted ma
terially in placing the preht 'ex' before
his name
Mr.. Gocpers, in opening his speech.
denied that labor assailed the judges Of
the courts on the ground of corruption.
Employer and Employe.
To-day" he said. I'VE continue the old
conception of master or servant in our
view of the relations between employer
and employe. But this conception has
come to be that Of master and slave
Our judges are men, who, by training
and environment, are Influenced to a
conception of the employers relations as
that of master over servant.
III I had come from generations of
masters and employers, and had been sent
to college and universities and had been
impressed mainly with the right of prop
erty and with little consideration for the
rights Of the man. I might have thought
the same way as these judges think to-
day.
But 1 am a graduate of the University
Of Hard Knocks, and l have come from a
line of ancestors who were also graduates
of the University of Hard Knocks. Il
myself was a laboring man, working for
wages for twenty-six years.
when the court denies me the right
to speak to fellow-man peaceably am
with his consent, I propose to speak with
him notwithstanding. So far as an in"
junction undertakes to restrain men from
assault, arson and the destruction OF
property, even that. hold, does not and
cannot lie in Injunction proceedings, for
the doing of these things Is a crime for
which the law specifically provides pun
ishment.
II do not speak as a lawyer, but as a
layman. But have the law rubbed so
thoroughly against my fur in the wrong
way on this subject that think I know
something Of the proposition"
1t was at this point that Mr. Gompers'
speech was interrupted.
Leavitt Assails LittleAeld.
There was an aftermath Of the breezy
morning session at the afternoon meeting
when John Brooks Leavitt, chairman of
the committee on criminal procedure of
the New York State Bar Association,
arose to read his paper on ITO What
Extent Should the Insane be Made Amen
able to the Criminal Law"
He said he wished to refer to Mr.. Lit
tlefield and the latters charge that Mr.
Ralston in his address had misstated the
law.
81 have been a member of the bar OF
New York CITY," he said, much longer
than Mr.. Littlefeld. I am counsel not
only for one Of the most hated corpora
lions in the United States but also for
two large labor unions, so that my posi-
ton is absolutely impartial. l say to
you that Mr.. IIttleneld misstated the
law.