The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-07-15
AMENDMENT
DEFEATED
Act That Would Have
Given La bor Relief
Turned Down by Con-
gress-Men Must be
Elected That Will Stand
Fire.

The injunction and contempt pro.
ceedings in the federal courts growing
out of the now famous Buck Stove and
Range case are full of alarming portent
to the trade union movement of this
country. If the United States supreme
court shall declare in effeht that
labor union is a combination in re-
straint of trade, an illegal trust. amen
able to the workings of the Sherman
anti trust law, who can fOresee the far
reaching effect upon labor organiza-
tions? Already we have the hatters'
organization mulcted for an enormous
sum and the individual members of that
organization in danger of seeing their
homes, savings, their all swept away
by court decisions.
That the Sherman antitrust law
was not originally intended to apply
to voluntary organizations formed to
protect and control, not n finished pro-
duct of commerce but the labor power
of the working men and women OF our
land to produce, has been totally ig
nored by the courts and congress. The
labor power of the wage worker and
farmer has been set on exactly the same
plane as the combinations known as
the sugar trust. the beef trust the
paper trust. and the thousand and one
industrial tombiHations that deal I'm
and control the output of mans pro-
ducing power.
Knowing the danger that threatens
the officials of the American Federation
of Labor and farmer organizations have
plead with congress to amend the Sher-
man law. The trainers of that act
solemnly assured our representatives.
that in no sense could it be construed
as applying to organizations such as
ours that dealt in no product but mems
labor power. Forgotten are these prom
ises. Congress refused to make good
its own pledge.
1t went farther than that. Where it
ignored it now threatens. Attached to
the srndry civil bill was a rider APP
propriating the sum of 100000 to the
legal branch of the government for the
prosecution of illegal trusts At the
instance of our Representatives an
amendment to this bill was offered by
Representative Hughes of New Jersey
providing that no part of this money
shall be used by the government in the
prosecution of organizations of farmers
Ior wage workers. Instantly the manu-
facturers of the country flew to arms
and demanded of congress the defeat of
the amendment. And Taft, he of the
judicial temperament, threw all the
weight of his influence against the
amendment, declaring it 'class legisla-
ton" And the amendment was defeat
ed Stripped of protection by legisla-
tive enactment. if the highest tribunal
in the land shall declare combinations
of working men voluntarily formed for
mutual interest and protection Illegal
the last legal buIwark of organized la
bor will be swept away.
1t means too much for us to fold
our hands and bow our heads and 81
Ilently await the descent of the judicial
lake. Relief must come from congress.
There the injury started and it is there
that reparation must he made. In
leach senatorial or congressional district
the candidate for election or reelection
must be subjected to the closest scru-
tinv as to his past rcord on labor leg
islation or his attitude ON matters af-
fecting the interests of the laboring
class. 1t is not SO important that we
elect Democrat or Republican TO con
eress as il is that we elect man who
will safeguard the interests of the toll
ing masses That a man is an insur-
gent or a near-Sociahst, does not damn
him with us il he is right, nor will it
help him if he is wrong.
If the Big Interests of the country
own congress it does not matter rap
to the people whether it be Republican
or Democratic Party fealty is party
ignominy if it involves the betrayal Of
the inherent rights of the people.
Sean closely the record of every con
gressional candidate. If he stood up
manfully in congress and voted for la
Dor legislation he will receive our vote
though he be the loudest insurgent that
ever insurged That's the way we feel
. on this subject. All the renegade terms
the standpatters heap upon his head,
or ours. will not shake that determine
+ tion. Go to the records, people, go To
) the records. Organized labor must not
be swept off the map by adverse court
, decisions when It lies within the power
1 of the workers themselves to elect
2 mnn to congress who viii safeguard
5 their interests by intelligent remedial
legislation.