The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-01
SHACKLES LABOR.
Injunction Issued by a New York
Justice.
AGAINST THE UNION SHOP.
Judge Calls Strike Of cleakmaksrs q
Conspiracy In Restraint Of Trade
Invasion Of Guaranteed Rights o.
iher<x Sava GocnoAra

Judge Calls strike o. Cjookmokoro q
Conspiracy In Restraint Of Trade.
Invasion Of Guaranteed Rights Of
Liberty. Says Gompsrs.
Once more the labor movement has
been unreasonably and despotically
enjoined by a court ruling. and this
one goes a bolt shot beyond anything
OF the kind in its specific bearing ever
before issued. The ruling came from
Justice Cot Of the New York state
supreme court and is to the effect that
a strike which demands the union
shop is a conspiracy in restraint OF
trade.
The decision grew out Of the strike
of the union cloakmakers in New
York city, which Justice Gof says was
ordered in its primary purpose ito bet
ter the condition of the workman" but
really Ito deprive other men Of the
opportunity of their right to work"
Justice Con cites one Of the articles
OF compromise presented by represent
atives of the union to the manufac,
turers, as follows:
'"rhc association shall obligate each
Of its members to employ union men
as long as the union shall be able to
furnish union men who can do the
work properly. Within two weeks the
nonunion men shall join the union"
This clause. he asserts. which shows
the purpose animating the strike. as
interpreted by the court. is clearly un-
lawful, and he passes to the conduct
of the strike.
"If the unions" he states. have
not formally directed a systematic
course Of aggression by criminal acts.
the members Of the unions. acting in
concert. have connived at and morally
supported such acts ON the part of
many of their members In pursuance
Of a common object"
Samuel Gompers. president Of the
American Federation of Labor. in re-
ply to Justice COTS decision made the
following response:
THE unions are going to live. The
unions of the working people are the
outgrowth Of our industrial and eco
nomic conditions. Without the unions
there is no possibility for protection to
the worker against the tyranny OF
the absolute autocratic sway of con-
centrated capital and greed. Let any
one imagine IL he can what the condi-
lions of the working people would be
today II the capitalists. the corpora
tons and the trusts had full and an
checked sway without the union OF
labor in existence. Misery, poverty
and degradation. with slavery in their
wake-thcse would be the results The
republic based upon the sovereignty of
its citizens depends upon the intelli-
gence of its people. the great mass OF
whom are the working people. and un-
less they have the opportunity for not
only work. but Development, rest re
cuperation and leisure. that they may
secure better wages. better homes and
higher intelligence. the republic
would necessarily be doomed and we
would have an aristocracy and an en-
pire. or IN empire founded upon q de
graded people
The unions Of labor have done
more than any other human agency to
develop a higher character. better
manhood and broader conception Of
duty Of citizenship among the working
people Of our country. Justice Con
quotes an unjust decision In support 81
his own. and that is supposed to be
good law. The unions Of labor viii
live despite injunctions and decisions
which invade consntutionally guaran-
teed rights Of human liberty"