The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28
Strong 0utcry Made Upon
Decision Of Justice GOff
CONSPIRACY IS ALLEGED
Decision of Judge Gof Grants Injunc-
tion to Manufactures Ground
Tint a Closed Shop Is
Kind of Trust

New York. August 27-Parades of pro-
test broke out all over the east side this
morning on receipt of the news that JUS
tice Goff had ruled in the state supreme
court today that a strike which demands
the CLOSED shop is a conspiracy In re-
straint of trade. Bands of 6O,000 cloak
makers now on strike marched through
the streets, one of them to city hall, car
rying banners and American flags, and
shouting CLOSED shop at every step.
There was no violence, but apparently
the decision had greatly strirred the
strikers.
Justice Goff's decision granted an in
junction to a member of the Manufacture
ers' Protective association in restraint Of
acts of violence, threats, picketing and
patrolling by strikers. THE primary pur-
pose of this strike,'' reads his finding, ''is
not to better the condition of the work.
man, but is to deprive other men of the
opportunity of their right to work. He
supports his ruling with recent decision
of the state court of appeals against the
Thompson Starrett company, a large
building corporation, which he cites as
follows:
The court of appeals has held that 1t
is against the policy OF the state for em-
ployers who control practically the whole
trade in a community to combine for the
purpose of compelling workmen to join
union as condition of employment
If the rule thus laid down be the law,
and it must be accepted as such, be-
ing the latest expression of the court of
appeals, 1t must be applicable to work
men as we'll as to employers It would
be repugnant to reason to hold that Il.
applies to one and not to the other. If a
combination of one to refuse employment
except on condition of joining q union, be
against public policy, a. combination of
the other to cause refusal OF ernpioy-
ment. except on condition of joining a
union. is alike against public policy
Justice Gof then cites one of the ar
ticles of the compromise presented by
representatives of the union to the manu-
facturers as follows:
THE Association of Manufacturers 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 sha1i join the union"
This clause, he continues, which shows
the purpose animating the strike, as in
terpreted by the court, is clearly unlaw-
full. and he passes to the conduct of the
strike. 'If the unions" he stated, "have
not formally directed a systematic course
of aggression by criminal acts, the men,
bers of the unions, acting in concert,
have connived at and morally supported
such acts on the part of the many of
their members in pursuance of a COM
mon object.
A final vote on the tentative agreement
reached yesterday between the strikers
and the manufacturers, details of which
have already been published. will not be
reached until late tonight and possibly
will not be made public until tomor-
row.
General opinion inclines to the belief
that the terms will be accepted, although
there is much complaint that they are
not more favorable to the strikers.