Rock Island Argus., 1911-05-15


ting aside the sentences of i'm
prisonment imposed by the su-
preme court of the District OF
Columbia, for alleged disobed-
ience to the boycott injunction,
the supreme court Of the Unit
ed States today held Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and
Frank Morrison, president, vice
president and secretary, re-
spectively, of the American
Federation of Labor, had been
enormously sentenced to jail
on the charge of contempt of
the local court.
NOT CRIMINAL CHARGE.
The court unanimously held the
only sentences that could be impos-
ed upon the labor leaders were fines.
In so holding the supreme court of
the United States found the court
of appeals of the District OF Colum-
bia and the supreme court of the
district erred in treating contempt
proceedings as criminal case and |
not civil one.
ORDERED TO DISMISS.
The effect of holding the proceed /
ings a civil one was to make Jail |
sentences impossible. Hence the I
jail sentence had to be set aside. To |
correct the error the case is sentT
back to the local courts with the d. /
rection that it be dismissed.
MAY ENTER SUIT.
At the same time the court ex-
pressly made it possible for civil
proceedings to be instituted against
the labor, men by the Buck Stove e
Range kmpany. at whose instance
the = 4inal contempt case was
brou L.
PROBABLY LAST OF 1T.
nasmuch as all differences be-
tween the labor men and the Buck
company have been adjudicated, in
cluding the boycott" case out of
which the contempt proceedings
arose. today's decision is probably
the last heard of this famous action.
GOMPERs PLEASED.
Gompers said he was gratified that
the supreme court had reversed the
decision OF the lower tribunals.
He believed the sentences of six,
nine and twelve months imposed on
Mitchell, Morrison and himself were
unjustified, unusual and cruel. particu
larly in an alleged constructive con-
tempt and that tht judges language
was Incorporate and unjudicial.
STORY OF CASE.
The charges of contempt against |
President Gompers. Vice President {
Mitchell and Secretary Morrison arose
cut of a bitter labor war between or
ganized labor and the Buck Stove and
Range company of St Louis, Mo.
The ST. Louis concern had come into :,
the supreme court of the District of :
Columbia TO prevent, by injunction, the .
American Federation of Labor and its
officials from bOycotting its own pro-
ducts or the business OF those who .
dealt with It, The questions involved
and the parties concerned attracted
attention. The company .
claimed that the Federation was trying
10 unionize the companys shops. 4
COMPANY HELD UNFAIR.
The labor leaders urged that the com
pany was unfair" 10 labor. The head
0f the company was J. w. Van Cleave,
president of the National Manufactur
srs' association. which had often come
nto conflict with the Federation. He
Vas charged with having been opposed
o organized labor. and with having
sought 10 put his nickel plate workers
IN a 10-hour instea6 of-a 9-hour basis
Justice Gould of the district supreme
curt issued the injunction prayed for p,
y the company. An appeal was taken ~,
o the court of appeals of the District in
# Columbia, but before that court G
ould pass upon the validity of the in n
JUNCTION the Buck Stove and Range r,
ompany again came into the district q,
upreme court. this time with charges
( contempt against President Com n,
ers. Vice President Mitchell and Sec S.
c'ary Morrison. These men we're ac- es
used of having violated the injunc- &C
ion decree or
JAIL SENTENCE FOR ALL. in
Justice Wright found them guilty and
entenCcd President Gomners 10 one III
car in Jail. Vice President Mitchell 10 ba
inc months. and Secretary Morrison at
o six months. An snneaT was taken y