The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-05-15
LABOR LEADERS WIN IN
FAMOUS CONTEMPT CASE
Continued From Page one.

was trying to unionize the company's
SHOPS. The labor leaders urged that
the company was unfair to labor.
Inc head Of the company was ]. w.
van Cleave, president Of the National
manufacturers association, which had
often come into conflict with the fed
Grafton. He was charged with having
been opposed to organized labor, and
with having sought to put his nickel
plate workers on ten-hour instead
of a nine-hour basis.
Justice Gould, of the district SUI
preme court issued the Injunction
prayed for by the company. An appeal
was taken to the court Of appeals Of
the District of Columbia but before
that court could pass upon the validity
or the injunction, The Bucks stove
and Range Co. again came into the
district supreme court, this time with
charges of contempt against Presi-
dent Gompers, Vice President Mitchell
and Secretary Morrison. These men
We're accused of having violated the
injunction decree.
Justice Wright found them guilty
and sentenced President Gompers to
one year in jail; Vice President Mitch
ell to nine months; and Secretary
Morrison, to six months An appeal
was taken from this sentence, first to
the court of appeals, which affirmed
1t, and finally to the supreme court
OF the United States, where it Is now
pending.
The alleged violations consisted Of
utterances andacts In furtherance OF
the boycott. 1t was charged that Mr..
Gompers had rushed out the January
number Of The American Federationist
the official organ Of the American
Federation of Labor so as to evade
the decree, which went into effect the
day after most of the magazines were
out OF his hands. This magazine con-
tanned the name of the company on
the "We-Don't- Patronize," or Unfair"
list. 1t was also alleged that a number
OF copies OF this magazine were sent
out after the decree became effective.
In defense, testimony was presented
to show that only thirty odd copies
We're mailed to Libraries and other
similar institutions. The complainant
claimed that about 100 were sent out.
1t was further charged that in the
succeeding number of The Federation
list, Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison
joined In an appeal to organized labor
for funds to carry the injunction case
to the higher court. 1t was commended
that this appeal was used as a vehicle
to continue the boycott The charges
stated that the appeal referred to an
editorial in the same number of the
magazine as setting forth the attitude
OF those making the appeal. This ed
ftorial was attributed to Mr. Gompers
individuals as members of organ
lied labor" this publication said, will
still exercise the right to buy or not
to buy Bucks stoves and ranges 1T
Is an examplihcation of the saying
that you lead horse to water, but
you can't make him drink"
Another charge was that In The
March Federationist Mr.. Gompers
published an editorial, in which 1t was
said: "It should be borne in mind
that there Is no law, aye. not even
a court decision compelling union men
or their friends of labor to buy a
Bucks stove or range. No, not even
to buy a Loewe hat
1T a public address in New York IN
April, 1908, Mr. Gompers said, it was
charged: "Of course in the case Of
the Bucks Stove and Range co. If III
tell you that the Bucks Stove and
Range CO. was was still unfair, when
/ get back to washington tomorrow
or some place where they say people
play checkers with their noses--well
as say. am not prepared to tell
you that these things are unfair. But
there is no law, no court decision that
compels you to buy them nor does
any law compel you to buy anything
without the union label"
From another address by Mr.. Gorn-
pers In Chicago, In May 1908, was
taken language alleged to have been
in violation Of the injunction,
In addition to the urgent appeal"
in which Mr.. Mitchell Joined, he was
accused Of having acted In contempt
by presiding over the United Mine
Workers convention when it adopted
d resolution to fine any member who
bought Bucks stove.
In addition to the urgent appear