The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-15

v
that samuel Gompers. John Mitchell
and Frank Morrison. president. vice
nresident and secretary respectively OF
the American Federation of Labor.
had heen enormously sentenced to Jail
on a charge of contempt of a local
court.
The charges of contempt against
President Gompers, Vice PresloehC
Mitchell and Secretary Morrison arose
ont of a bitter labor war between
organized labor and the Bucks Stove
& Range company of st. Louis, Mo:
The St. Louis concern had come INTO
+be sunreme court of the District OF
columbia to prevent, by Injunction, tne
G1aerican ederation of Labor and its
of5cials from boycotting its own prod
nets or the business of those VINO dedlt
with it, The questions involved ana
~ parties concerned attracted wide
snread attention. The company CLAIM
ed that the Federation was trying 10
,1nionize the company's shops The
labor leaders urged that the company
was "unfair" to labor. The mead OF
tbe company was ]. w. Van Cleave,
oresident of the National Manufac-
turers' association, which had often
come into conflict with the Federation
70 was charged with having been op-
posed to organized labor, and with
workers on a ten hour instead of a
nine hour basis.
Justice Gould of the District su-
Drerne court issued the injunction
prayed for by the company. An appeal
mas taken to the court of appeals of
the District of Columbia, but before
that court could pass upon the validity
of the Injunction, the Buck S Stove &
Range company again came into the
District supreme court, this time with
charges of contempt against President
Gompers, Vice President Mitchell and
Secretary Morrison. These men were
accused of having violated the injunc-
ton decree
One Year in Jail.
Justice Wright found them guiItS
AMI sentenced President Gompers tC
one year in Jail; Vice President Mitch
ell to nine months, and Secretary Nor
rison to six months. An appeal was
taken from this sentence, first to the
court of appeals, which affirmed it
and finally to the supreme court of the
limited States, where it is now pending
The alleged violations consisted Of
utterances and acts 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 Fed.
GRAFTON of Labor so as to evade tht
decree, which went into effect the day
of his hands. This maga zine contain
ed the name of the company on tn,
awe Don't Patronize,'' or Unfair
list. 1t was also alleged that a mum
her of copies of this magazine wer,
sent out after the decree became ef
fective. In defense, testimony wa,
presented to show that only thirty cd,
comics where mailed to libraries anr
other similar institutions. The com
piainant claimed that about one hun
dred were sent OUT
It was further charged that in th,
succeeding number of the Federation
ist. Gompers, Mitchell and Morriso,
ioined in an appeal to organized labo
for funds to carry the injunction cas-
to the higher court. 1t was contende,
that this appeal was used sa vehicl
TO continue the boycott. The charge
stated that the appeal referred to Al
editorial in the same number of III
magazine as setting forth the attitud
of those making the appeal. This edi
torial was attributed to Mr.. Gompers
''Individuals as members of organ
lied labor this publication said. Evil
still exercise the right to buy or not t
buy the Bucks stove and ranges. ]
u an exemplihcation of the saying tha