The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-14
GOMPERS TAKES
issue With TAFT

In a strong editorial in the Amer
lean Federationist for January, 1911,
Samuel Gompers. editor of the maya
zine and president OF the American
Federation Of Labor, takes issue with
President Taft on his position with
reference to the abuse of the injunc-
tion power by the courts and the legis-
lation proposed by the president to
govern the use Of said power.
Taft Father of Bad Iniunetions
Mr.. Gompers states that when Pres
ident Taft was a federal Judge he
paved the way and built the founda-
ton for the abuse Of the writ of in
Junction He declares further that Mr..
TAFT, while Judge, issued this species
of Injunction, and that in his speeches
during his presidential campaign he
defended 1t, as he also did in his mes
sage to the present session Of congress.
In this message, under the caption,
Injunction BILL" the president says:
Il wish to renew my urgent recon-
mendation made in my last annual
message In favor Of the passage of a
law which shall regulate the issuing
of tntuncrions in equity without notice
IN accordance with the best practice
now In vogue In the courts of the
United States regard this OF es-
pecial Importance, first because it has
been promised and second because it
will deprive those who now complain
of certain alleged abuses in the i'm
proper issuing OF injunctiOns without
notice OF any real ground for further
amendment and will take away all
semblance OF support for the extreme
ly radical legislation they propose,
which will be most pernicious if adopt
ed, will sap the foundations of judicial
power and legalize that cruel social
instrument, the secondary boycott"
Presidents Reasoning SoPhistry
1.-THE Noon BILL" Mr.. Gompers says,
els the one President Taft recommends
for enactment. 1t is known as the adj
ministration bill, and provides for no
tice where no frreparable injury is
alleged. OF course, everyone knows
that every petition for Injunction al
leges irreparable injury"
Referring to the presidents advo-
cacy OF the Moon bill Mr.. GOmpers
continues: He says it is in accord
ance with the best practice now in
vogue in the United States Is il?
Let us see. Notice was given in the
injunction issued by Justice Gould
against the officers Of the American
Federation Of Labor and under which
three of them have Jail sentences hang
ing over them Of twelve, nine and six
months Did the notice that a great
wrong was about to be inflicted mini
miZe the wrong or the injury"
What Moon Bill Would Do
Mr.. Gompers contends further that
the enactment Of the Moon bill would
serve no other purpose than that Of
legalizing the issuance of such injunc-
tions, and giving the sanction Of law
to what is now simply judicial in
vasion, court made law" In his opin-
ion the president knows, or ought to
know, that so long as a writ Of in
junction is issued against the men of
labor, when no such writ would be is
sued against citizens in any other
walk OF life-while such injunctions
are issued against labor men when
engaged in a dispute with an employer
when they would not be issued if no
such dispute existed-labor men will
not only complain, but will insist on
and finally secure the right to which
they are justly entitled-equality be-
fore the law with all other citizens
Labor Favors Wilson Bill
Organized labor, according to Mr..
Gompers, favors the bill on the sub
Ject OF intunctions introduced in the
national house of representatives by
Congressman Wilson, of Pennsylvania,
and claims that it does not contain an
important provision which does not
find It's counterpart in the British
trades dispute act. He declares: "The
enactment of the Wilson bill will not
sap the foundations Of judicial power
1t will instill greater respect for and
greater confidence in the judiciary and
thereby strengthen the lawful powers
invested in IT. In addition, it will re-
store to the workers the rights of
which they have been deprived by the
perverston of the law and the invasion
Of their constitutional rights. And
what Is more to the point, these rights
win be restored, opposition to the
contrary Notwithstanding"