The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-07-07

Washington. July 6.-When the Unit
ed States supreme court handed down
its decision in the Gompers, Mitchell and
Morrison case. Justice Wright of the SUI
preme court of the District of Columbia
took advantage of the clos
ing sentence of the decision, which says
after dismissal of the ease had been
But without prejudice to the
power and right of the supreme court of
the District of Columbia to punish by "A
proper proceeding contempt, if any
committed against it." Justice Wright
appointed committee of attorneys. =.
J. Darlington, Daniel Davenport and
James Beck. attorneys for the Anti
Boycott association and the National
Manufacturers association, and who as
sisted in the prosecution of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. This commit
tee has now reported to Justice Wright,
and summonses have been served on
President Gompers, Secretary Morrison
and Vice-P President Mitchell, notifying
them that they must appear in court on
July Il to show cause why they should
not be adiudged in contempt of court
In the report of the committee it is sug-
gested that an apology to the court
would provide a means of escaping pun
ishment 1t is stated that all of the
judges of the supreme court of the Dis
trict of Columbia will sit in the case.
but it is asserted that Justice Wright
will decide upon the punishment, if any
punishment there be, which seems i'm
minent at this time. That there will be
any apology forthcoming is hardly in
the realm of possibility President
Gompers has stoutly maintained that in
all his acts during this controversy, he
has only exercised his constitutional
rights 1t is apparent that Justice
Wright and the attorneys whom he APP
pointed on the committee are not salts
fled unless drastic punishment is admin
istered to President Gompers, Secretary
Morrison and Vice President Mitchell.
That the plan has been well laid is not
questioned, but it is question whether
or not the people of this country will
permit the right of free speech and free
press to be denied by court Injunction
Some courts have apparently become i'm
bued with the idea that they have
right not only to interpret and execute
the law. but to make laws to suit their
Even the president of the
United States has seen fit to issue an
executive order denying the right of the
employees of the government to exercise
the prerogatives of free citizenship.
This state of affairs cannot exist in
country like ours. The question of the
power of courts over a free press and
free speech. must be determined and no
better time could be appropriated than
the present. The American Federation
of Labor has at all times been law
abiding organization, and its officers
have persistently advised that under all
the law should be obeyed
But equally with every other class of
the men of labor of this coun-
try do not propose that they shall be
deprived of the rights guaranteed to
each individual under the constitution.
If the sacrifice of the liberty of a few
individuals is necessary to re-estabish
fundamental guarantees. the labor move
ment Of our country has produced men
with sufficient courage to make the sac
rifice. Whatever may be the result. it
can be truthfully predicted that the
American Federation of Labor will he
true to its former history, standing for
the right, whatever the cost, that the
liberty of not only the members of the
labor organizations shall be preserved.
but the whole people as well.