The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-18
ktlaCk Made On
 Blacklist Law
Manufacturers Say That it is Un-
 constitutional

Hartford, Jan. 17-The Manufactur- CTS Association of Hartford County
 has taken the necessary steps to have determined whether Chapter 163 of the Public Acts of 1911, which is entitled
 "an act concerning blacklisting,'' is constitutional. Charles H. Lay, the secretary of the association. was be- fore Judge Edward L. Steele in the police court yesterday morning, charg- ed with violating the provisions of the act. As the prosecution was brought at the instance of the association to have the constitutionality of the act for the association and, incidentally for MT. Lay. All of the al egations of the complaint were admitted to be true. MT. Wells, in behalf of MT. Lay, filed a demurrer to the complaint Judge Steele, as it was expected he would do, promptly overruled the de- murrer. He then imposed a fine of $50 and costs on MT. Lay. An appeal of the steps necessary to get the case before the supreme court to have the constitutionality of the statute deter mined.
 MT. Wells said yesterday morning that the prosecution was brought on com pIaint of the labor commissioner at the request of the Manufacturers Association of Hartford county, which wants the validity of the act passed on by the supreme court. The com plaint charged MT. Lay with being the secretary ana agent ana d mem Der of the Manufacturers Association of Hartford County, an association conducted for the purpose, among others, of preserving and furnishing to it's members information descrip- tive of the character, skill, acts and
 affiliations of persons whereby their standing in trade, reputation and abil- ity to secure employment may be af- fected, and, having in his custody, as such secretary, a record of such 1nfor- nation, did neg,ect and refuse to fur
 nish the names of the members of said association, together with the formation as is required by Chapter 163 Of the Public Acts of 1911, to be | furnished to the commissioner of the | bureau of labor upon the demand of said commissioner"
 There are three sections to the act, but the whole law in so far it 1 relates 70 the manufacturers' associa-
 tlon is contained in the first section | which reldE:
 NO person or corporation, nor any | agent or attorney thereof, nor any aS- ! sociations of persons or corporations | shall maintain, subscribe to, belong to | or support any bureau or agency con- | ducted for the purpose of preserving
 and furnishing to any member there l of, or to others, information deScrip-
 tive of the character, skill. acts, oI 1 affiliations of any person whereby his
 reputation, standing in trade, or abil- | ity to secure emp oyment may be af- l | such information shall be open at al
 reasonable times to the inspection ol i the person to whom such information
 relates. or his duly authorized agent | or attoIbey. All items of informatio perta aiming to each person so described | shall be recorded, in reasonable, clear
 and uaaIlihiguous terms, on a single l sheet or card, and all records pre-
 served in any such bureau or agency | shall be at all times open to the in- spection of the commissioner of the | bureau of labor statistics. The name | of the person or corporation, together with the names of the officers of any bureau or agency, the exact business l address of such bureau or agency, and the name of every subscriber thereto
 or member thereof. shall be furnished promptly to the commissioner of the bureau of labor statistics and by hipn 1 recorded and preserved in a conven- | iehI form for public inspection The statute provides a minimum fine of $50 and a maximum of not more than $200 for eoch offense.
 The demurrer which MT. Wells filed | is of some length, but the principal constitutional questions he raises and | which he claims the act violates are
 speech and that it provides for con
 1scation of property without due pro- cess of law.
 1t is not at all likely that any judge
 of the superior court will take it uron himself to say that the act is uncon- the supreme court. The appeal will ccme before the Superior court in
 March, Judge Gardiner Greene, presid- ing, and 1t can be gotten into shape to go before the May term of the
 supreme court in this city.