The Washington herald., 1912-06-25
LABOR LEADERS
ARE SENTENCED
Mitchell, Gompers, and Morrison
Declared Guilty Of Con-
tempt Of Court
HEAD OF FEDERATION
MUST SERVE YEAR
Case Will Be Carried Probably to
the United States Supreme
Court.

Holding Samuel Gompers. president oi
the American Federation Of Labor; Johr
Mitchell. vice president, and Frank Nor.
rison. secretary, guilty Of contempt oi
court in connection with the alleged vio-
lation Of the injunction in the Bucks
Stove and Range Company case, Justice
Wright yesterday imposed sentence on
the defendants. Gompers was sentenced
TO serve ono year and Morrison siE
months. Mitchell not being present. SEN
tence on him was withheld by the court
The sentences are Identical with those
passed on the labor leaders December q
1905.
An appeal was noted from the judg-
ment OF contempt and the court fixed
the defendants bonds at 5000 each. The
case In all probability will 90 again tc
the United States Supreme Court. The
labor men claim the present prosecu-
ton Is improperly entitled in equity and
argue that contempt proceedings are
criminal and the subject OF criminal
procedure. All the judges coneurred in
the decision.
Referring to the boycott. the courts
opinion says:
There existed not the mere letting
alone Of the plaintiff and its product.
but an Affirmative, aggressive, and un-
lawful concert Of attack through threats,
DenaGEHs luLlInlQdLUus OALGEH VI NA0ANlAGGp
and coercion upon and against those who
were in business relations with It."
'InwIess Are TeachinEs."
Referring 10 the teachings OF the re-
spondents. Justice Wright said:
There is no room for temporlzing with
these defendants, who are ready to re-
peat In equally determined fashion the
sedition OF the past; assurances TO the
contrary, they themselves have refused
Lawless as are their teachings, they still
proclaim them; TO them they still adhere,
and still incite the III disposed 10 follow
and embrace.
In the melting out Of the laws pun
Lshment. judicial tribunals are obligated
to one principle concern-to make sum
cient example Of the offenders in proper
tion to the gravity OF their ofienses, as
will serve to deter others from offending
in like manner: thus establishing in ad-
vance, so far as the court may, a uni
versal consciousness that the supremacy
OF the law so permeates the very at
mOsphere OF the land so as TO restrain
in advance those who are otherwise
ready to be transgressors.
Not elsewhere does the history OF
Jurisprudence contain so bold. so broad.
so efrectual a contempt OF the judicial
poNtt VI NHe sV'S lllliSAN - ~ Oa' nv
before now does history show an in
stance where the power OF established
sovereignty was rendered fOrceless and
the law for a case was made TO fall IN
its efforts 20 secure to an outraged citi-
zen. the establishment, and vIndIcation Of
its rights
In passing sentence on President Com
pers. the court said:
For the ringleader and chief offender,
the duty Of the court II TO be ascer-
tained by its obligations TO administer
the justice OF the land without respect
to persons requires II in determining a
penalty appropriate for this, the most
dangerous and destructive Of contempts,
at least 10 parallel the extreme penalty
which Is fixed by good precedents."