Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-14
Did Not Further Boycott After
Injunction Was Signed.
MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE
Secretary of A. F. of L. Is Cross
Examined at Length.
FRANK IN ALL HIS ANSWERS
Repudiates Suggestion That Fedora
ton Oath Interferes With
Political Liberty.

Frank Morrison, secretary Of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, was cross-ex-
amined at length today before Justice
| Wright in Equity Court No. 9, by Daniel
Davenport of the committee of prosecu-
tors. which charges that the secretary
violated the court injunction in the
Bucks Stove and Range Company case
and allege him to be guilty of contempt
of court.
| The witness maintained his innocence
| of the charge that after the injunction
was signed he did anything to further the
boycott against the stove company
The distribution Of the proceedings of
| the Norfolk convention of 1907, and Of
the American Federationist of 1908, was
done In the course of his official duties
Mr.. Morrison declared. except in one in
stance when he sent copy of the Fed
erationist to an organizer of labor in
Vancouver, British Columbia, on receipt
of a request therefor.
The witness repudiated a suggestion of
the cross-examiner that the oath required
of labor men contained provision which
made them place their duty to labor
above the demands of citizenship and al
legiance, to the state. Mr.. Morrison said
nothing in the oath interfered with his
religious or political liberty.
No Recourse to Immunity.
No recourse was had by the witness to
the immunity of the statute invoked by
both Gompers and Mitchell when con-
fronted' by statements included in the
pleadings or TESTIMONY
His answers to all questions appeared
to be frank, and when asked if he had
any objection to his answer to the origi-
nal contempt charges being read, re-
sponded. None in the world"
Much time was devoted by Mr. Daven
port in an inquiry into the relations be-
tween Mr.. Mitchell and Mr.. Morrison in
the publication of the Federationist Mr..
Mltchen at first said Mr.. Gompers at
tended to 1t all except that he furnished
the financial statements. Later he ad-
mitted he had charge Of the distribution
Of the periodical.
Witness admitted that before sending
counsel as to whether 1t violated the
terms OF the injunction, but when Mr.
Davenport inquired why Justice Gould
nad not been asked. instead Of counsel.
not a violation Of the injunction when
SO informed by counsel.
Mr.. Davenport was still questioning the
witness at a late hour.
Never Initiate Boycotts.
Attorney jackson H. Ralston took up
the examination of Mr.. Morrison where
Judge Parker left of last Saturday. He
asked the witness If he was present in
court in January. 1903, when Justice
Gould was asked to interpret his injunc-
ton order Of December, 1907. Mr. Nor
rison said he was present and heard Mr..
Ralston ask Justice Gould to define the
limitations of the Injunction
Justice Gould declined to do so. said the
witness. remarking that such action nv
the court might deprive the Bucks Stove
and Range Company of the relief desired
continuing, the court said, according to
the witness. that if defendants were ip-
norant men and did not know their rights
1t might be a different matter. but the
court thought defendants understood their
rights.
Mr.. Morrison declared the American
Federation of Labor never initiated
boycott. but merely approved the action
federation made efforts to bring about
amity between employer and employe and
did nothing ordinarily to further a boycott
beyond the placing of the name of the
concern with which the dispute was pend
ing on the I'VE don't patronize list'' in
the American Federationist
Firm Listed as Unfair.
Asked as to what was done in the
Bucks Stove and Range Company case.
Mr.. Morrison said the name had been
placed on the unfair list and a circular
sent out under date of November 26, 1897. !.
! before the injunction. In response to
an inquiry if he had personally sent out
any copies of the Federationist of Janu-
airy. 1908, after the injunction, Mr. Nor
rison said he sent one copy to r. p
PottiDiece of
b. c., in answer to a request from the
organizer for the latest editions of the
Federationist and of office literature as
Mr. Pettipiece was about to inaugurate
British Columbia. Beyond this. witness
aVerred. he never sent out any copies of
the Federationist mentioned.
Daniel Davenport Of the committee of
prosecutors cross-examined Mr.. Morrison
In response to his questions Mr. Morrison
said ne was born in Canada in 1853. was
educated in the public schools and had
one term at high school,
you had what is called liberal edu-
cat1On! inquired Mr.. Davenport.
What might be called a liberal educa-
ton Tor the son of wage Garner" an
| swered the witness.
Denies Oath Is Stringent.
When Mr.. Morrison had told of taking
| up the trade of printer and of affiliat-
ing with International Typographical
Union Mr.. Davenport asked for the form
OF oath which witness had taken MIR.
| Morrison could not recite the obligation,
and stated it had been changed by the
convention of 1896. at which time all
/ delegates re-affirmed their allegiance to
the union. A copy of this obligation he
said. would be furnished the committee
of prosecutors
Mr. Davenport attempted to show that
some part of the oath taken by union
men affected their allegiance to the state
| and asked the witness II some portion of
| the obligation did not place the members
| allegiance to the union above his duty to
| the state or politics Mr.. Morrison repu-
dated the suggestion and said nothinu In