The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-07-05

w "oHihSI'h, ~ W ouiy hieS
dragging its weary length the secono
time through the supreme court of tn,
District of Columbia, the case agains
President Gompers and Secretary Morri
son has reached a conclusion by the in
Fiction of prison sentence of one veal
for President Gompers and six month:
| for Secretary Morrison for alleged con
tempt of court. Justice Wright handed
down his decision Monday, June "a, 1912
John Mitchell, eo-defendant in the suit
not being present in court at the render
ing of the decision, and who was former
ly sentenced to nine months did not re-
ceive any sentence at the hands of the
Judge. 1t is understood, however, that
upon Mr.. Mitchell's return to this city
sentence will be pronounced, it being be-
lieved that the former sentence of nine
months will be reimposed, from the fact
that the opinion delivered by the Judge
indicated that he considered Mr.. Mitchell
as culpable as the other two Federation
officials. After the justice read his de-
cision and imposed the sentences attor-
neys for the Federation gave notice Of
appeal. Bonds pending an appeal were
provided for and the Federation officials
will remain "at large" until the higher
court has an opportunity to review the
INN ofaIp ffar ha
disposed of President Gompers gave out
the following statement;
"The expected has hapepned. Justice
Wright has held Mr.. Mitchell, Mr.. Nor
rison and myself guilty of contempt of
court He has sentenced Mr.. Morrison
to six months, and me to twelve months
Imprisonment. when Mr. Mitchell can
come to Washington he will receive his
sentence. This decision typifies in an
acute manner the contention which labor
has made against the practice which has
been usurped by courts of equity in deal
ing, not with property rights, but with
personal relations personal act
ivities, a practice entirely at variance
with constitutional government with
government by law. In this case the
Judge has acted the intiator of criminal
contempt, appointed the attorneys of
private litigants to prepare a complaint
and prosecute it to conclusion. The
Judge has heard the evidence. He him
self determined the credibility of wit
nesses. He then formulated his decision
and executed it by imposing prison SEN
tences. Facts and the evidence in the
case have been suppressed and prevented.
and the purposes and motives of my
colleagues and myself entirely misrepre-
sented. There is not in the evidence,
nor can there be found therein or else
where, one single fact upon which to
base the statement of Justice Wright
that we have violated any law of the
state, nation, or District of Columbia.
We have contended that a court has no
right in advance to enjoin or prevent
publication; that anyone who speaks or
publishes anything which is either sedit-
ious or libelous should be made to an
swer before law court and before a
jury, but the attempt in advance to pre-
vent expression of opinion either orally
or by publication is an unwarranted in
vasion of constitutionally guaranteed
rights That for which my associates
and l have been contending was for the
maintenance of the right of free speech
and free press, and for these we are
contending not alone for the rights of
the working people, but the right of
every citizen of our country. Today it
is the effort to take from us the right
of free speech and free press. If that
practice is once established and conceded,
it means a sacred precedent" to be in
voked against any citizen. 1t is the
establishment of censorship by a Judge
acting as a chancellor in the court of
equity, the establishment of personal
government by law, and as personal gov
ernment establishes itself and advances,
so in the same degree is government by
law, government by the people, forced
back. Justice Wright physically lives in
our time, but his decision and sentences
disclose a mental concept of more than
two centuries ago, when the workman
was either slave or serf. He does not
realize that the workmen of today, at
least in the United States, are citizens
with every guaranteed right Of the con-
stitution, of the laws, and the normal
activities of equality before the law. My
associates and | have all our lives been
engaged in the effort for the protection
and promotion of the physical, moral,
political, material and social welfare of
the working people, and that means for
the uplift and betterment of all our peo.
Pile; for the maintenance and perpeet-
uatioR of the highest, the best concepts
and ideals of justice and freedom; to
make, in modern industry. life the bet-
ter worth living; to mstill the under
standing of civic and social duty, as well
as the attainment of better life and q