The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1914-06-13
UNIONS MOI !Ill USTS
] SAYS JUDO q b WILLIS
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the federal government has III many |
cases, over -steped the bound dairy lines |
which mark the limits st Individual
freedom and has declared that the |
concerted action of workingmen ID
conspiracy in restraint Of trade. |
Trade in what?'' We may respect
fully ask. The sworkingmen DO not
become the owners in many cases, OF
the commod ities + which; heir labor |
produces: The trading In commedi-
ties sbecof mes the PRIVILEGE and func-
ton Of the employer. 1t is his pro-
perry with which the trading is done.
The working an has no control over
the barter; and sale which succeed the
exertion, Of HIS efforts as q producer.
:zss.., Judge Willis Is Sound.
'IThe statutory measure known as
the Sherman an II trust act was de-
signed to- restrain the owners bly4
erss and sellers Of material substances
and not the mere possessorSs OF produ-
cling capacity en- odied IN human
form; such producers constituting the
greatan jority of the citizens 5of ythe
Republic. /. This act left. each individ7
ual free. to labor or not labor. to- buy
Esor not buy as re might elect.
Il 'srh erefore; ito reverse the action Of
certain in-advised courts and to say
by statute Of the United States that
the strong arm of the government
shall not reach out to enforce against
the individual acts of human beings
who are not traders, statute rela-
| tive to trading, would not be to give
such individual worker a. privilege
| but would be merely recognition OF
his God-given right, anterior.to all
human laws, of working orznot work
ing. buying or not buying as his
judgment may dictate. ''The prope-
sition to exempt labor unions--socie-
! ties of working men from the opera
ton of the Sherman antitrust act,
Is often spoken Of as the granting OF
a privilege. Ills rather the recogni-
ton of an. absolute right. tits recog-
milton of the fact that efforts to re-
| strain monopoly of material commodf-
| ties have no logical connection with
! the restraint of individual action lin
laboring or ceasing to labor. So 1t; is
/ with the agricultural associations;
they are composed OF 1aborers whose
| work is conn cteds with the tilling of
| the SOIL. Their combina tions are pro-
| tective in their nature and relate; only
! to the products Of their labor; a labor
| which ought to be sacred under free
| government. 4;.s. :s..-A 5:; :Esz.
=. He STATES It Clearly. 5s:G n:
| I'm curtailing production or in
keeping their products in their own
hands, they are transgressing no rule
Of social or civic well-being since
they were under no absolute opliga-
ton (being free menu to create the
products in the first instance nor at
forwards to sell such products to any
person or in any market. To refrain
from selling u.s., therefore. an act. Of
negation not: properly subject to the
animadversion- Of penal statutes. .
For: these reasons, respectfully
submit that labor CARNATIONS and
those Of agricultural producers ought
not to be considered as subject to the
penalties and inhibitions of the: SHEER
man antitrust act: and that any leg
islation In amendment of that act
*Eoughtto exclude them from the scope
Of it's operations 81. @