Evening star., 1915-05-17
SAySLAB0R UNIONS
EVADE OBEY|NG LAW
Counsel for Erectors Charges
They Have Power Without
Responsibilities.

The relations of la Dor and law again
were inquired into today when the fed
eral industrial commission resumed
its hearing. The witnesses included
Clarence S. Darrow. labor attorne%.
Walter Drew. chief counsel for the Ma
tional Erectors' Association. and James
A. Emery. counsel for the National As
ISOLATION of Manufacturers Their tes
timony probably will end this phase OF
the inquiry.
The commission tomorrow will re-
sumo it's examination of John D. Rock
efeller. jjr.. the basis for which will be
correspondence passing between Mr..
Rockefeller and Ivy L. Lee. assistant
to the president of the Pennsylvania
railroad. This correspondence. which
was made public by the commission
yesterday. relates to the broad edu-
cative campaign Of publicity con-
Quoted by Mr. Lee for Mr.. Rockefeller
in connection with the Colorado coal
strike. The letters include those which
Chairman Walsh of the commission
claims prove that communication
written to President Wilson by Coy.
Ammons of Colorado was prepared un-
der Mr.. Rockefeller's direction.
Mr.. Drew presented long written
statement urging Incorporation of la
bor unions. which. he said. were able
to evade legal responsibilities.
Power Without Responsibility.
Power without corresponding re-
sponsibility-this fact is. in my jude-
ment. the one most powerful funda
mental fact in the legal status OF
unions" he said
ITO the strike in simple form. tire
modern union has added greater and
increasing use of the power of the
combination in different forms OF force
and coercion.
The closed shop develops naturally
into the conspiracy between the closed
whereby they work together to prevent
outside competition in the locality o.
industry, to fix such wages and prices
as they choose, and to assess the cost
of their common monopoly upon the
general public Many such combina
tions exist in this country"
Mr.. Drew defended the use OF injunc-
ttons in labor disputes and vigorously
assailed the boycott weapon of Ia
Dor. He said the injunction was neces.
sary to deal with boycotts and sym
pathetic strikes. He did not believe the
Clayton law would relieve the injunc
ton situation complained of by labor.
which. he said. had equal opportunity
with all other classes before the law.
Locates Charge Courts Are Unfair.
The charge that our courts have un-
ministrated the laws Of the country in
labor cases rests only upon the con-
stant statement and restatement Of
those whose effort is to avoid the equal
enforcement OF the law. he said
When employers in time of labo-
trouble are unable to get protection
from the regular authorities, il becomes
a duty and a necessity. Mr.. Drew said.
for them to take such measures as
may be at hand for such protection"
The employer" he continued. must
rely in such cases upon such hired
as he can find in the mar
ket for such men. and with the great
est OF care there may become included
among these hired agents vicious and
even criminal types of men. The log
ic Of the situation as well as the
history of actual fact must acauit the
EMPLOYER for the chief responsibility
for such unfortunate results as coma
in some cases from the use OF private
guards"