Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-06
Judgment in Sum of $252,-
1909 Damages Is Award
ed to D, {. Loewe and Com
pany Because Of Boycott,
SUPREME COURT is
UNANIMOUS IN OPINION
Congressman Are PerpIexed
as to Whether Similar Hold
ingS viii Be Lawful Under
Clayton Law

Washington. Jany 5.-Endng eley-
en- years OF litigation, the supreme
court today held that some two hun
dred Connecticut labor union MEM
bers must pay S252,13009 damages
under the Sherman antitrust law for
nation wide boycott Of d. r. Loewe
a Co., Danbury. Conn, hat manufac-
turers. who refused to unionize their
shops. The bank accounts and homes
of many of the men already are under
attachment to pay the judgment and
the next step probably will be fore
closure.
Leading lawyers of congress dis
agreed today on whether this decision
meant that union workmen would be
liable in the future for damages on
account of boycotts. Some hold that
the Clayton antitrust law passed last
year after this suit had been tried,
would make another such prosecution
impossible.
Opinion by Justice Holmes.
1t was in the Danbury hatters' ease
that the supreme court decided in
1903 that labor unions were subject
to the terms OF the Sherman anti
trust law and sent the suit back to
the New York federal courts for trial.
The judgment, the largest ever before
the court under the sherman law,
as well as the vigorous defense of the
union men, attracted widespread at
tention to the litigation
Justice Holmes announced the
courts unanimous decision today His
discussion Of the law involved was
brief. He said the ground for dis
cussion under the Sherman law had
to a large extent. and narrowed fur
ther by the decision in the eastern
states retail lumber dealers case of
last year to the effect that the circu-
lation of q list of unfair dealers"
with the intention to put the ban on
these Dealers among u body of possi-
bic consumers, combined with a view
of Joint action. was violative Of the
Sherman antitrust law.
Sustains Lower Court.
The justice pointed out that the de-
PENDANTS were some 200 members of
both the United Hatters of North
America and of the American Fedora
tion of Labor. With brief considera-
ton he arrived at the conclusion that
the New York federal courts which
tried the case were right in holding
that forbidden combination had
been proved.
ut requires more than the blind
ness of justice" said Justice Holmes,
mot to see that the many branches
of the United Hatters and the FEEDER
alton of Labor, in pursuance of plan
emanating from headquarters, made
use of such lists. (unfair dealers) and
of the primary and secondary boycott
in their efforts to subdue the plain
tiffs to their demands. The union
label was used and strike of the
plaintiff employees was ordered and
carried out to the same end and the
purpose to break up the plaintiffs
commerce affected by the quality OF
the acts"
Question of Responsibility.
This left the controversy, he added,
narrowed down to the responsibility
of the defendants for what was done
by the labor organizations. The de-
PENDANTS were laboring men as rule
not employed by Loewe & Co., but
lived in nearby towns but a few were
national officials Of the hatters'
union. On the question Of responsi-
hflttg tho fIaffpa eatdr
"The court In substance instructed
the Jury that If these members paid
their dues and continued 10 delegate
authority to their officers unlawfully
10 interfere with the plaintiffs inter
state commerce IN such circumstances
thai they knew Or ought 10 have
known and such Officers Were war
ranted III the belief thai they were
acting u ibe matters within theii Del
cgaied authority, then sneh members
We're Jointly liable and 40 others. iiI
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