The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-01
A. +. OF [. SENDS OUT PLEA
FOR ALL UNION LABOR men
TO ASSIST DANBURY HATTERS.

|
ly between human rights and rights
derived from the ownership of prop
erty.
! Before the final decision of the su-
preme court was handed down in the
hatters' case, there was enacted into
law the labor provisi ions of the Clay
ton Antitrust act, which declare
That the labor power of a human
being is not a commodity or article
of commerce.
In addition to declaring formally
the difference between labor power
and articles and commodities to which
trust laws properly apply, the Clay
ton act limits and regulates the uses
| of injunctions and forbids their use
for purposes against which the work
| ers had so long and SO just complain
ed Thus the hatters' case has been
OF 1ncalcu1able service to all of the
wage earners of the country, estab-
fishing their rights and securing op-
| portunities necessary for their pro
lection and the continued betterment
| of industrial relations
But as a result of the last decision
of the supreme court many of the hat
ters of Danbury, Connecticut, find
themselves in dire distress, for, in ad-
dition tofdeciding the principle against
treaffirmed the award of damages
| against them. The award was for
three-fold damages and interest ac-
cruing /on that amount and costs
| amountipg~>in all to something over
100000.
During the early history or the
case, the bank deposits and the
h ONES of these members of the Oan-
bury Hatters' union were attached to
insure payment of any award that the
court might fix During the more
than eleven years that the case had
been pending, some Of the members
of this union have died. The survi-
vors were always and are now under
the burden of imminent loss of their
little savings and their homes, and
suffered lin mind and in body, and
so have their dear. ones and those
dependent upon them.
It must be understood also that
the suit was brought against mem
| bers of the Hatters' union who had
reached ripe old ages, ages running
from sixty to eighty years. They were
selected by Loewe simply because they
had some little savings some owner
ship in their modest homes. Because
OF theirAa ages and enforced indigent
condition, made INDECENT by the at
tachment, every device was planned
that their condition might be- reliev-
| ed. 4
1t is a matter of common infer-1
ShAT-I
man antitrust act did not intend
that law to apply to the normal ac-
f1y1t1es of wage workers. This fact
augmented the injustice of the deci-
sion against the Danbury matters and
the award of three-fold damages and
interest thereon. The Danbury Hat
tiers were the innocent victims of the
government, due either to the fact
that the congress of the United States
had not-been able to write plainly
into law its Intentions. or to the fact
that the judiciary had misinterpreted
the law enacted by congress- Whether
the fault lay with congress-. or with
the Judiciary. the consequences of the
fault ought not to all upon the Dan
bury hatters. The contentious of or
ganized labor in this matter were
Illanifestly strengthened by the action
OF congress in enacting the labor sec
tons of the Clayton act. Therefore.
the Hatters' presented to congress q
petition asking for special appro-
priation for the payment of \ this
award that thereby the government
the mistake, made either by congress
or by the judiciary.
The representatives of the A. F.
of l., and of the Hatters' organization,
and members of the Danbury Hat
ters' union appeared before the house
appropriation committee in behalf of
this petition. However, HE commit
tee failed to report the appropriation
to the house
The executive council of the A. F.
Of L. realizing the awful plight in
which these aged Danbury matters
were thus placed, reported these
matters to the San Francisco. conven-
ton The convention authorized and
instructed the executive council to
send out q notice and an appeal
which is hereby made-to all inter
national and national unions, to all
local unions, and to state, county and
city central bodies urging all members
kof organized labor to contribute their
earnings for the second hour of any
shift worked on Thursday, January
| 27, 1916, to the relief of their fellow
workers-the> aged Danbury hatters
That date was selected as particularly
appropriate, because it is the birthday
of the president of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, who has given a life
time of devotion to the cause of la
/ Dor and humanity.
The Danbury hatters did not falter
in that which they did for<tfe bene<
tit of all organized labor and for ali
| OF the workers of the country. They
did their duty; they made the test
and, upon them has fallen the conse-
/ quences of the injustice of the then
existing conditions. All other work
ers participate in the benefits which
| have grown out of the struggle, and it
is but just that they should also help
/ to relieve the victims. If the Dam
bury hatters OF the Hatters' organf-
cation were left to bear the full weight
of the burden it will mean to them
| great suffering and great hardship
/ Every member of organized labor is
urged to do his duty in this matter
and to bear his share in the common
struggle to establish industrial JUS
! tice.
Members of local unions should pay
their contributions to their local sec
retaries who should send the sum to-
tai collected to the secretary of the
A. F. Of L., who. will receipt for the