The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-10-20
BY JAMES E. BRADFORD


Progressive Candidate for Governor.
This measure makes it a crime for
any person to advertise or call atten-
tion to any dispute between labor and
capital
(a) By standing or moving about
on any Sidewalk street, public place
or private property, in front of or
within 500 feet of place" of business.
(b) By openly carrying on any
sidewalk, street, public place or pri-
vate property, any banner, sign, trans
parency, writing or printing"
This law should be killed, because
q) 1t destroys free speech, action
and the right of assemblage, and is
one of the most drastic and unfair
laws ever drafted; it prohibits picket
ing anywhere in this state
(2) 1t makes it a crime for labor
to put up a sign or notice in any
labor temple to inform even its own
members of a labor dispute, or any
where on their own private property,
or to be in parade with a banner,
showing such dispute, whether in the
same city or 400 miles away in the
state
(3) 1t makes crimes of those acts
which at common law are lawful when
done in a peaceful way.
(H 1t seeks to restore the old
thumbscrew methods to labor dis
putes; it drags from the grave of the
dark ages" rude and silly ideas and
jams them down the throat of modern
society.
(5) 1t will not prevent what its
authors desire, namely, decrease
in labor troubles and violence. For
many years Colorado and West Vir-
ginia had anti-picketing laws, and yet
the worst labor troubles have oc-
Cured there. Recall how women and
little children were shot down like
dogs at Ludlow.
CO. 1t is made a crime for laboring
men to call public attention to a labor
dispute, but the employer may kick
him out of his job because he belongs
to a union and prevent him from get
ting another one.
(D 1t deprives labor and others
of important rights, and is so harsh
that they may be fined or sent TO the
state prison
90 1t viii stamp upon labor in this
state the badge of crime for doing
those things which are lawful under
section 20 of the federal Clayton anti
trust law, approved by President Viii
son, and which reads
mo person or persons shall be pro-
hibited whether singly or in concert,
from terminating any relation of en-
ployment, or from ceasing TO perform
any work or labor or from workmen
advising or persuading others by
peaceful means so to do; or from at
tending at any place where such per-
son or persons may lawfully be for
communicating information, or from
peacefully persuadins any person to
work or to abstain from working"
go 1t is one of the most unjust,
un-American and Infamous laws ever
born in the sordid mind of greed and
human selfishness Wild and heart
les scapital produced it, and the EN-
ployers Association of Washington is
back of it.
The last republican legislature
passed this anti-picketng bill, and
Governor Lister of the democratic
party, approved it, and both the re-
publican and democratic state plat
forms have endorsed it. The repub-
lican candidate stands on the repub-
lican platform. and Governor Lister
on the democratic platform and his
own record ! opposed this bill before
the legislature and before the people,
signed the petition to refer it, and
shall work and vote against it. ] have
been out on the firing line, and in the
entire campaign against this bill from
the very beginning Fight only for
those who fight for you and your
rights Work and vote against this
bill