The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-01
BY GEORGE p. WEST

How about the Danbury Hatters' case r
Tia query b shouted at Candidate Hughes
st every campaign meeting where working
men and women are gathered: 1t Is shouted
ut the women Of the millionaire Hughes
campaign special. 1t il heard wherever the
issues are discussed.
Well. how about the Danbury Hatters'
easel What Is the casef What lies back
of these shouted queries that Mr.. Hughes
took 70 long to answer
Up in Danbury. Connecticut, where 5000
skilled worknen make hats for ali the world
they need no t an'wsF 1so th n ;xins form
more than one hundred families, 0O0 men.
women and children, oppressed by the knowi-
edas that every night may be the last unaer
the roofs Of the little homes representing
the fruits Of twenty. thirty. or forty years
IT toll, thrift and sacrifice
This b to tell others little Of what Dan
bury already knows. It Ii story OF the
against men and women and children on the
other-the story Of law that, until Presa-
dsnt Wilson signed the Clayton act. had
ruined working men, while 1t sent Standard
OIL and Tobacco stocks soaring.
A Story Of Tragedy
II Is . story fun Of tragedy-ths tragedy
u m humble. simple folk whose declining
ySays are overshadowed by fear and anxiety.
e h the story, too. Of men and women who
DO GOT whine, who have been game 20 the
core. who believe frmly today. az they did
O(XInuIuKs
esuss Of right. and that judges are not
Il i not one stors, but hundred There
= tie ease Of the widow with seven ehil-
dren. her husband dead and savings gone.
who scrubbed floors to provide for her fam
III. There Is the story of Benedict. the
stzai9ht-laeed old New Enslander of Bevoiu-
esonary descent. driven to his grave By
snxisty and bewildered questioning over the
decision that had turned him. God-fearinR.
thrifty. old man, into law-breaker, pur-
svsd b. deputy sheri6s and heckled By writs
There Il Miehael Hurd. who has lived all
hia hfty-six yesrs IN the house on Shelter
s1Dek avenue now about 70 be taken from
Aim- And there b Mrs. Hurd. q sweet-faced
= : bride. and whose Children were born
and grew mp within rs walls.
fhirty-<wo Of the thirty -four hat manu-
factursrs Of Danhury employ only union men
The bieEest and most successful Of them
any others If they nd the choice Wages
wsre high: work was steady. and the hum
bl:ss WORKER vas protected AGAINST the nm
70 which owner and worArmen subscribed
Leswe Enemy TO Union
apone the hat makers denied their men the
right to organise md TO send their agents
10 talk II over with the bossT when things
went WRONG. Mr.. Lo~ws was one of the "old
oHo0t0y0xB. y.
refused to work with his men through trade
agreements, bot be spread the gospel Of OPP
position and discord among others
or In New York. the national officers Of
srtend the orxanisation's benefits to the
Losws employees. decided on the only course
opn 70 the upion- The immeznorial security
Ct ths- batter: oreanizstisn n Danbury.
vorkmen's guilds. Of Revolutionary times.
was threatened. The national officers began
e. chcuiarixe, their fellow unfonists THROUGH
out the country. Calling attention to the fail
uf0 Of the Loewe concern to make use Of
the union label. and asking union members
not TO buy Loewe hats or patronise stores
that acted - Loewe a9snts-
/, Entered $4,000 SUIT
Ursed BY . national association Of employ
en- bitterly opposed 70 collective barYaininx.
Mr. Lcewe began suit IN the Federal Court
thsory that the Hatters' ONION had violated
the Sherman act This was the law drafted
and passed By Congress: to strike at great
drsininG the peoples pocket books and crush
ing eonpeeition through every means known
TO unserupulous. ruthless buccaneers Of COM
~ Loeve attorney, went into court on
the claim that the union hatters, in refusing
to patronize Loewe and his agents. had
entered into ~conspfraey in restraint Of
trsde." They charged that the Loewe bust
ness had been damaged to the extent Of
sse.eee. They demanded three times this
sun ~ punfshment or vengeance, and they
9st Il. With interest and Ievyers fees the
3s1xnent stands today ct ssos. zee.
fameus ease.
Have working men the right to urge their
brother workinxmen and their friends not
TO patrunise manufacturer whose conduct.
IN their Judgment and belief. Is hostile and
disastrous to their interests and rights
lApe No. raises an even more remark