The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-24
TWO VICIOUS BILLS.

If the bills introduced in the state senate by
George NJ. Peterson of Duluth and f. A. Duxbury
OF Caledonia part of the program outlined by
the people who are trying to eliminate the activities
OF the industrial Workers Of the World then we
can only say that those in charge Of the program
are poorer politicians than they ordinarily get credit
for
Be it remembered that Senator Peterson's bill
would give the sheriff Of any county the power to
order any person to leave the county on "a hours
notice Failing to leave, he could be thrown into jail
Failin ct leave, he could be thrown into Jail for
Tor vagrancv. The person arrested must then give
satisfactory proof that he is not vagrant In other
Words the well established rule of presumptive in
nocence is reversed and the alleged offender must
give proof to the judge Of the municipal court that
he is free from guilt. Otherwise he goes to JAIL
Now comes Senator Duxbury with BILL which
II adopted, would absolutely prohibit peaceful
pickctlng 1t is the most drastic measure of it's
kind we have ever seen. Any person who goes near
to, or lolters about the PREMISES etc., shall be
guilty Of msdemeanor. The full text of the bill
IS printed i'll this weeks issue of The Labor World
1t charltably permits persons to solicit trade bust
ness for competitive business. This provision was
inserted i'll the bill for the evident purpose of pleas
ing somebody besides the labor interests
The Duxbury bill would prevent the distribution
OF circulars or notices in any form concerning the
existence Of boycott No ''unfair sts'' would be
tolerated. The ii ght of the striking workingmen
to call the attention Of the public to the fact that
SlTlhc cNlSts, or that boycott IN force against
al employer would not be allowed.
In other words, if the Duxbury bill passes the
rights that labor has obtained after years of fighting
in Minnesota would be wiped out by a stroke Of
the legislative pen.
Perhaps the Duxbury and Peterson bills are in
troduced for the purpose of reaching the Industrial
Workers of the World. But they would operate to
abridge the rights of every workngman in Mime
sofa.
Recently the Federal Court Of Appeals in the
case of the striking employees in East St. Louis laid
down the law with respect to peaceful picketing
and injunctions The Labor World some time AGO
called attention to the decision of that court It
held that employees had the right to picket and
that this right could not be taken from them that
they also had the right to call attention to the
fact that the employer would not deal with labor
organizations. The court in unmstakable language
upheld the right to boycott and to picket:
We would recommend to Senator Duxbury that
he dig up the decision in this case and read it care
fully and well. 1t contains the gist of the law on
the subject Of picketing and indicates Just how the
courts looking at this question in the year 1917
Of course, organized labor will fight the Duxburv
and Peterson bills And the fight should be a
determined one However, The Labor World does
not think for moment that the Minnesota legs-
lature, in the light Of recent court decisions and
the attitude of legislative bodies generally will even
consider these two bills seriously.
But the authors of the bills should be made to
understand in uncertain terms what the attitude
of labor is towards public officials who stand
sponsors for legislation of this nature.