The Cordova daily times., 1919-01-15
MOONEY CASE
MAIN ISSUE
WITHLAB0R

-
to be followed at the labor congress
which convened here today has been
made public The statement, issued
! by Edward d. holland, secretary OF
the International Workers Defense
! league, and also one of the defend
ants in the Thomas J. Mooney bomb
case, reads as follows:
After consulting with large indus
trial centers by wire of Seattle ana
vicinity. Chicago and vicinity, Boston
and vicinity, New York and vicinity.
the general expression of the labor
movement seems to be that the pol
| icy of the labor congress Will be to
deal primarily and specifically with
the Mooney case and this expression
is borne out by the vast majority OF
communications. both Geographic and
by mail, notifying the international
Workers Dfense league of reasons eff
| fectng the policy of the congress ms
| outlined in letters. 1t seems to be the
consensus of opinion that such meas
urcs as reconstruction and different
! kind of labor parties will not be con
sidered by the congress unless the con
gress decides itself to reconvene to
| take for consideration issues outside
| of the Mooney case.
Prom information at hand, the
proposals dealing with the subject
matter OF the Mooney case group
| themselves under three headings:
First: United Staes federal gov
eminent intervention to protect the
constitutional rights of the defend
ants and all citizens. Under this head
it is proposed that the congress elect
committee to submit plans to the
congress cmbodying the most effect
i've means of presenting the entire
legal situation, as it exist in Califor-
mia, to the congress of the United
States and the president and to urge
that President Wilson and congress
instruct the United States Attorney
General Gregory to cause the issu-
ance of habeau corpus writ for both
Mooney and Billings. the same to be
returnable in the federal courts, pre-
ferable outside of California, owing to
the heated craftsmanship feeling now
existant in California.
Second Among the propositions
being considered can be headed pub
licity, and it is proposed to extend the
already widespread publicity in the
cases with view to enlighten all
classes of citizenship in America and
the world on the facts at issue, and in
this manner to point out the defects
and abuses present in our systems of
| prosecutions both criminal and civil.
| and through the knowledge thus plac-
| ed before the people, it is hoped the
| citizenship will then be in position
= to reorganize the entire system OF
Jurisprudence. This matter of reform
: In Jurisprudence generally Is consid,
cred for the reason that there are
) pending in about ten cities of the
!: United States at the present time,
: through the active effort of organized
!: labor, measures and bills seeking to
: correct and protect citizens rights to
: trial by jury and also to prevent wide
: spread abuse evident of late in grand
: jury indictments.
!: Third Is the question of the use
!: of the strike weapon in order to cause
!: nationwide attention to the abroga-
!; ton of constitutional rights of Trade
!: Unionists in California. This ques-
!: ton Of the use of the strike weapon
!: Is mentioned and dealt with in letters
!: and kilograms being received con-
corning the congress, and election of
!: delegates to the same. The large
:: centers are in agreement that the use
: OF the strike weapon will not be
: made until there has been a determ.
ined effort to prevail! with the federal
!
: cases directly and in case trc use of
: the strike weapon becomes necessary,
: that 1t will proceed along well estab-
!: lished lines of trades union policy and
!: will be taken by resolution from the
!: locals into the international unions
!: and councils and from them to the
!: American Federation OF Labor.
!: In order to perfect the plan to put
/: the general strike in affect, If no
!: other remedy is available. The con-
!: gress will consider the appointment of
/: craft committees representative OF
!: every industry and they in turn. who
I: elect representatives to central execu.
!: tive committees and this central com
4: mittee to submit general plan to the
!: labor congress for adoption; the con
!: CreS then tn alcct n committea tn at