Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-11
Order Against AffiIiation by
Police Stands, But Court
Case Is Postponed.
NOVEMBER 7 CHOSEN
AS DATE OF HEARING
Executive Message Suggests That
Matter Await Proceedings in
Industrial Conference.

President Wilson's telegram to
Commissioner Brownlow. advising
postponements of any issue regarding
the police union situation until after
the holding of the industrial confer
ence in Washington next month. to-
day operated as stay to all proceed
ings. ::
It did not, however. bring can
collation. Of the COMMISSIONER recent
order barring members of the police
department from affiliating with or
ganized labor.
Justice Gould. in the District SUI
preme Court, this morning, on motion
of Corporation Counsel Conrad H.
Syme, postponed until November the
hearing set for today on the appli-
cation Of the policemen's union for a
der. Justice Gould expressed the
wish that what the chief executive
has in mind may become a realiza-
ton"
Means Status Quo.
This means a status quo for the
case until after the Industrial confer
ence.
1t means the order which has caused
the controversy to become a national
issue, inviting the Presidents atten-
ton. will remain as a dead letter for
the time being.
The Commissioners will not revoke
1t, but they are estopped temporarily
from taking any steps to enforce it. =
Answers Senate Criticism.
Justice Gould. in granting the post
ponement, took occasion to refer to
the criticism of him by Senator Thorn
as on. the floor of the Senate. He
stated that while ordinarily he would
not pay the slightest attention to
such criticism he felt convinced that
the senator, to whom he referred as
an excellent lawyer. would never
have made the remark if he had read
the allsgations g, Of the bin filed by the
statement that the justice was a
friend of labor, Justice Gould de-
clared, my past conduct will vindicate
me-"
Justice Gould suggested that the
bert for the policemen's union that
the Commissioners be required to file
their answer and make ready the
case for trial at an early date might
result in causing the court to act in
a matter which may be settled salts
factorily by the impending industrial
conference.
The question involved in the case,
the court stated, are important and
involve not only the right of the po-
lice to upionize, but also the right of
federal employees to join the union.
The bill alleged, the court asserted.
that contrary to the provisions of the
organic act the Commissioners were
attempting to lay a restriction on the
police. -.
When the court convened this morn
ing Corporation Counsel Syme read to:
Justice Gould the telegram received
late last'night from Secretary Tumul-
ty and advised the court that while
he was ready toy proceed with the
hearing, the Commissioners had re-
quested him to ask the court to de-
fer the matter as indicated to be the
wish Of President Wilson.
Proposes Details Be Expedited.
Attorney Lambert raised the point
that no answer had been filed by the
Commissioners to the rule issued by
the court and suggested that the de-
tails necessary for the preparation of
the matter for final hearing by the
court might be expedited during the
interval while the industrial confer
ence was in session If the answer was
filed. He intimated that he supposed
the Commissioners would set up some
questions of fact which would have to
be traversed by the policemen and
that those necessary formal matters
might be finished.
Corporation Counsel Syme responded
that the answer would not raise any
substantial or other question of fact,
and declared that the whole matter
rests on the sole question >of law as to
the right of the Commissioners to pass
the order complained of. He had first
thought to move to dissolve the injunc-
lContinued on Second Pagal