The labor world., 1919-06-28
SAM GOMPERS AGA|N CHOSEN.
Chief OF AMERICAN UNIONS
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courts and judges have been slowly
and. surely disregarding these restric-
tions and limitations and new freely
and uninterruptedly exercise powers
| which even the monarchs and kafsers
dared not exercise with all their
claims to power by inherent divinity.
Deny Self Government. +
1.-THE power of our courts to declare
| legislation enacted unconstitutional
and void is most fragrant usurpa-
tion Of power and authority by our
| courts and is reputation and denial
| of the principle Of self-government
| recognized now as a. world doctrine.
The continued exercise of this unwar-
ranted power is blasphemy on tho
| rights and claims Of free men of
| America.
This usurpation of power by our
courts to subordinate the legisla tive
and executive departments to their
| will and compel the activities of a
free people to their whims and dictates
| is paralleled and equalled only by the
| further usurpation Of authority by
our courts to legislate and punish peo-
pie In direct defiance of constitutional
safeguards to personal liberty and
freedom Of action. BY the issuance
Of injunctive DEGREES by our courts,
by the restraint they place upon the
normal and rightful activities of a
free people. by the Furnishing of free
men in the exercise of their constitu-
tional rights without opportunity to a
trial by jury, by the removal of safe
guards thrown around the individual
against extreme and excessive punish
ments and the denial. of an oppor-
tunity of executive clemency, our
courts have vested themselves with
power greater than any despot ever
heretofore possessed.
Hangs in Balance.
The fate Of the sovereignty of
American people again hangs in the
balance. It is inconceivable that such
an autocratic, despotic and tyrannicai
power can long remain in a demo-
! cracy. One or the other must ulti-
mately give way, and your committee
believes that this convention should
declare that as wage-earners, citizens
or a free and democratic republic, we
shall stand firmly and conscientiously
on our rights as free men ad treat
all lnJunctive DEGREES that invade our
| personal liberties as unwarranted in
| TACT, unJustified in law and illegal as
being In violation Of our constitutional
| safeguards, and accept whatever con-
sequences may follow.
Your committee further recon-
mends that immediate steps be taken
oy the executive council and by all
state organizations for the early enact
ment OF adequate laws to deny the
1urther usurpation Of these unwar-
ranted powers by our courts. and that
congress be petitioned to impeach all
Judges from office who may here
after exercise governmental functions
ana authority not expressly delegated
10 them. 1t is the viewpoint of your
committee that the widest possible
! publicity should be given this subject
and that the public mind and con-
science should be fully aroused to the
dangers confronting the liberties Of
our people to the end that the judicial
aurocracy and despotism which has
oeen slowly developing in our midst
Will come to an early and definite
end"
Will Back Miners.
support in "effort and money" for
! the United Mine Workers in the case
OF the Coronado Coal company was
unanimously voted and the miners
given every encouragement in their
appeal OF the case to the supreme
court. The committee report declared
| the decision Of the district court ar
a"kward contradiction in our admin
| lstratlve law" The report m ~.
| Coronado case follows:
"A year ago the convention of the
American Federation of Labor VIZ
ADVISED of the great danger involved
IN this case and that by the ftna1
| affirmation of this Judgment the r,rht
TO strlke was not only outlawed. but
,nat the right of the workers to cono-
,? pine and to bargain collectively werA
likewise seriously attacked. Attention