The Washington herald., 1919-03-21
TO PICKET
/ WITH SANDWICH
] SIGNS is LEGAL
Judge Hardison Decides L.
cense Requirement Not
: for Persons.
RALEIGH WATERS WIN
Decision Considered Great
Victory for Organized
Local Labor.
RALEIGH WATERS WIN

/; Organized labor won out in Police
sCourt yesterday.
= Il wou a victory Of a caliber never
before attained in the local courts.
1T won not only the right TO carry
signs with which TO appeal to public
sentiment and win sympathy for its
grievances. but also the right to picket
a nonunion place without interference
from the police on the theory that it
might tend to create disorder"
Judge HardisOn, in dismissing
charge Of unlawfully displaying sign
against John II. Lynch. one of the
lOCked-oUt union walters, formerly en-
ployed at the Raleigh Hotel, said that
that part Of the license law which
forbids the displaying Of 4 sign with
out a license did not apply to human
beings who carried signs. but did Rp-
ply to buildings, structures, billboards,
etc
Prosecution VIII Appeal
Immediately after the disposal of
this case. the cases OF the other
pickets who were charged with dis
orderly conduct because they walked
up and down the street carrying signs,
sEere called up and also dismissed
= In the case of Lynch. Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Ringgold Hart gave
notice or his intention OF applying to
the Court Of Appeals for a write OF
error.
In the cases Of disorderly conduct,
NIr. Hart argued that because the men
accused ConEregated on the sidewalk
Pnd carried signs with the word
s'scab" on them. thereby being a prob
able cause Of disorder. inasmuch as
Someone. possibly the Colored nom
Union walters who took the places OF
The locked-out union men. might re-
sent the name and precipitate~a riot.
Defendants Not DisorderIy.
: Judge Hardison then recited another
case Of this sort that came to his
attention in which the words "colered
tcabs'' were used and in which both
white and coIOred union men attacked
the "colored scabs" with equal in
fensity. The court failed to SEE, where
tny trouble. due to the drawing OF a
Eolor line. would result from the use
n the word '.scab" as applied to the
Eolored nonuniOn men.
The word "scab." the court said,
fVss universally known to mean a
sonuniOn person. II has nothing what
sYer to do with color. II is not a
NOfd CAlculaLeu 10 Dreed disorder De-
cause the public itself is used to it
and does not object to it.
There Is no evidence in these cases
that these defendants did anything
20 intimidate anyone. or cause any
eisorder. I passed by there myself"
said Judge Hardison, "and I didn't
see any disorder or any excitement
81 the part of anyone
"However, a man carrying a sign
rnder certain circumstances, while
Be Is not himself carrying on in a
fisorderly manner, might tend by the
sign, to precipitate disorder II
p1an were to step in front OF a st.
Patrick's parade carrying a sign that
stated that St. Patrick was a fraud,
then he would be guilty Of disorderly
conduct because he would procipitate
aisorder-and most likely a riot.
( In the cases Of these men, how
over" went on the court, lit is ap-
barent that they did not choose al
together the wrong place to display
signs. OF course some certain Of
fenses, while they may pass Unnoticed
IN the country, are strictly against
the laws Of peace and order in a
crowded city"