Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-10

law enacted by Congress for the pur-
pose of preventing speculation and
profiteering of the food and fuel sup
plies of the country. There never
was in the minds of the Congress in
enacting that law or in the mind of
the President when he signed it, that
the Lever act would be applied to
workers in cases of strikes or lock-
outs. The food controller. Mr.. Hoo
Yer, specifically so stated. Mem
bers of the committee having the
bill in charge have in writing declar-
ed that it was not in the minds
of the committee. and the then at
torney general, Mr. Gregory, gave
assurance that the government
would not apply that law to the
workers effort to obtain improved
working conditions. Every assur-
ance from the highest authority of
our government was given that the
law would not be so applied.
In the course of President Will
sons address to the Buffalo conven-
ton of the American Federation of
Labor, November, 1917. among OF her
things he said:
Refer to Wilson Speech
While we are fighting for free
dom, we must see among other
things that labor is free, and that
means "a number of interesting things
1t means not only that we must do
what we have declared our purpose
to do. see that the conditions of la
Dor are not rendered more onerous
by the war, but also we shall see to
1t that the instrumentalities by which
the conditions of labor are improv-
ed are not blocked or checked. That
we must do
THE autocratic action Of our gov
ernment in these proceedings is of
such nature THAI it staggers the
human mind. In Il free country to
conceive of q government applying
for ands obtaining a restraining or
der prohibiting the officials of la
Dor organization from contributing
their own money for the purpose of
procuring food for women and chill
dren that might be starving, is some
thing that when known will shock
the sensibilities of man and will
cause resentment Surely the thou
sands of men who are lying in
France. under the soil, whose blood
was offered for the freedom of the
world, never dreamed that 90 short
ly afterwards in their own coun-
try 10000 workers endeavoring to
better their working conditions,
would have the government decide
that they were not entitled to the
assistance of their fellowmen and
that their wives and children should
starve, by order of the governrne ent.
1T is a well established principle
that the inherent purpose of the in
junction processes, where there is no
other adequate remedy at law. was
for the purpose of protecting prop
arr nrfxr ,.frrl
by exercising the equity power of
the courts to prevent immediate and
irreparable injury.
TT was never intended ana there
is no warrant of the law in oil our
country to use the injunction power
of equity courts to curtail personal
rights or regulate personal rel&tions.
1t was never intended to take the
place of government by law by SUBJ
stitutng personal and discretionary
government.
THE Lever act provides its own
penalties for Violations of it's provi-
sions. The injunction issued in this
case has for it's purpose not a trial
by court and a jury. but an order of
the court predicted upon the as
sumption that the law might be vio
lated and by which the defendants
may be. brought before the court for
contempt and without any trial by
jury.
1--WE declare that the proceedings
in this case are unwarranted. as
they are unparalleled in the history
of our country. and we declare that
it is an injustice which not only tie
workers but all liberty loving Amer
leans will repudiate and demand re-
dress. The citizenship of our coun-
trv eannoS afford to permit the es-
tablishment or maintenance of n
principle which strikes at the very
foundation of justice and freedom
To restore the confidence in the in
stitutions of our country and the
respect due the courts. this iniunc
ton should be withdrawn and tho
records cleansed from so outra geous
a proceeding.
"By all the facts in the case the
miners strike is justified. we en-
dorse it. We are convinced of the
justice of the miners cause. we
pledge to the miners the full support
Of the American Federation of Labor
and appeal to the workers and the
citizenship of our country to give
like endorsement and aid TO the men
engaged in this momentous strug-
gle."