The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-13
TO EVACATI0N
Union Lab0ring Men Plan to
Attend Howat Hearing.
"Call to Action" Issued by w.
E. Freeman.
GO TO COLUMBUS JUNE 27
Head of State Federation of
Labor Urges Action.
Members of Industrial Court
See Big ssKickback."
GO TO COLUMBUS JUNE q

Union labor men here today said
several Topeka laboring men were
making plans to go to Columbus. Mon
day, June 27, in response to the "call
to action" of W. E. Freeman. presi-
dent of the state federation, who is
seeking to get union labor all over
Kansas to declare a vacation the week
of June 27 and go to Columbus. where
Alexander Howat, head of the coal
miners, will have his first jury trial
for violating the Kansas industrial
court law and where he will face the
first charge on which he can be sent
to the penitentiary. If convicted.
"Ill be there If the trains rum" one
Topeka union man was quoted as say
ing.
Not Willing To Be Quoted.
State officials, while looking upon
the Freeman call as an effort to stage
a statewide protest strike, were not
willing to be quoted as saying that ac-
ton would be started against him un-
der the industrial court act. Some of
them pointed out that it probably
would be hard to show that his action
was prompted by a motive to lessen
production and thus endanger the
public. Members of the industrial
court professed to see in the Freeman
call a "kickback" that would do in
jury to Howat in the minds OF the gen.
eral public. Governor Allen was not
in the city and no statement could be
procured from him.
Frccman's Statement.
Freeman's call was distinctly a de-,
fiance of the industrial court law in all
its details. In the preamble he said:
For more than one year past labor
in Kansas has been engaged in a ter
rifle struggle to preserve the rights of
free labor against the assault of big
business thru the Allen industrial
slave court.
| During all of this labor has stood
by its guns and has refused to sur
Irender. The United Mine Workers in
Kansas have especially been made the
isobJect OF persecution by the corpora
ton controlled state administration.
Theirs has been a fight to the finish.
Mine union officials have been SLAM
dered and repeatedly arrested and
| thrown in Jail for standing by the
principles of organized labor. The
begun"
Then Freeman issued the "Call to
Action" urged that labor quit work
the week of June 81 and go to Column
bus to attend Howats first felony
trial in which Howat NAV be sent to
the penitentiary for two years and
fined $1,000 If he Is convicted and the
/ courts hold the industrial court law
constitutional.
| The "Can to Action"
The Call to Action reads as fol-
lows:
| "on the 27th day of June. this
month. Alexander Howat, president,
and August Dorchy, vice-president of
i the United Mine Workers, District IA,
i with headquarters in Pittsburg, Kan,
will be called to trial for the calling of
| a strike in order to get justice for a
vxyid yf1n ho o1c
support of his mother and several lit
! tie sisters and brothers and who had
been denied his just wages by greedy
coal corporation.
These men go to trial charged with
this so-called crime on the 27th OF
this month in the district court OF
Cherokee county, Kansas, at Colum-
bus. If convicted for this terrible
crime of trying to get justice for a
poor worker they will be liable te
serve two years in the state peniten.
tiary and pay fine of $4,000.
+ Engage Special Prosecutors.
"The whole force of the state ad.
ministration is pitted against Howai
land Dorchy Special prosecutors have
been engaged by the Allen forces and
every effort will be made to land
Howat and Dorchy in the penitentiary
What is labor going to do abou
it? Labor must act!
"a mighty protest must be made b.
| IdDOr everywhere, OF I1llS law Will D'
passed by other states by the big EN-
p1oyers and the open shop crowd
and all of labor's freedom will be lost
"a call is hereby made to the mem
, bers of all labor organizations II
Kansas, and the progressive farmer,
as well, to meet at Columbus to heal
, all of the provisions of this out
rag geous law against the rights o
labor discussed by the ablest lawyer,
, | in the United States, in what will
; doubtless be the most historic trial
So far as human rights are concerned
: SINCE the trial of Dred Scott, Just be
fore the Civil war. Labor should tur.
= | out in mass to the great historic tria
I which will decide whether we are fre'
1 men or slaves.
To Last Several Days.
1.-THE trial is predicted by labor at
!, torneys to last from three days to
: week. Let all labor declare a vaca
. ton for the week of June 81. an
come to Columbus. Kan.
, "a fine camping ground will be ar
: ranged on the edge of the city. plent
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