Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-08


from Federal District Judge Wilkerson
at Chicago restraining the striking
railway shop crafts and the railroad
brotherhoods from interfering with
transportation in prosecution of the
shopmen's strike was assailed Thurs
day in a suit filed in the supreme
court of the District of Columbia by
the international Brotherhood of Elec-
trical Workers, one of the organiZa-
tions on strike. The question of iuris-
diction of the Chicago court also was
raised by the petition, which denied
any illegal act before or since
July /.
The electrical workers asked per
manent injunction to prevent United
States Attorney Gordon and United
States. Marshal Snyder from enforcing
locally the provisions of the Chicago
order. Within two hours after the
filing of the suit-which was set for
hearing next Saturday-Mr. Snyder
had served formal notice of the Chi
cago injunction on j. p. Noonan, presi-
dent of the electrical workers, and
most of the other local leaders named
as defendants before Judge Wilkerson,
and was instituting search for VII
liam II. Johnston, head of the ma
chinists' association which was to have
disappeared again" after visiting cts
office.
The machiinsts' leader, according to
some of his associates, however, had
left for Chicago before Marshal
Snyder started out with the official
copies of the restraining order.
While the electrical workers peh-
tion was said to have been filed solely
on their own behalf and without re-
ference to the other six unions on
strike, MIR. Noonan said they expected
both the temporary order, which they
hoped would be issued Saturday, and
the permanent writ to have a nation
wide scope.
Officials of the department of
justice would not comment for publi-
cation on the recourse of the strikers
to the courts. but unofficially they ex
pressed the opinion that if the
supreme court of the District of
Columbia should grant the temporary
restraining order, it would open up
wide avenues leading to possible up
setting by courts of other Jurisdictions
of injunctions and restraining orders
granted by the district supreme court
such as those in vaious packer and
other important cases-under the
Sherman and Clayton act.
While references to alleged secret
negotiations at various unnamed rlaccs
looking to separate settlements with
individual roads continued to be heard |
throughout the day. these still re-
manned Thursday night in the status
of ''unconfirmed reports MIR. Noonan
deuied flatly, so far as his union was |
concerned that there had been any |
conference with railroad executives
since the last New York meeting, !.
adding that none was in prospect. The |
Forthcoming meeting in Chicago of the |
strikers general policy commission |
according to his information, Mr.. !
Noonan said, is for the purpose of dis !
cussing the strike situation as Il has |
developed since Attorney General |
cago court and left with an order !
which, union leaders assert, was the |
most sweeping ever granted.
Some administration officials who |
have kept in personal touch with one |
or both sides to the transportation |
controversy throughout its progress |
reiterated Thursday they had reason |
to believe that the prospect for settle |
ment of the strike on several individual |
roads appeared to be improving. 1t |
was said that B. NJ. Jewell, leader Of |
the striking shopmen. had been in |
touch with several of these recently |
and while officially the department of |
Justice was not advised of Mr.. Jewells |
whereabouts, it was indicated that ad- /
ministration officials had well de- /
fined idea of his activities. After a |
conference between Mr.. Daugherty and |
Senator Borah, it was reiterated by !
government officials that no effort |
would be made to retain in the Chicago |
permanent injunction, when and If |
granted, the provisions which had been |
interpreted as tending to interfere with |
free speech"
How far government reports would |
90 In agreeing to a modification of the
temporary order was not stated, but |
those in close touch with the admins
tration predicted that it would be very !,
radically modified" The attorney gen
eral and his advisers were said TO have
come to the conclusion that the tempo
rary order went unnecessarily far in its
restrictions.
The question was understood TO have |
been discussed at a conference of At
torDey General Daugherty and Chair
man Cummins of the senate interstate
commerce committee held at the White
House with President Harding Thurs
day night
Discussing his conference with the
attorney general. Senator Borah said
he could not quote Mr.. Daugherty but
that he had given his criticisms of the
restraining order.
Il told him that in my opinion Ger
tain clauses went beyond the power
Of the court and were in violation of
the constitution" said Senator Borah.
~ also told him that their being there
did not help his case any. On the I,
other hand they retard and delay the
adjustment of the real controversy.
II called attention 10 the clause ty-
ing up the funds of the union and that
relating to the discussion of the strike {
and those relating to interviews and
publications. /;
Senator Borah telegraphed John J.
Dowd. chairman of the central strike
committee of the metropolitan district !
at New York for the shopmen, in reply
SNOW FALLS IN HELENA II