The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-09-29
EDITOR
GETS 6 MONTHS,
SCORED SCABS
Judge Eulogizes Constitution
and Punished Cohen for
VOicing an Opinion
Appeal to BE Made to Entire
Labor Movement to Reassert
Rights of Constitution


MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept. 27-Unit-
ed States Judge j. w. Ross today
declared that strike-breakers must
not be molested and chagrined by
! having unpleasant things said and
printed about them, and following a
| eulogy on the Constitution which, he
said stands as the symbol OF Amer
lean freedom and democracy, SEN
/ fenced j. Cohen, editor and publisher
of the Labor Review, to six months
/ in Jail and fined him 81, 600 for con.
temps of court following an alleged
violation of the federal injunction
granted to the Frisco and Illinois
Central railways here.
Cohen. naturally, does not agree
with the judge in the latter's inter-
Dretation of the Constitution.
81 stand on the constitutional guar
antees," said Cohen. THE first
amendment to the Constitution guar
antees the right of free speech, free
press, and freedom of assemb'age.
Nothing, as | understand it, can go
beyond that. Nothing that can be
. done will in any measure change my
attitude or affect my future course
of action"
The prosecution arose over an ar
ticle published in the Labor Review
on Labor day, wherein strike-break-
ers and men who take the places
2 of union workers on strike were
branded as scabs.
Strikers Gather in Court
t The case was called at 10 o'clock
t this morning Hours before the court
a room doors were opened crowds be-
y gan gathering. The regular morn.
d ing meeting of the striking rail shop.
t men was abandoned in order that
e the workers, for whom Cohen has
/ fought, might attend the hearing
At the Sunday meeting Fred A
Y Schultz, acting as chairman, asked
e the 5000 persons present the ques
G ton, "Shall we meet here in the parl
If or shall we go into the United States
a court room to impress the court will
h the fact that we are backing Co
Y, hen?" The crowd went wild ant
re voted unanimously to attend court
% and it did.
is Tonight there is every indication
that Cohen's case will be made tn
" basis of an appeal to the entir
r American labor movement.
Or Standing as the only America
ne editor cnvicted of contempt unde
ed the reign of the injunction, the loo;
o. trades and labor council last wee
b. adopted a resolution pledging i
ad moral and financial assistance an
h outlining a plan whereby every Gel
sc trail body and individual unic
r. throughout the country will be askt
of to contribute to the defense of tt
n editor.
ng Cohen gave bond of $4,000 follo1
"a ing his conviction and appeal to Il
1t court of appeals at Cincinnati. III
to- bond required was regarded as e
ny cessive by prominent members
ITO the bench and bar,
- Just Begun to Fight, Says Cohen
lal Cohen declared that he will fig
en the case through the highest court
81 have just begun to fight
he declared. "What happens to L
on amounts to very little, perhaps, b
la the question of whether freedom
yet speech and press still exists is e
Ids ceedingly important to every pers'
in America"
or Plans to make a national fight
on the matter tonight are being ma
in by local labor unions.
la The case originated in an injun
ng ton issued by the local court on t
or application Of the Frisco and LllinC
err Central railroad companies. On t
ans heels of this injunction Cohen print
my scathing denunciation of strik
err breakers in his paper. The artl(
ur- led to his arrest.
M Cohen has edited the Labor Revi'
ON in this city for five years. Previou
to " he published the Labor World
or Chattanooga. He was for % yea
ON a shop man, being member of t
on International Association of Mach
lch lists. He is well known in organic
adj labor circles all over America, esl
ce- cially in Baltimore, where he serv
or his apprenticeship and first becal
TIL a full-fledged card-carrying memt
in Of the labor movement.
or Judge Ross Is Labor Halter
or Judge ]. w. Ross is as unpopuI
full among the workers as Cohen is pc
or ular. Ross recently sentenced TIL
ich men to three months in Jail for
of legged violation of the local injul
ito. ton. Nine restaurant men oper
in ing cafes in the strike zone, charg
eld with contempt of court because tn
the displayed signs proclaiming mo sc
trade wanted here" were sever
ade reprimanded in his tribunal.
by Up to the very day of his II
of Cohen continued his talks Def
yer striking shopmen. whose cause
flee not affected by the general set
to ment, the roads entering Memp
to not being affected by the PEI
,irit terms.
rip Hundreds Of persons outside
hee labor Observation-Disclosures men, C
ing men, club women, and liberal {
its Independent organizations genera
have pledged their assistance
1ied Cohen's fight.
eff --