The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-05
Mine Workers Hard Hit by e.
8. Supreme Court Decision.
Coronado Coal Case Decided in
Favor of Coal Companies.
ALL ARE OPEN TO THE ACT
Antitrust Law Effective in
Cases of All Unions.
Labor Unions Had Claimed
That They Couldn't Be Sued.

Washington. June 5.-Labor Organi-
zaticns arc not exempt from prOsecu-
tion under the Sherman antitrust
law. the supreme court today an
rounced.
The court delivered such an opinion
in the celebrated Coronado coal case.
one OF the most important pieces of
labor litigation ever to come before
the nations highest tribunal
The court held that labor organiza-
tions can be held liable for prof. erty
and other damages caused by -he acts
Of members during strikes The dect-
sicr was delivered by Chief Justice
Taft The case was brought by the
United Mine Workers of America
against the Coronado and other coal
companies arising out of the Arkansas
strikes of 1914
Chief Justice TAFT in delivering the
opinion stated that there had been no
misjoinder of parties in the suit as
brought.
He discussed at length the question
of the stability of the national and iE-
tCrnational unions. il the unions were
responsible for what was done, point
ing out that in common law. an un-
Incorporated organizati ton could be
sued. as individuals. but from neces-
sity of existing conditions. it was ut
tcrly impossible of doing justice other
wise than by holding labor unions
sueable
only n National affair.
With regard to the L. NJ. W A. of
America the court found that the in
ternauonal organization and its off
GERS did not order the strike or ratify
II and that they should not have been
made parties to the suit.
The lower federal courts had
awarded the Coronado and eight other
coal companies treble DANA ages
amounting to 100000 against the L.
NJ. ". A and district union 21.
The damages were held TO have re-
suited from the acts of union miners,
on the ground that the acts were part
of a conspiracy to restrain interstate
shipments of coal.
Discussing the details OF the strike
Chief Justice Taft said the evidence
showed the violence was purely a
union attack under the guidance of
the district officers of the union.
The Coronado Case was the name
applied to one of the most famous pro-
ceedings to reach the supreme court
within recent years Its fame arose
not only from the long period it re-
mained on the docket, but from its i'm
7ortance. involving as IL did the ques-
tion of whether organized labor as
represented in the United Mine Work
ers of America could be prosecuted
under the Sherman antitrust law for
restraint of Interstate commerce re-
sulting from strikes
Companies Of Arkansas instituted in
the United States district court for
Arkansas civil proceedings gainst the
United Mine Workers to recover treble
damages under the Sherman act for
property losses suffered by them dt,r-
ing a strike in the Arkansas coal fields
in 1914.
The coal companies alleged that the
United Mine Workers had unlawfully
Couspired to suppress non-uniOn COM
petition. and that the destruction Of
the property had been resorted to
with attendant restraint Of Interstate
commerce. TO accomplish that end
Decision Was Set Aside.
The decision OF the court disr1 issine.
the suit was set aside by the United
States circuit court of appeals for the
Eighth circuit. and in the same court
OF second trial. before a different fed
eral Judge. the jury found that the de-
struCtion OF the mine property was
due % a conspiracy to prevent the
mining OF coal by non-union labor
and had resulted IN a restraint of in
terstate commerce. The jury placed
actual damages OF 100000. which
were trebled by the court under The
Sherman law The award. affirmed
by the circuit court Of appeals wal
brought to the supreme court by the
labor unions on the ground that be-
sued.
The conspiracy was alleged by the
Arkansas mine owners to have been
an outgrowth OF the standard wage
scale and hours OF labor conferences
held by labor leaders and the mine
operators in the central competitive
1lelds beginning in 1898. during which
tne union miners had impressed upon
tnem the Importance of removing the
composition OF non-union mines. 1t
was asserted that the operators at
IIhese conferences emphasized that un-
Iess the competition was removed
wage scale and hours of labor agree-