The Washington times., 1922-09-07

BELIEVED
PLAN To
TEsTLAW
indications Are Move Here
Win Be Followed by Same
Action Elsewhere.

Washington's striking railroad
shopmen today opened legal war
fare against the famous Chicago,
Injunction with the weapon which
organized labor processes most to
hate-the restraining order.
Appearing before Associate JUS
tice Bailey In the district Supreme
Court, j. p. Noonan, president of
the international Brotherhood Of
Electrical Workers, and Charles
r. Ford, ;secrefAf filed q petit
ton for an order against District
Attorney Peyton Gordon and
United States Marshal Edgar @.
Snyder temporarily restraining
them from "doing or causing to
be done any of the acts or things
threatened" in accordance with
the provisions of the decree issued
by Federal Judge Wilkerson, Of
Chicago, at solicitation Of Attor-
ney General Daugherty.
Other Suits Expected.
These acts, the plaintiffs declare
they are ''credibly informed and
the Chicago injunction regardless
OF service Of true copies on Noonan!
Ford and other union heads, threats
on Marshal Snyder's part to pre-
vent the members OF the electrical
workers locals from holding their
daily meetings, and attempts ITO
intimidate the plaintiffs and other
members OF the Association in the
District of Columbia and to deter
them from lawfully and peacefully
holding their meetings"
The petition Is to be taken as a
forerunner Of similar action in an
communities wherein are to be
found union officials against whom
the Chicago injunction was aimed.
Just as the recent pronounce
ment of William H. Johnston,
president Of the international. Asso-
citation of Machinists, against the
provisions OF the order of Judge
Wilkerson was the sounding OF
national keynote by labor. 50 is
the present move the first legal
blow which declares open warfare
through the courts.
Through their attorneys, James s.
Easby-Smith and David A. Pine,
Noonan and Ford ask that a hearing
on the temporary injunction, to de-
termine whether or not II shall be
made permanent, be set for $3.50
o'clock Saturday morning. This
would be two days in advance of
the hearing on the Daugherty in.
junction at Chicago.
Believed Test Move.
That the enjoining order sought
by the electrical brotherhood heads
! is merely legal test move is de-
monstrated by the fact that on Tues
! day the Attorney General in an ex-
/ planatory statement declared that II
was not the intent of the Depart
ment of Justice to interfere with
rail strikers meetings unless the
| proceedings at such gatherings fore
casted attempted to, interfere with
I interstate commerce. In other words
TO plot against the proper conduct
OF the roads.
Since then, no fears have been en-
tertained that Snyder or his agents
would place a ban on the assemblies
held each morning at Washington
Hall.
AS evidence OF the constant intent
1 OF union heads since the inception
OF the strike, July I, TO avoid law.
lessness by strikers, Noonan and
Ford append to their petition the
text OF Instructions issued to all
members OF the International
Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers,
declaring In part:
Every effort should be made 10
prevent dlsorderly acts. which are
used as the basis for obtaining in-
| functions.
Neither the funds nor energies
OF the organizations should be spent
in lawsuite.
Peaceful striking and peaceful
picketing cannot be legally enjoined.
either in State courts or In Federal
courts" ~
The strikers represented by. Moo
nan and Ford. comprising about one
third OF those who walked out from
the Terminal shops here, include
members Of Local Union. No. rs. OF
washington: Local Union. No. las,
Of washington. and sub-dlvision, c OF