The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-09-29

citation, made up largely, as II l9'I
of attorneys representing great
wealth. often criminally acquired
lacks vision and desire to seek out
the reason for this distressing condl-
ton. and if it had the reason, II
lacks the desire to apply the remedy.
There can be little respect for the
department of justice until that de-
partment shall respect the conStltu-
ton and laws Of the land. Wlthh
the memory of this generation there
has been a degeneration OF the lea,
eral department of justice. Federal
courts and federal district attorneys
have become in many instances en-
pines of oppression for the poor;
DENYING them their constitutional
rights while at the same time, they
have aided and abetted criminal con-
spiracies in robbing the people OF !
their natural wealth and privileges
The Sherman Act, perfectly de-
signed to prevent conspiracles IN re- /
stTaint of trade, has been flouted by |
the department of justice until 1t IS
a dead letter.
The bill Of rights of our constitu-
ton is wilfully violated by district
attorneys and judges sworn by sol
emn oath to uphold it.
During the late war free men were
cruelty and inhumanly punished Tor
no other offense than the exercise
of their undoubted constitutional
rights Of free speech and free as
semblage. At the same time traitors
TO their country and traitors to the
boys at the front were allowed toI
freely rob the government, and go
unwhipped of justice. Today they
parade their billions of ill-gotten
wealth in the face of honest men
without the disapproval Of the de-
partment of justice Even an eX-
Justice of the United States, occupy
ing a high cabinet position, justltleS;
the purchase of a seat in the United
the electorate of great state with
States senate. and the corruption of
hundreds of thousands of dirty
money.
What has become of the lawyers
of the old days who would boldly
qrapple with criminal wealth and
denounce it before the world? The
Department of Justice needs men OF
this type. -.
department, the logical conclusion OF
it's past performance, came only a
| few DAYS ago when the Attorney
| General of the United States secured
from a plant federal judge writ
of Injunction in open violation of the
federal constitution and acts of con-
gress.
secured an injunction from Judge
Wilkerson at Chicago, preventing
working men from the exercise OF
their constitutional rights of peace
4 full assemblage, freedom of speech
and the lawful use of their property
he used his high position and thu
2 great powers Of free government tt
illegally Cypress the citizens of thi
land.
e No workman has a right to destro,
. property. to endanger life, or inter
fere with the rights of others. Fo
t any such offence, if committed, h
may be and should be punishe
Ir through an orderly procedure pre-
It vided by law But the Injunction or
h tanned by the Attorney General ha
~ no such offense and no such punish
d ment in view. 1t had as its purpos
: putting workingmen in fear of al
il bitrary punishment for contempt
court for no Offense at all. The II
junction was all-conclusive, includin
- the prohibition of any act of symp;
thy for the striking workmen.
prevented any act of humanity t.
ward the strikers on the part of ar
citizen. 1t was to strike terror I'M
hearts of our people who might
in the exercise of a constitution
right-take the side of the workmC
E in their fight for a living wage.
IL Besides being a violation of II
federal constitution, the injunctiC
granted at Chicago is clearly viol
ton of the spirit of the Clayton A
se of Congress. That act in part rea(
in as follows:
a "And no such restraining order
ty Injunction shall prohibit any persC
we or persons. whether singly or
of concert, from terminating any rel
se9r ton of employment, or from ceasir
Of to perform any work or labor,
be from recommending, advising, or pc
ie7 suading others by peaceful mea
e' so to do; or from attending at al
IT. place where any such person or pc
Mt, sons may lawfully be, for the pu
re- re- pose of peacefully obtaining or COZ
IN municating information, or frC
peacefully persuading any person
work or to abstain from working;
from ceasing or to abstain fro
working; or from ceasing to patro
ize or to employ any party to su
dispute. or from recommending, q
vising or persuading others by peaC
full and lawful means so to do;
from paving or giving to, or wit
sh- holding from, any person engaged
such dispute any strike benefits
other moneys or things of value;
from peaceful assemblage in lawt
aid manner, and for lawful purposes;
tn from doing any act or thing viii
rst lawfully be done in the absence
hin such dispute by any party theret
IN nor shall any Of the acts specified
the this paragraph be considered or hi
'py to be violations of any law of
a ay United States"
do, The Attorney General sought eva
ac- the provisions of the CLAYTON Act
lch bringing the action in the name
a the United States. This was a cley
Of ruse demeaning to his great off
and the honorable profession
f. which he belongs He is sworn
ish, uphold the federal law and the spi
Of the law is its life. AS the ser
lures say: "The spirit giveth Il
but the letter killeth." Observi
the letter of the law, he evades
spirit and offends against justice.
While the workmen are den
,5n- their constitutional rights in an
~ fort to intimidate them. the railro3
de- are operating their roads in violat
TO- Of the safety acts of congress, &
D' endangering the lives Of the pull