The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-17
CONTINUED from page -
came on the premises.
Sherman Antitrust

came on the premises.
Sherman Antitrust
The company alleged that it could
not do the work on the big Straus
building on Michigan Blvd. because
of the unions action, and on many
other buildings, whose value totaled
to millions OF dollars. 1t claimed that
the refusal of union men to work with
it's finks was violation of the Sher-
man antitrust act and a conspiracy
in restraint of trade. AS incidental
matters, they claimed that $40 worth
of damage had been done to their
equipment over two-year period, and
that unknown persons had inundated
the w. U. employees.
Involuntary Servtude.
Hope Thompson. attorney for the
nine unions involved, argued that the
injunction would destroy the constitu-
tional right of men to work when and
for whom they choose, and would re-
duce them to involuntary servitude,
prohibited under the fourteenth
amendment to the constitution.
He argued that if this injunction
were allowed it would destroy every
labor union in the United States, and
take away the right of the workers,
either collectively or individually, to
quit job'if their quitting in any way
hindered the progress of operations.
Show Western Union as Liar.
The union attorney filed an affidavit
from Straus & Co.'s real estate man.
ager, showing that the Western Union
was not hindered from putting in its
wires, except by its own obstinacy.
His affidavit says that before con-
struction work started on the Straus
building it was decided that all work
on the building should be done by
union labor and that the Western
Union was appraised of that fact. Ar
rangements were made whereby the
Western Union would run it's trunk
lines up to the curb, and would allow
their estimate of the cost of installss
ton on a contract for the completion
of the job by union men. After fur
Their consultations the Western Union
withdrew from that agreement, and
denied making It.
Must Work With Flnks.
Other buildings under construction
by union labor are also affected, and
IL the decision is upheld, 1t will pre-.
vent any man from accepting a job on
a building without agreeing to work
with inks.
It is ridiculous, says the defense at.
torney, to claim that stoppage of work
on a building in Chicago interferes
with interstate commerce. Under
such a ruling all guarantees OF the
right to quit work will be jeopardized
and the fourteenth amendment com.
pletely voided.
Judge Wilkinson's ruling classes the
refusal of the union men to work with
the finks as a violation OF the Sher-
man antitrust law, and a conspiracy
in restraint of trade. He says the
Western Unions business is to trans.
port messages, and any worker who
refuses to lay bricks on a building be.
cause the Western Unions non-union
employees are working there is pre-
venting the dispatch Of messages from
one state to another.
"crime" to Cult, Says Judge.
The decision says that 1t is a crime
to quit Job II quitting hinders the
operations OF an interstate public
service corporation, and crime even
to accept work on a job, IL your quit.
ting will hinder such operations.
"As to clause /, of the prayer for
a temporary Injunction" says the de.
cision, 1T is said that II prevents EN-.
ployes from ceasing to work, there.
fore, imposing involuntary servitude