The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-10-23
JOHN ". DA WIS
After String of Victories as lawyer He Is Defeated in
Coronado Coal Company CaSe-EIected Pres-
dent of Bar Association
HIS LIFE STORY

when excitement is running at fever
heat it Is hard to fix responsibility.
Both sides were armed with rifles
Disorder reigned throughout the en-
tire valley Four men were shot to
death from the darkness in a single
night
The controversy reached the
courts in the form of a suit brought
by the corporations against the
United Mine Workers of America for
$40. 900 property damage. Under the
law this amount could be trebled by
the court. making a total of ST.
200, 900.
OF the questions involved in the
case the most important to organized
labor was whether the property of
an individual union man could be
seized in compensation for damages
Union leaders declared it would be a
ceath blow to unionism if this prece-
dent were established.
The District Court awarded dam
ages to the corporations OF 5000, 900,
trebled to 100000 by court order;
$4,000 for attorneys fees: and
S120.60 for interest.
The case was appealed and finally
reached the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Taft sent the case
back to District Court on the ground
that, according to the evidence. the
feionies and murders involved in the
strike were not committed in any
conspiracy TO restrain interstate
commerce.
This decision was hailed as a
victory for the miners.
Until this time Davis had not ap-
feared in the case. but after Justice
Taft's action he came before the
Supreme Court ard asked for an.
other hearing. The case was 50 we'll
tried that Taft complimented the at
torneys on both sides. Davis, how.
ever, lost his appeal.
Wins Glass Case
In his other outstanding labor case
Davis won a victory. In this case
he represented the National Asso-
citation of Window Glass Manufac-
turers and the National Window
Glass WOrkers-employers and en-
ployes.
His clients had signed a contract
fixing wages and conditions Of EN-
ployment. and the Government had
brought suit TO break this contract
on the ground that it violated the
antitrust laws.
Davis won his case by pointing
out that machinery was rapidly dis
pensing with the services of the
highly trained glass blowers, and
that they were only able TO hang on
through special sufferance and by
working longer hours. Therefore.
he said. special contracts with the
manufacturers were necessary for
their protection. The court ruled in
his favor
Another important case tried by
Davis was that in which he repre-
scented the States Of Pennsylvania
and Ohio against his native State Of
West Virginia.
West Virginia had passed a law
providing that her natural gas must
be offered for sale to her own citi-
zens before any quantity of it should
be sold outside the State.
Pennsylvania and Ohio, directly
affected by the law and resentins
its provisions. launched a legal drive
against it. and Davis. as their coun-
sci. won an outstanding victory.
Davis rise TO prominence as a cor
poration attorney after quitting as
ambassador to England was so rapid
that in 1922-1ess than a year after
leaving the Government service-he
was elected president of the Ameri-
can Bar Association.
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