The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-28
LARKIN LOSES
SUIT AGAINST
UNION CHIEFS
Expelled From Union
AS Sequel

Nopecial TO Inc DAILY W0rkerJ
DUBLIN, March 27.-Followirc
a lawsuit which ended unfavorably
for him, James Larlin, founder of
the Irish Transport and General
Workers Union, was expelled from
that organization by vote Of the
executive committee.
Briefly the events which led up to
the expulsion are as follows:
Air Thick With Charges.
On Larkin's return to Ireland af-
ter his deportation from America,
he got into a personal quarrel with
William O'Brien, general treasurer
Of the union. Larkin was general
secretary. The air was thick with
charges and counter charges.
Finally Larkin convinced himself
that as a result of the action Of
two branches of the union in Dublin
O'Brien, general treasurer, and
Thomas Foran, general president of
the union, were suspended from their
offices. With his brother-in-law and
few others he refused the officers
adm1ttance into their headquarters.
The officials secured an injunc-
ton restraining Larkin from inter-
fering with them in the perform
ance of their official duties, so Lar
kin had to open the doors for them.
Larkin then tried his hand at the
injunction game. He charged the
officials of the Transport Union
with various "high crimes and mis-
demeanors" but unfortunately his
evidence was very vapory when he
reached the court room.
Both sides were defended bv a
brilliant array of counsel but Larkin
dismissed his after their failure to
secure a further continuance of the
case.
William O'Brien on the witness
stand admitted that Larkin was still
general secretary but under suspen-
sion as a result of his action in
excluding the officers of the union
from their Offices and charging them
with misrepresentation Of funds.
Larkin was general secretary of the
union since 1909 and his salary was
paid to his wife Dy arrangement
during the 81 years he was in
The total sum amounted
to about $4,000.
Invokes English Law.
Larkin claimed that O'Brien was
not legally elected to the executive
He also charged that
the union violated the law in using
union funds for political purposes.
This the officials admitted but sug-
gested that violating English law
was not considered crime in Ire
land.
Larkin did not oppose using union
funds for political purposes on prin-
,ipal but he said it was a vocation
Of law. The judge held that as the
union officials were changing the
rules of the union to evade the vio-
Iation of the law, it was rather be-
lated to punish them for it.
One member of the union execu-
tive committee was charged by Lar
kin with being a thief. It was
proved, however, that he was dis
by a baking company for
overwhelming credit rather than
or embezzlement of the firms funds
Is Larkin thought. He drove de-
livery wagon.
Several women witnesses testified |
or Larkin that they were not paid
mortality benefits when their hus-
lands died because their books were
n arrears. The union officials |
laimed that it was not legally en-.
lowered to pay benefits under these
as they would leave
themselves liable to court action by
someone who might be scrupulous
bout observing the law.
Case Decided Against LarLin.
The case was decided against
.arkin with costs. This will mean
debt of several thousand pounds
n Larkin's shoulders.
1t can hardly be said that Larkin
covered himself with glory in the
rial. Without any knowledge of
egal procedure he foolishly dis
harged his counsel as he did in
he New York trial with equally
results. His fight
gainst the union officials if not tied
Ip with questions of funds and If
rec from personal attacks involv-
ng financial scrupulousness might
e successful as the workers are
y no means satisfied with the lead
rs.
The only result of the trial was
o prove that the present officials.
no poor revolutionists, are better
ookkeepers than Larkin, who ac-
ording to the testimony signed a
nancial statement as secretary of
he union in 1918 to the effect that
here was the sum of approximately
eventeen hundred pounds in the
iibernian Bank to the unions ac-
cunt when there was not a penny
here.
1t is feared that nothing can now
vert a split in the union