The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-29
PICKETING HITS
BOSSES PURSE;
court ENJOINS
Workers Show Power
in Eldorado Strike

Though nearly two months have
passed since full and complete argu-
ments were heard Justice Ingraham
is still Withholding his decision in the
Injunction case of the EldoradO Res
taurant Corporation against the hotel
workers branch Of the Amalgamated
Food Workers, p. Pascal Cosgrove,
union secretary, reported yesterday.
When the union picketed the res
taurant as the result of a lockout the
corporation obtained a restraining
order which had the effect of outlaw
ing the union pending a final decision
on the corporations application for
an injunction. With picketing already
declared illegal by the restraining
order, the union was instructed by
the court to show cause why an in
junction against picketing should not
be issued. The restraining order was
handed out by Justice Alfrad Frank
enthaler Sept, I. Justice Ingraham
heard arguments Sept. u. Though
he reserved decision on the corpora
tons application for an injunction
restraining picketing the restraining
order forbidding picketing remains in
force.
State Power vs.. Unionism.
Holding up a decision under such
circumstances very often has the eff
feet of defeating a strike even if sub
sequently a decision is rendered in
favor of the union" Cosgrove said.
at is important for workers to re-
alize that the right to organize, strike
and picket were not granted them
bv legislative enactment. The exer-
else of these rights by workers in the
first instance were always opposed by
the powers of the state and the first
workers attempting to organize the
working class into trade unions or
lead exploited workers on strike were
thrown into jail charged with unlaw
full conspiracy"
Tniunctions have come to be one
of the greatest dangers facing the la
Dor movement in this country, Co.'S
grove pointed out. Without notice to
unions, employers apply for and Sc
cure injunctions of the most sweep
ing character, even going so far in
many cases as to restrain organiza-
ton, much less picketing, he said
Gompers Was Wrong.
1T IS but few years ago that
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, called
the Clayton Antitrust Act labor's
charter Of liberties, since it seemed
to guarantee to workers the right
to organize and to picket, and it is
indeed startling and enlightening to
realize that at the last convention of
the American Federation of Labor
this so-called charter of workers lib
critics was condemned in unmeasured
terms and its repeal demanded" Cos
grove continued. "The union claims
it went on strike at the Eldorado as
the result Of a lockout. The entire
crew, every last man of whom was
a member of the union, supported the
unions action. Pickets were main
tanned in front of the Eldorado. But
realizing how prone the courts are
to believe charges of violence against
workers when made by employers in
labor cases the union was very care
full that the picketing was conducted
in a lawful manner.
Strike Hits the PocketboOk.
The Eldorado Restaurant happens
to be one one of the busiest thorough
fares in New York City. All through
the period of picketing a policeman
was stationed in front of the Edo
RADIO. Yet not one arrest took place
during the entire period. Neverthe-
less the boss was badly hurt. Indeed,
in his papers he stated his business
had been seriously crippled, that he
had to change his employees constant
" and that he could not maintain a
crew. In other words, the crime that
the union committed was that it
picketed effectively"
Cosgrove stressed the fact that the
membership of the union is still de-
termined to win its strike.