Evening star., 1932-03-14
INJUNCTION BILL
HAS WIDE EFFECT
Viewed as Greatest Labor
Gain Since Wilson Signed
Seamen's Act.

Agreement by Congress on labor's
anti Injunction bill last week opens
vast new field of industrial relations,
so far as legal status is concerned.
American Federation of Labor Of
ficials feel certain of a presidential sig
nature and already are jubilant in view
of what they regard as an accomplished
fact. President William Green is
frankly delighted with the outcome Of
the struggle that has lasted for a
decade.
It is the general view that this legis-
lative victory ranks ahead of any
thing that has been gained since
woodrow Wilson signed the famous sea-
mems act, although some incline to
date 1t, in point of Importance, from
the signing Of the Clayton act.
THE Clayton act brought relief for
about three years, until the Supreme
Court began to pull its teeth said
Frank Morrison, secretary of the A.
F. OF L., commenting on last weeks
victory.
Past Also Is Covered.
But the field Of effect of the new
measure which is bringing up much
speculation covers the past as well as
the future. Congressional debate
ranged largely around the future effect.
There are literally hundreds of per-
manent injunctions, under which ma
tional unions now are restrained from
doing things which will be lawful acts
unoer the terms of the Norris-La
Guardia measure, If and when it be-
comes law.
The new measure makes lawful by
collective bodies certain acts which the
courts In the past have not regarded as
lawful and which they have stopped by
injunctions. The injunctions run for
all time.
A number of attorneys have been
asked about the future status of these
permanent injunctions and whether
unions will be freed from their terms
by the new law, the frank aim of which
Is to free labor from judicial law Re-
lations under the so-called yellow
dog contracts fall In the class of acts
covered.
There appears to be agreement that,
so FAR as court records are concerned.
the in1unctions now of record will stand
and the courts of issuance will regard
those tnjunctions as valid orders of
the court. But. as one of the most
cogent Of the opinions gathered put it,
while the injunctions probably will
stand IN the records Of the courts,
charges Of violation must be tried un-
der the terms of the law as it stands
at the time Of the alleged violation.
VIII Nullify Many DEGREES.
Thus an alleged contempt Of an In
junction, If committed after the new
measure becomes law, must be tried
under the terms of the new law: and
II the contempt Is for an act made
lawful by the new law, an acquittal
must follow
It was the opinion Of one attorney,
and Secretary Morrison gave it as
laboris view likewise, that in effect and
for all practical purposes the vast COL
lection Of permanent injunctions will
become dead letters and will be forgot
ten by courts and unions alike, because
OF the changed status of violations.
When 1t is recalled that there is
scarcely union of Importance that Is
not bound by one or more injunctions-
In some cases by scores of them-it
becomes clear that really enormous
web OF judicial DEGREES will be nullified. |
The force OF the new law will clear the |
decks OF the past while it opens a new
road for labor In its future operations |
Will not this new freedom give |
great impetus to organizing work."
Secretary Morrison was asked
I'm my opinion it WILL" he said "And
this will be particularly true, I think,
in the case Of the miners, where or
ganiZation work in some States has
been absolutely forbidden by court
decree"
If labor's view Of the situation is cor
rect, 1t Is probable that no law ever
enacted has made SO much judicial law
imperative.