Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-04-15
0 R N E W S
By
F. T. CORNELIUS, Secretary
Salisbury-Sbencer Central Labor Union
The Norris Injunction Bill

FOR many years employers have been
able to get injunction writs to cripple
unions when engaged in an effort to
remedy wrongs. When the unions sub
mitted protests, the employers would
refuse to discuss the matter with rep
resentatives of the workers, and the
dispute was thus turned into the field
of force. This left the workers the
choice of a strike or unconditional
surrender to what they believed to be
injustice. If the workers struck the
employer could go to the court and
ask that the workers be restricted
from picketing, promoting strike &C
t%ivities, using union funds for strike
purposes, asking fellow workers tt join
the strike, ct cetera. That is the jul
| dietary was asked to order the strikers
not to do things that would interfere
with employers controlling the strike
situation. If they ~disobeyed the orders,
the strikers were arrested and tried by
the judge who issued the restraining
order or injunction. Often the judge
grossly exceeded his authority but that
was not righted until long afterward
/ when it had contributed to the defeat
of the strike even though null and
void. Unions had been told not to
give food to strikers families, rot to
put up bonds to prevent eviction of
strikers families, not to sing hymns
on the picket line, not to tell anybody
why they were striking.
To secure necessary correction for
these abuses, for more than three de-
cades Labor has been petitioning the
constituted authorities for legislation.
In 1914 labor provisions were put into
the Clayton Act which undertook to
define the application of injunction
in labor disputes, but relief was not
forthcoming, on the contrary the Fed
eral Courts continued to issue injunc-
tons of the type described, which were
upheld by higher courts.
The legislative proposal sponsored
by Senator Norris regulates the pro-
cedure in injunction cases, defines and
limits the jurisdiction of equityicourts
and declares public policy with re-
CARDS to unions and the yellow dog
contract. The bill was signed by the
President March p and both political
parties are committed to reform of in
junction abuses and representatives of
both parties co-operated in framing
and enacting the measure. is purpose
is to give Labor more equal opportun-
ity for justice and industrial progress.
1t is now our privilege to use this OPP
portunity constructively in the eco
nomic field. Our educational work
must be continued until judges and
lawyers understand the facts of our
economic world which are involved in
questions for judicial decisions.
Not Wage Cutting Instrument
Matthew Woll, Chairman Division
of Labor, war against depression cam
| paign, has sent instructions to all Cen
trail Labor Unions that the sole pur-
pose of this campaign was to find jobs
for the unemployed and that any eff
forts to use this campaign as a drive
to cut wages must be exposed and
fought bitterly. Mr.. Woll states that
it was agreed at the very outset that
his campaign was not to be used as a
wage cutting instrument and that the
officers of the American Legion had
shown a fine spirit and have wired
emphatic commands that wage rates
have no place in the campaign.
Tennessee Labor Convention
The thirty-sixth annual convention
of the Tennessee State federation of
Labor has been called to meet at Nash
vile on May 2. Unemployment in all
| its phrases will be discussed as well
giving special consideration to employ
ers who take advantage of the depres-
sion to enforce wage cuts and longer
hours of labor.
Committee Appointments
President C. A. Fink, at the last
regular meeting of the Central Labor
Union announced the appointment of
the following delegates to serve as
members Of our regular standing COM
mittee.
Legislative: D. ]. Butler, chairman:
J. H. Kirby, Almond Lyerly.
Union Label: H. E. Wheeler, chair
man, D. G. Parks, R. E. Edmunson.
Organization: R. R. Ray, chairman
G. L. Seamon, L. L. Ennis.
Educational: H. S. Pinkston, chair
man, H. G. Fisher, ]. M. Monroe.
GrievanceAC. H. Bringle, chairman
M. M. Mask, J. L. Shaver.
Press: F. T. Cornelius, chairman
J. E. Shepherd, N. c. Watson.
Doctor-Yes, my man. I'm afralc
there is only one thing that can pos: