The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1940-03-14
HaridbiII Victory

| he victory OF the Western Maryland Indus
trial Union Council of the {. J. o. in what
has been termed the handful case OF the liter
allure distribution case is deserving OF comment
1t very definitely represents triumph of
right over wrong and again demonstrates that
petty local officials with Hitler like completes
cannot long endure in their oppression OF the
people.
There was much more than tho handful
ordinance itself at stake in the proceedings.
The deeper signihcances lay in the fact tina,
the United States Constitution was being vio-
lated and the United States Supreme Court
being treated with disrespcct by men who had
sworn to their oaths of office. There was the
fact that working people were being treated
cisrespectfuy by elected and appointed pub
lie officials who have shown overly great
interest in the selfish interests OF local corpo-
ra,ions and individuals who represent them.
# must have been very dscouraging to Lo-
20. United Rubber Workers OF America
t. nave their courteous and reasonable requests
can;omp;uously rejected time after time by
t.. Mayor and City Council.
HIST the Local Union. aided and supported
Ill, Western Maryland Industrial Union
uu-i. kept up its fight until victory was won
Is typical Of these progressive and democratic
groups.
1t is discouraging. though to look back
over the entire proceedings and how OBJ
s,inatcly the Mayor and Council resisted what
they knew must be the eventual result when
faced with a group determined to obtain jus.
tice.
In the first stages the Mayor and Council
action could be excused on the grounds that
they were misinformed by their legal advisor
City Solicitor Heskett. Mir Hcskett is the legal
representative of certain local business inter
ests who are interested in seeing that abor's
rights and the rights Of the common people
are denied them. Th~ City Solicitors advice
in the very first instance was based mis-
information His many statements have been
proved by the Circuit Court decision Of two
weeks ago to be. at the least. bad legal advice!
Heskctts conduct. and the Councils sup
port caused an innocent union man to be
rested and cost the union working men OF this
area an appreciable in legal fees.
The Invitations of Mayor. Council
members and city solicitor that those who
disagreed with them could take the mat
ter to court" are common knowledge.
The confident assertions of the same
group on their knowledge Of the Correct
ness of their stand quickly gave way
after the Court returned the verdict
Aiter the verdict the city solicitor tried to
lightly dismiss the situation with an airy ITS
tempest in a teapot comment in order to
hide his chagrin and cover up his msin-
forming of the Council and the public Bold
statements Of Mayor Irvine that he willing
to have the ordinance face court test look
extremely silly now. After the verdict the fair
and square gentleman maintained silence
to the news reporters
But their little game is up The interests OF
all the people again established over the
interests of the little gang OF little men who
represent the big financial interests.
It is distinctly unfortunate that the legal
costs Of the incident have to be borne by the
unions Il kind Of leaves bad taste in the
mouth. Just imagine that after being invited
to make a court test the learned city
solicitor welshes on the deal by saying the
case would have been dismissed in the police
court.
There is an organization here known as the
AlIegany Nounty Oar association ana inc gen
eral opinion is that it is composed OF a vast
majority of earnest, honest and fair minded
men,
The organized labor movement pro-
poses that the Allegany County Bar AS
ISOLATION name special committee to
investigate and examine the entire pro-
ceedings over the past two years in con-
nccton with the handful or literature
distribution case, and that this body
turns a report to the general public.
1t is to be hoped that the Association will
c9.idc to take up this proposal to the end
/ i sm Al travcstes on justice will be checked
in the fu urc.
And in conclusion MAJ We again assert as
W. have many times in the past that at
torney who represents both parties in pro-
cceding is considered rogue by honest men