The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-06
A. F. L. Will Fight
Antitrust Suits
Executive Council Promises
Resistance In Reply
To Arnold

Miami, Fla.-The Executive Coun-
Gil of the American Federation Of
Labor will continue to resist, with
all the power and service at its COM
mand, the Department of Justices
"perversion Of the antitrust laws" by
seeking to apply them to organized
labor This uncompromising position
was made clear by the A. F. of l..
Executive Council in reply to AS
sistant Attorney General Thurman
Arnold, who recently made charges Of
"labor abuses" before the Temporary
National Economic Committee and the
House of Representative Judiciary
Committee.
The Executive Councils statement,
forwarded to the TNEC by William
Green, president of the A. F. of L.,
said its analysis of Mr.. Arnold's tes-
timony indicated the Assistant Attor-
ney General had been disappointed in
the Supreme Courts decision throw
ing out the indictment in the anti
trust case which he initiated against
President William l.. Hutcheson and
other officers of the United Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners.
The Council began its reply by con-
demning Mr.. Arnold's testimony as
Subtle propaganda based on distor-
ton of fact and law which was 'un-
founded and aimed at the destruction
of free labor unions in their lawful
pursuits"
The reply took up Mr. Arnold's
alleged statements that, as a result
of the power conferred on the unions
arising from the Supreme Court de-
cision in the recent carpenters case,
the labor organizations were newt
ably moving toward a labor dictator
ship"
Explaining the Councils position,
Mr.. Green said that the charge by
Mr.. Arnold assumed what could not
be proved, that every union which en-
gagged in a jurisdictional dispute 'is
prepared to make ruthless use Of its
economic power"
Mr.. Arnold's thesis, it was asserted
meant that there must not be strong
large union to protect workers despite
the desire of many workers for such
an organization.
Continuing to read excerpts from
the document, Mr.. Green said that the
Councils opinion was that the De-
partment Of Justices antitrust di-
vision "did not intend to be restricted
by the Supreme Court" but that it in,
tended "to go on prosecuting labor
although the Supreme Court rejected
the grounds on which its prosecution
was initiated"
Quoting what purported to be Mr.
Arnold's testimony, Mr. Green as
serted that the attorney had main
tanned that an agreement between
employers and employees to emplo!
more men than are needed would be
a conspiracy in restraint of trade anc
that union would be criminally
liable if it negotiated such a contract
Mr.. Green called attention to {
statement attributed to Mr.. Arnold
purporting to acknowledge that he
would not recommend legislation OF
labor matters because other govern
ment departments were primarily in
volved in labor policy.
The Council, in its letter to the
TNEC, said that it was "unfortu
nate" that Mr.. Arnold had not sole
tied the advice of the other govern
ment departments before he Launched
his unprecedented campaign.
The letter added:
Congress, which makes our labo
policy as we'll as other policies, eX
pressly approved the right of labo1
to pursue by peaceful means it's sci
interest as late as 1885, when, in Sec
ton 7 Of the Wagner act, it stated
that employees shall have the right t.
, engage in concerted activities for mu
? tual aid or protection.
) "This, in our opinion, Mr.. Arnol'
not only seeks to deny but declares
it a crime. The A. +. of l.. will con
: tinue to resist this perversion of th'
: antitrust laws of the antitrust di
} vision of the Department Of Justice
) with all its power and the resources
, at it's command"