Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1907 — UNFAIR LIST ASSAILED [ARTICLE]

UNFAIR LIST ASSAILED

Injunction Suit Filed by Manu* facturers in the District of Columbia. BT, LOUIS FIRM IS COMPLAIN ART t All Labor Practically Is Made the Defendant « Central Issue the Right to Boycott “Unfair" Firms—Manufacturers' Association Backs the Suit—Telegraphers' Strike, jy,, Washington, Aug. 20.—A significant legal action has been begun in the supreme court of the District of Columbia by Janies W. Van Cleave, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, to enjoin Samuel'' Compere, John Mitchell and other officer* of the American Federation of Labor, and several of its subsidiary organizations, from using the boycott and socalled “unfair list.” Van Cleave institutes the suit in the name of a large manufacturing company of St. Louis, of which he Is president, whose products are alleged to have been declared “unfair” by the labor unions. Will Test the “Unfair" List. But tbe significance of the action lies in its being a test case wherein Van Cleave, as head of the Manufacturers’ association, seeks to permanently enjoin organized labor from using the “unfair” or “we don’t patronized” lists in its fight against firms and individuals. The papers were filed here in order that personal serv ice might be immediately obtained against a large number of the labor leaders named in the complaint, who are in Washington In attendance upon a general conference. Men Who Are Wanted Enjoined. The bill asks for y permanent Injunction against Samuel Gonipers and Frank Morrison, of Washington; John V. Lennon, of Bloomington, 111.; Jas. Duncan, of Quincy, Mass.: John Mitchell, of Indianapolis; James O’Connell, of Washington; Max Morris, of Denver; James A Hayes, of Philadelphia; Daniel J. Keefe, of Detroit; William I). Huber, of Indinnapolis; Joseph F. Valentine, of Cincinnati, all of the American Federation of Labor: also It. L. Thixton. C. O. Bucklngton, H. C. Poppe, A. J. Cooper and E. L. Hickman, as individuals and as officers of the Electroype Moulders and Finishers’ union No. 17, and members of the International Sterotypers’ and Electrotypers’ union. The complainant is the Buck’s Stove and Range company, of St. Louis. STRIKE OF THE TELEGRAPHERS Government Ownership One of the Strikers May Use. Chicago, Aug. 20. The strike of telegraphers has passed apparently to the phase of a test of endurance, and is being strictly fought by both sides to the controversy. Government ownership ot the telegraph lines has been raised as the slogan of the strikers. .President .Small issued a circular letter to all the chapels of the Commercial Telegraphers’ union and to the Federations of Labor all over the United States, declaring that half of the $20,000,000 fund which labor has undertaken to roll up for the winning of this strike would be reserved for na tional agitation in favor of the governn*ent ownership of the telegraph lines. Small also sent out another circular pledging the executive board to do all in its power to secure a congressional investigation of the Western Union and Postal Telegraph companies, and requesting all the branches of the union to compile sworn affidavits covering the failure of the companies to handle the public business. These affidavits will include evidence of telegrams paid for in advance by the puK lie and forwarded by the companies by mail. Both telegraph companida made additions to their forces woGdn’g the instruments on the floor of the Board of Trade, and the managers said they were in touch with all the principal grain and stock points of the country. Four men were added to the Western Union staff on theexebange floor, making a total force, with managers, or fourteen, while the Postal opened two more circuits, which made its total foree twelve, making a force of twen-ty-six men in all, where under ordinary conditions 100 operators are employed. According to a bulletin posted conspicuously at local union headquarter* tbe strike-breaking operators at the Chicago main office of the Western Union Telegraph company are forming a union and threaten what might be called a “strike within a strike.” They are said to be dissatisfied be-, cause some of the men they are forced to work with are not satisfactory and because, it is alleged, some are “dummies” kept “to make a fiotee like a real operator” and because these latter get the same wages granted the strikebreakers who are real operators. Tbe bulletin posted reads as follows: “Scabs at Western Union -office are forming a union and will present demands for new working conditions to Chief Operator CowttQ. A walk-out is Imminent. Scabs very much dissatisfied.” Regarding a general stampede back to work on the part of the striking operators phophesied by 1 officials of both companies to take place, General Su-

perintendent T. P. Cook of the Wwt era Union company, said:. “I don’t know whether any of them came back or not” At the Postal company’s main office It was admitted that npne returned. Although It announced by the union's officers on Saturday that they would iseue a call for the cable operators to strike, so far such a call has not been sent out. AH union business was suspended by the telegraphers while officers and the rank and file were the guests of Charles Comlskey at the White Sox ball park, where the Sox played the Washington club, Chicago, Aug. 21.—President S. J. Small, of the Commercial Telegraphers’ union, announced that an agreement had been made with the American Telephone and Telegraph company and that 300 operators would return to wont.