In Labor's Ranks

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 13, 1909

In Labor's Ranks.—The various organizations of Labor, and especially the American Federation of Labor, have been stirred to their very depths by the decision of Justice Daniel Thew Wright, Federal Judge in the District of Columbia, who sentenced, December 23, for Court contempt, pressed by the National Association of Manufacturers, Samuel Gompers to a year's imprisonment, John Mitchell, nine months, and Frank Morrison, six months. These men are respectively president, vice-president, and secretary of the Federation. The opinion was very strong, and what might be called bitter. Protests have poured in from almost every labor organization in the United States. Appeal has been made to the United States Supreme Court, and demands have been made upon the President by various parties for a review of the case, or pardon, but he has stated that he could not do anything while it was before the Courts. It has stirred up tremendous feeling on the part of organized labor, and doubtless it will create sympathy for the men, from the fact that they are punished for what has been done many times by others who have escaped punishment. There are millions who will ask that if leading labor men are to be imprisoned, why are not leading trust men, who have violated the laws, imprisoned also? The most striking reason in the Judge's sentence is that there has been open and continued defiance of the Courts. The outcome is not yet.