Not to go to Prison

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 April 1911, Page 13

Not to go to Prison

« Injunction against Americaua Federation Void Sam Gompers, President of the American Federation of Labour, and John Mitchell, miners' leader, who were sentenced some time ago to terms of imprisonment for advising a boycott of the Buck Stove and Range Company, has had their sentences declared illegal. Says the New York "Call":—One of the most spectacular legal contests ever waged between capital and organised Labour reaped the final stages when the Supreme Court of the United States took up for oral argument the famous litigation by the Buck Stove and Range Company, of St. Louis, against the American Federation of Labour. The lawyers with the approval of the Court and the Court with the approval of all the lawyers, agreed that there was no need to consider the upholding of the injunction, since the Buck people had made peace with the Union and cares no longer about the injunction. So it becomes an easy matter for the august Court to decline to hold men guilty of contempt of Court for violating an injunction now declared voidable if not already void. Judge Parker argued that the Court of Appeals had ao power to modify the decree in the way it did. Plp argued that the injunction was void, not voidable, and that, therefore, tlvoro could be no contempt, ard that the Federation officers had been unlawfully held and sentenced.

"No," replied the office boy, figuring a little on the pad before him. "No," he repeated slowly. "I hardly think that will be necessary, but, as I said before, something must be done. Now, the principal expenses of this concern may be grouped roughly under three heads —raw materials, labour, and dividends. That's right, isn't it?" "I think that's about right." "Well, of course, the charges for raw material cannot be reduced. That's out of the question. We've got to have the stuff, and that's all there is to it. The same, is true of labour. You can readily see that Aye are the most important part of the business. We can't do without the men who do the work, and, of course, you cannot ■sxpect us to accept any less for our work than we are getting." "Of course not," admitted Mr. Monypeny. "Then that leaves the dividends as the only department in which we can retrench, does it not?" "It looks that way," agreed the president, reluctantly. "It certainly does," pursued the office boy, with an air of finality, "and as I have said before, it grieves mc sorely to be compelled to reach a conclusion which is so unfavourable to you. My kindly attitude towards capital is well known to every one." "But Tommy, it would be unfair to interfere with dividends at this time. You know I have just bought a big country place and an extra automobile and it takes a lot of money to run them. Now, if you had only told mc, say, a month ago." "But I didn't know it," urged the office boy. "I had hoped it wouldn't be necessary. But, come! After all, it isn't so bad. You ought to be glad i am not going to dispense with you altogether. I am only going to ask you to accept a 25 per cent, reduction in dividends. Will you be willing to remain with us on that basis?" "I suppose I'll have to." "That's the manly way to talk. And you'll find it won't be so bad. There are lots of ways you can economise, don't you know. Cut out a Florida or European trip, or something like that. Yes, I'm sure you'll make out. That Avill do for the present." "Thank you, Tommy," said the president politely, as he turned away. "You are entirely welcome, Mr. Monypeny."