CONTEMPT OF COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9701, 4 November 1909, Page 5

CONTEMPT OF COURT.

JUDGMENTS UPHELD

SENTENCE ON AMERICAN

LABOUR LEADERS

BOYCOTT OF A COMPANY

Press Association—Kleclric Telegraph-Copyright.

(Received Last Niaht. at 11 p.m.)

NEW YORK, Yesterday

On December 23rd last a decision of vital importance to the relations of labour and capital was rendered by the Supreme Court at Washington, wheu Mr Sainuol Gompers, president, Mr John Mitchell, vice-president, aud Mr Morrison, secretary of the Amoricau Federation of Labour, were sentenced respectively to twelve, niue, and six mouths' imprisonment for contempt of Court.

The case was oue which all through tho Presidential campaign was debated (iorcely from all political platforms. It arose out of the historical injunction by which the prisoners were prevontod from placiug the Buck Stove aud Range Company ou the "unfair" aud "we don't patronise" lists of the federation. After the injunction was issued Mr Gompers publicly proclaimed his iuteutiou of ignoring it.

Tho Court denounced in scathing terms the tactics of the federation, declaring that the members of labour unions wore coerced iuto supporting the federation, while tho customers of tho stove company were intimidated and browbeaten.

The prisoners were released on bail, Mr Gompers giving £1000, Mr Mitchell £400, aud Mr Morrison £(iOO. All three appealed, and the Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia aud Washington has just delivered its finding, which upholds the Supreme Court's decision. The defendants, who are still at liberty, on bail, will now carry tlieir appeal to the United States Supreme Court.