opinion just rendered it is declared there was no contract between the pressmen and the employers; that Higgins and the other officials of the union who endeavored to make an agreement acted beyond their authority, and that the union disowned their attempt to bind it. Under the circumstances, it is held by the court of appeals that the lower tribunal was right in refusing to grant an injunction, and the action is confirmed. The issuing of the injunction had little effect on the contest of the pressmen's union, as that organization went right along with its movement to establish an eight-hour day, which has been almost entirely successful in every jurisdiction. The Australian Jobman. A contributor to the columns of the British Printer, writing from Sydney, Australia, asserts that the job compositor in that part of the world stands at the head of the "printing profession," although, as in this country, he does not make as much money as the quick "newspaper hand," but he has a higher standing as an artist. The same authority declares that job printing does not seem to be attracting young Australians who are anxious to learn "a nice, clean trade," and attributes this condition to the apprenticeship question. It seems that, under the compositors' and printers' award in the arbitration court, the term of apprenticeship has been increased from five to seven years, and it is the law of the land that in a job office only one apprentice is to be allowed to every three men permanently employed. It also appears that the large Australian employers are much dissatisfied, as they claim that the arbitration court has "blocked them" as regards apprentices, and that "the proportion of one apprentice to every three men is absurd." Injunction Modified and Affirmed. On the 11th of March the court of appeals of the District of Columbia denied the appeal of the officers of the American Federation of Labor against the injunction granted by the supreme court of the District, at the instance of the Buck's Stove and Range Company, manufacturers of stoves, forbidding the labor leaders to publish the admittedly true statement that the articles offered for sale by that company are non-union made. The District court of appeals affirmed the action of the lower court in the federation case, but made certain important modifications. Under the latest ruling, the name of the unfair stove company must not be published in the "We Don't Patronize" list, but the federation officials may "mention" the subject to their heart's content. The court finds that there was a combination or conspiracy upon the part of the officers of the American Federation of Labor to injure the business of the Buck's company, and that this "business" was the property of the company, and, as such, entitled to protection upon equity principles. But, says the court, when the conspiracy is at an end, the federation officers will have the same right that any individual or association now has to comment upon the relations of the complainant with its employes. The decree of the appellate court was written by Justice Robb, and in concurring Justice Van Orsdel set forth some views that will be of interest. He discussed the freedom of contract, of free speech and of a free press, as guaranteed by the constitution, and he proclaimed some broad views on those subjects. On the question of the boycott, the justice went on to say: The word "boycott" at the present time is no more obnoxious than was the word "strike" a quarter of a century ago. Then it was sought through the courts of equity to invoke the injunctive writ to restrain laboring men from organizing a peaceable strike. In some instances, inferior federal courts granted injunctions, but they were never upheld in the superior courts of the country. It is well settled now that a man, or a number of men, may refuse to continue to work for their employer, and they may combine for the purpose of organizing a strike. They may advise others to quit work and join in the strike, so long as no contractual rights are invaded, and they may ad I conceive it to be the privilege of one man, or a number of men, to individually conclude not to patronize a certain person or corporation. It is also the right of these men to agree together, and to advise others, not to extend such patronage. That advice may be given by direct communication or through the medium of the press, so long as it is neither in the nature of coercion or a threat. As long as the actions of this combination of individuals are lawful, to this point it is not clear how they can become unlawful because of their subsequent acts directed against the same person or corporation. To this point, there is no conspiracy— no boycott. The word "boycott" is here used as referring to what is usually understood as the "secondary boycott;" and when used in this opinion, it is intended to be applied exclusively in that sense. It is, therefore, only when the combination becomes a conspiracy to injure by threats and coercion the property rights of another, that the power of the courts can be invoked. This point must be passed before the unlawful and unwarranted acts which the courts will punish and restrain are committed. There was a dissenting opinion by the chief justice of the court, he disagreeing with his associates, notwithstanding the "modifications" in the decree. Listen to Chief Justice Shepard: One person may not only cease to labor for another without liability to action, but may also cease or decline to further purchase his goods, or to have any business relations with him. This being lawful for one person to do, does not become unlawful when two or more persons, impelled by a like motive, voluntarily agree to do the same thing. Consequently, the persons composing the organization of the American Federation of Labor had a legal right to agree together not to purchase the goods of the Buck's Stove and Range Company. Refusing to purchase these goods does not constitute a "boycott" in the legal sense. * Assuming that the publication of the Buck's Stove and Range Company in the "We Don't Patronize" column of the American Federationist was the step in the formation of a conspiracy to coerce independent dealers into refusing to have further business relations with that company, I can not agree that the publication can be restrained for that reason. Regardless of its character or purpose, the publication is protected from restraint, in my opinion, by the first amendment of the constitution, which forbids any law abridg ing the freedom of the press. This sentiment is precisely that of President Gompers and his associates as promulgated in the stand they have taken in this celebrated case. While the majority of the appeals court did not admit this right, it was conceded that the defendants had the privilege of discussing the merits of the Buck's controversy. This ruling is in line with the extended editorials Mr. Gompers is printing in the American Federationist, on the advice of counsel, including lawyers among the most eminent in their profession, that the lower court erred, and that an appeal to a higher court would result in a reversal. As a matter of fact, it was only a few weeks ago-some time before the decision of the court of appeals-that Mr. Gompers, at a meeting of garment workers in Philadelphia, according to reports of newspapers of that city purporting to quote him verbatim, proclaimed this sentiment: What I have just now said I know that I have been enjoined by a court from saying, but I hold that that injunction is unconstitutional and an infringement on the right of free speech. They can not keep me from discussing a question of great public importance. This decision, in which the original injunction was affirmed and modified, does not settle the contempt proceedings, in which Messrs. Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison were given jail sentences. This case will come up later in the court of appeals of the District of Columbia. If the reasoning adopted by Chief Justice Shepard and Justice Van Orsdel is followed in the decision in the contempt case appeal, we can see no other outcome than a complete reversal of the "learned" Justice Wright, and an abrogation of the findings which compel the serving of terms of imprisonment of the federation leaders. And the majority opinion of the appellate court has so modified the injunction issued in the case as to foreshadow a reversal of the order committing the federation leaders for contempt of court. NEARLY 300 newspapers have sprung into existence in Turkey in the last few months, following the granting of the new constitution; and on the day that the oppressive restrictions were removed from the press the leading daily of Constantinople jumped from a circulation of 3,000 to more than 20,000. Under the old regime printing material imported into Turkey was heavily taxed. This impediment has now been re moved, and the trade is said to be making great strides in the Ottoman empire. An attempt has been made to form a printers' union in Constantinople, this move having the sanction of the authorities. Butterick Troubles in Germany. The non-union Butterick Publishing Company is now having its troubles in Germany. The Berlin Vorwaerts, the central organ of the German socialist party and a very influential paper, in an editorial published in a recent issue, called on the German workers to boycott the Butterick magazines and patterns. The editorial tells of the struggles of New York Typographical Union No. 6 to establish the eight-hour day and of the persistent refusal of the Butterick company to recognize the rules and regulations of the printers' organization. It also points out that the publishing company is hounding "Big Six" in the courts, with the object of jailing its officials and exhausting its treasury. The editorial also includes a list of the unfair Butterick products, and in simple and plain language urges the German workers to abstain from buying them, so that the true international spirit of labor be manifested. "A Knight in Homespun." John Charles Spoth, a member of New York Typographical Union No. 6, and well known to the members of our union throughout the country as formerly the foreman of the New York Times, has entered the literary field, and his first novel, "A Knight in Homespun," published by the C. M. Clark Publishing Company, of Boston, will undoubtedly have a large sale among his many friends and acquaintances in the newspaper world. Mr. Spoth was compelled to resign his position as foreman in consequence of a nervous breakdown, necessitating an absence from business for almost a year, and it was during this period of enforced retirement that he gathered the material and inspiration for his novel, which is said to be a story strongly and finely wrought, presenting a strange problem of love and duty. With subtle skill the author has worked out a romance of rare self-sacrifice and noble devotion to others, and has shown that beauty and truth, honor and kindness have not vanished from the hearts of men. Its rural setting, its homely characters and its pen pictures of peaceful home life are among the book's chiefest charms. The plot is a strange and compelling one. Fate weaves a cruel web around one of the kingliest characters that ever graced the pages of fiction, and demands of him the mightiest sacrifice a noble nature could make. A love story, exquisite and tender, is closely interwoven with the warp and woof of the tale. Mergenthaler Interests Combined. A combination of interests of the Linotype and Machinery Company, of London, England, and the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, of New York, has been formed, the latter securing a controlling share in the stock of the English company. The London company has not been paying dividends, while the American company has been making immense profits. During the past five years the latter company has earned an average dividend of 231⁄2 per cent on its capital stock of $15,000,000, of which $10,996,000 has been issued. By the establishment of the community of interests, it is said that an equitable arrangement will be made as to the various territories in which the machines of the respective companies are to be placed. It is planned that North and South America and Australia will be covered by the American company, and Great Britain, France, Italy, Africa and some other countries will be included in the territory of the English company. Some Kansas Legislation. The Kansas legislature adjourned last month after practically killing the bill providing for the publication of schoolbooks by the state by referring the subject to a committee to report two years hence. The Kansas solons evened up matters somewhat, however, by failing to pass the bill to establish and appropriate money for a technical "printing school" at the agricultural state college, under the guise of “industrial education." This measure provided for a large appropriation of money, and as compensation for the money appropriated promised to "do" state and county printing at 121⁄2 cents an hour for overtime, with student labor. The bill passed the senate, but was stricken from the calendar in the house. The friends of the proposed law were particularly anxious to buy a linotype and "make operators," as it was asserted that the private linotype schools "cost too much." The scheme was to place the burden of "turning out operators" on the taxpayers of the state, but it didn't work. An appropriation of $132,000 was made for the state printing plant for the next biennial period, of which $12,000 is for additional new equipment. Generally speaking, it seems that organized labor fared pretty well, as out of twenty-two bills introduced affecting labor twelve became laws, miners and railroad men getting the most legislation. SINCE the inauguration of the state campaign for the prevention of tuberculosis, a little more than a year ago, four counties in New York have established hospitals for advanced cases. The board of supervisors of Ontario county has just appropriated $15,000 for the erection of a tuberculosis sanatorium, and it is the intention to inaugurate a county campaign, aided by an exhibit to be loaned by the State Charities Aid Association. The idea of a county campaign conducted by the local association is a novel one, and is indicative of the great interest being taken in the subject by the general public. The intention is to educate and arouse the community thoroughly, and then take such measures as are possible to control the disease. The success with which the crusade is being initiated in the Empire state appears to stimulate the people of that section to do still greater things in the fight against the white plague. THE Canadian trade unions are being highly commended for their alacrity in responding to the appeal for funds for the defense of Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison. This is substantial evidence of the solidarity of the international trade union movement. HOME BUILDING FUND. The following contributions to the fund for the purpose of constructing an addition to the Union Printers Home have been received since the last report in these columns: Previously acknowledged.. 540, Cranbrook, B. C., Can.. INDIVIDUals. B. F. Swigart, St. Louis, Mo.. William S. Holmes, Denver, Colo. Secretary's chapel, Milwaukee. S. E. Tate Co. chapel, Milwaukee. Milwaukee Sentinel chapel.. .$4,167 03 5 00 130 20 30 30 11 75 32 50 2 25 75 5 00 4 00 3 50 10 00 2 80 109 35 10 00 I 00 5 00 2 50 5 00 Milwaukee Free Press chapel. 12 00 9 10 5 50 5 25 4 00 4 00 2.00 2.00 2.00 I 50 I 25 I 20 1 00 50 Evening Wisconsin news chapel, Milwaukee Co-operative Printery chapel, Milwaukee. Powell Bros. chapel, Milwaukee.. F. V. Strauss & Co. chapel, New York.. ton... Albaugh-Dover chapel, Chicago.. Daily States chapel, New Orleans. C. R. Corniels chapel, Montreal, Can.... Total.... 28 50 I 00 20 84 4 50 14 75 I 50 3 00 I 40 II 50 2 00 I 50 2 00 2 00 I 25 7 00 2 25 $4,806 23 HE that pays for work before it's done, has but a pennyworth for twopence.-Franklin, What We Are Doing A NEW Scale went into effect at Coffeyville, Kan., March 1, which provides for a slight increase over the old agreement. The contract is for one year. SECRETARY BULLINGER, of Oshkosh (Wis.) Union No. 211, reports that every employer in that jurisdiction has signed the union scale for the year 1909. SECRETARY RAINEY, of Independence (Kan.) Union No. 584, under date of March 10, writes: "Things are settled here now. All offices have signed the Coffeyville scale, which we have had on the firing line since my last report. The contracts are with five shops." PRESIDENT MERZ, of Pittsburg Union No. 7, writes that a union agreement has been signed with the Homestead Republican, an afternoon daily, published at Homestead, six miles from Pittsburg. The force includes four hand compositors, one linotype operator, one pressman and two feeders. EARLY in March President Smith, of the Mailers' Trade District Union, assisted Mailers' Union No. 10, of Indianapolis, in negotiating a new scale. Substantial increases were granted by the employers, and the new agreement provides for $14 per week the first year, $14.50 the second year, and $15 the third year. The scale covers the period from January 20, 1909, to January 20, 1912. THE label committee of Springfield (Mass.) Union No. 216 has succeeded in placing Clover, a magazine published in the interest of the Springfield Breweries Company, in a union shop. Holyoke printers will profit most by this change, but No. 216 is satisfied in inducing the breweries company to place the work in a label concern. This is the second large job that has been transferred from the non-union Springfield Printing and Binding Company to a union establishment the past few months through the efforts of No. 216. ON March 1 contracts covering a period of three years were signed with both the newspaper and book and job employers of Paterson and Passaic, N. J., dating from January 10, 1909, thus necessitating the distribution of some back pay to the members of the two unions. The agreement provided for an increase of $1.50 per week, which places these two New Jersey cities well up in the list of first-class printing centers as regards wages. Paterson No. 195 and Passaic No. 178 now have minimum hand scales of $18 per week, with machine operators receiving $19.50 per week. Organizer McLoughlin conducted negotiations on behalf of the two unions interested, PRESIDENT BALDWIN, of Walla Walla (Wash.) Union No. 388, reports that a new scale of wages has been agreed to for that jurisdiction, providing for a general increase of $3 per week. It was necessary to call a strike in the Washington Printing and Book Manufacturing Company on February 20, and on the same date the Armstrong Printery locked out its employes. Every member of No. 388 stopped work in the office of the struck concern, as did the pressmen. Three members who were employed as newswriters and ad solicitors refused to handle the mechanical output and were discharged. After being closed down a week, both plants agreed to the scale without any compromise on the part of the union. The Morning Union and Evening Statesman did not resume publication until March 3. During the interim of suspension the company was reorganized, the papers now being owned by one corporation, and the Statesman has been enlarged from a four-page to an eight-page paper, which means two or three additional situations. After the settlement a "good will" banquet was tendered the employing printers by the typographical and pressmen's unions, on which occasion, to quote President Baldwin, "the best of feeling prevailed and all animosity was buried." THE new scale presented by Typographical Union No. 310 to the publishers of Lowell, Mass., has been signed by all the newspapers of that city, granting to all employes an increase of $1.50 per week from October 1, 1909, the contracts expiring January 1, 1913. This makes the wage schedule $18 for day work and $21 for night work, with price and one-half for all overtime. In a letter to headquarters, President Gelinas, of No. 310, says: "In ten years Lowell Union has increased the wages of its members from as low as $10 per week for day work to $18, and in like proportion for night work, besides reducing the working hours from ten in 1900 to eight in 1904. And we intend to keep at it." AFTER running on a non-union basis for three years, the McMein Printing Company, one of the largest book and job plants in Quincy, Ill., has agreed to pay the wage scale of Typographical Union No. 59 and will hereafter operate under union conditions. This company publishes the Reliable Poultry Journal, and in consequence that publication is now on the fair list. Organizer Brady assisted in securing the contract with the MeMein company, which covers a period of four years and seven months, expiring October 1, 1913, the same time all other Quincy contracts end. ORGANIZER HILL reports that the employing printers of Princeton, Ind., have signed contracts agreeing to a raise of $1 per week for linotype operators, $3 for journeymen and $4 for foremen. |