Puget Sound Traction, Light & Power Co. v. Whitley

243 F. 945, 1917 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1197
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedJuly 25, 1917
DocketNo. 131-E
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 243 F. 945 (Puget Sound Traction, Light & Power Co. v. Whitley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Puget Sound Traction, Light & Power Co. v. Whitley, 243 F. 945, 1917 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1197 (W.D. Wash. 1917).

Opinion

NETERER, District Judge.

The plaintiff moves the court, ex parte, on its complaint and sustaining affidavits, for a temporary injunction—

“enjoining the defendants, * * * and all persons Whomsoever combining or confederating with them, * * * for the purpose of carrying out the same objects and interfering with the plaintiff, from interfering with the employes of the plaintiff in the operation of the plaintiff’s street cars in the city of Seattle, their families, relatives,- and associates, and from interfering in any manner whatsoever with any property of the plaintiff; from picketing, by means of violence, by intimidation, opprobrious epithets, and from doing any of the acts complained of in the complaint; * * * ”, and “that the court forthwith appoint, or cause to be appointed, a sufficient number of United States marshals to protect the employes of the plaintiff and the plaintiff in the operation of the plaintiff’s street cars in the city of Seattle, and in the preservation of the plaintiff’s property, and also such as shall be sufficient to protect all of the plaintiff’s employés from any of the acts by the defendants or any other persons complained of in the complaint.”

The motion was presented day before yesterday at 12:30 p. m., at the time the court suspended for luncheon. During the lunch hour the bill of complaint and supporting affidavits were cursorily examined. On the convening of court, at 2 p. m., the matter was taken up, at which time tire court stated that it appeared that the relief demanded was executive rather than judicial, and that the matter of law enforcement was a matter'for the executives of the city and the state, and a responsibility which the court should not be asked to assume. Counsel requested permission to present authorities in support of their position, which was granted. At the conclusion of the argument in the motion to remand in the case of State ex rel. City of Seattle v. Puget Sound Traction, Eight & Power Co., at 3 :30 p. m. yesterday, the matter was again called to the court’s attention, and the following authorities cited: Sailors’ Union of the Pacific v. Hammond Lumber Co., 156 Fed. 450, 85 C. C. A. 16; Tri-City Central Trades Council v. American Steel Foundries, 238 Fed. 729, 151 C. C. A. 578; John Bogni v. Govannia Perotti, 224 Mass. 152, 112 N. E. 853, L. R. A. 1916F, 831; American Steel & Wire Co. v. Wire Drawers’ & Die Makers’ Unions (C. C.) 90 Fed. 598 and 608; Gompers v. Buck’s Stove & Range Co., 221 U. S. 418, at 439, 31 Sup. Ct. 492, 55 L. Ed. 797, 34 L. R. A. (N. S.) 874; Stephens v. Ohio State Tel. Co. (D. C.) 240 Fed. 759.

It is strongly urged that this court can afford the remedy to- settle the strike now pending on complainant’s lines in the city of Seattle, and that the orders of this court would be obeyed, and that, if the order is not granted, the parties could not be responsible for the consequences.

This court has never hesitated to is,sue any or all orders or decrees which in good conscience should be granted. It has not, nor does it now, shirk responsibility. The decrees of courts are respected be[947]*947cause they are issued, or should be issued, only when it is clearly established in the mind of the chancellor that the property rights of the complainant are being violated by the parties charged. In Alaska S. S. Co. v. Longshoremen’s Ass’n (D. C.) 236 Fed. 964, called to the court’s attention, plaintiff was clearly in the right, and it was apparent that the court and the parties understood each other. In the jitney case, presented a few days ago, it was made clearly to appear that the franchise rights of the plaintiff were infringed upon, and the order of the court was immediately obeyed, and the hope is indulged that the parties in that case understand each other.

[ 1 ] The right to employ labor, and the right of labor to be employed is inherent and universally recognized by the courts, and emphasized by Judge Gilbert in Sailors’ Union of the Pacific v. Hammond Lumber Co., supra; and, as stated in the Longshoremen’s Case, supra, 236 Fed. at page 970:

“It is not unlawful for persons to combine merely to regulate their own conduct with relation to legitimate competition, although others may be indirectly affected thereby. The right of property and liberty of action is guarantied by the Constitution of the United States to every citizen of this country, and is not confined to political rights, but extends to activities in and about the daily business of life, whether it be of employs or employer. Tbe laborer ma.y organize for protection, and bis privilege to work for whom and when he desires is granted, and the right of the employer to employ whom he elects at a satisfactory price is not denied, and neither can secure more, and must not accord less.”

And at page 969 of 236 Fed. it is said:

“Organized labor is organized capital, consisting of brains and muscle, and has as lawful a right to organize as have the stockholders and officers of corporations who associate and confer together with relation to wages of employes or rules of employment, or to devise other means for making their investments more profitable. Organized labor and organized capital have equal lawful rights to” associate, consult, and confer with relation to wages and rules of employment.”

Justice Lamar, in Gompers v. Buck’s Stove & Range Co., 221 U. S. 418, at page 439, 31 Sup. Ct. 492, 497 (55 L. Ed. 797, 34 L. R. A. [N. S.] 874), said:

“Society itself is an organization, and does not object to organizations for social, religious, business, and all legal purposes. The law, therefore, recognizes the right of workingmen to unite and to invite others to join their ranks, thereby making available the strength, influence, and power that come from such association.”

The employé and the employer each have their functions, their respective duties and obligations. Neither may trangress the right of the other, and a court of equity will not be moved unless the rights of one of the parties are violated, or, by the conduct of one or both oí the parties, the interests of the greater party, the public, which is always the sufferer during a strike, needs the court’s strong arm. The court may not be used as a strike-breaker by either party, by withholding from one party orders or decrees to which it is clearly entitled, or granting orders ex parte, where it is not made clearly to appear that the rights of the complainant are being infringed by the defendants.

[948]*948Judge Hammond used this language on page 603 of 90 Ped., American Steel & Wire Co. v. Wire Drawers’ & Die Makers’ Unions, supra:

“Nor do I overlook the forcible argument and suggestion of counsel that practically, in a ease like this, a preliminary injunction ends the strike. If you ‘break the strike’ by a preliminary injunction, it is urged, there is nothing more to litigate about. This may be true if the strike be then wholly abandoned, but otherwise it is not true, and its chief force is in the grave duty imposed on the court of careful consideration to see that no preliminary or other injunction issues unless according to the law and right of the case.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
243 F. 945, 1917 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/puget-sound-traction-light-power-co-v-whitley-wawd-1917.