[608]. The statement has been abridged.
[609]. “The defendant associations had the absolute right to threaten to do that which they had the right to do.” Parker, C. J., in National Protective Association v. Cumming, 170 New York, 315, p. 329.
“It will be said that a man has the absolute right to threaten to do that which he has a right to do. Granted that what you may absolutely do you may absolutely threaten to do (give unqualified notice of your intention to do). But it does not follow that you may conditionally threaten to do it. The right to absolutely refuse to work and the right to conditionally refuse do not, as against third persons, i. e., persons other than the employer, stand to each other in the relation of the greater to the less. The former does not necessarily include the latter. They are distinct from each other; and the latter may sometimes be the more important and the more dangerous right of the two.” 20 Harvard Law Rev., p. 273.
“The right to quit an employment which is terminable at will may include a right to give absolute and unqualified notice of intention to leave.”
“It may also include, as against an employer, a right to annex any possible condition to an offer to work or to a threat to refrain from working. By ‘right as against an employer’ we mean that an employer could not maintain an action against a laborer for annexing such conditions. The employer is not legally damaged by such an offer. He is not bound to accept it. As between B and C, the person with whom B is directly dealing, it may be true that ‘the right to refuse to deal involves the right to name any terms which one pleases, and to refuse to deal except on these terms.’ C cannot maintain an action against B for insisting on unreasonable terms. But the terms or conditions annexed to an offer may relate to the offeree’s relations to a third person, and [if the offeree accepts and performs the conditions] that may raise a question whether such third person has any ground of complaint.”
“We think that the right to work or not to work does not include, as against third persons, the right to annex any possible condition to an offer to work or to a notice of intention to refrain from work. Suppose that B offers to work for C on condition that C commits a battery on A. Could B effectively deny that he instigated the commission of the battery? Could B escape liability to A on the ground that he was merely stating to C the conditions on which he was willing to exercise his right to labor or not to labor?” 20 Harvard Law Rev. 270–271.
The contrary view is open to several objections:—
“1. It assumes that, if certain conduct of B does not violate any legal right of C, it cannot infringe a legal right of A.
“2. It overlooks the distinction between unconditionally exercising a right, and offering to exercise it (or to refrain from exercising it) on condition that the offeree shall take action which is intended to produce (and does produce) damage to a third person.
“3. It assumes that one who intentionally instigates a second person to inflict damage on a third person can escape responsibility by putting the instigation in the form of a conditional offer to exercise, or to refrain from exercising, a right which he had against the second person.” 20 Harvard Law Rev. 269.