'''''Thomas v. Collins'''''', 323 U.S. 516 (1945) was a case dealing with the First Amendment, and whether a state could require a person going to speak at a union organizing meeting, who was a paid employee of the union, to register with the state in advance and obtain a labor organizer's card. The court found, the mere giving of a speech in public, to encourage people to join a union, even if paid to do so, is a core part of the free speech provisions of the amendment, and absent there being a ''[[clear and present danger]]'' to the public welfare, prohibiting or restricting such speech, violates the First Amendment, which, as incorporated by the 14th Amendment, was held applicable to the State of Texas.
