Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-01
OPEN SHOP
IMPOSSIBLE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AMERI.
CAN FEDERATION OF LABOR
MAKES DECLARATION.
ROOSEVELT is QUOTED
Labor Chiefs Declare That the Presi-
dent is in Favor of the Eight Hour
Law, as--He Always Has Been -
John MitcheIl's New Book.

John MtcheIl's New Book.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 1.-THE ex-
ecutive council of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor last night issued dec
laration of principles to labor, organ
lied and unorganized, throughout the
country.
The address opens with statement
that the eight hour law with the anti
injunction problems are the most i'm
portant.
Regarding the eight hour law the ad-
dress says:
Because of the wonderful improve
ment in the methods of wealth produc-
ton. by which the needs OF man and
the luxuries of life can be created inE
work day of eight hours, we demand
it's enforcement, not only in private
employment but also on all work per-
formed by or on behalf of the govern
ment, whether the employment be di-
rect by contract or by subcontract."
lnjunctions Are Abused.
''On the subject of injunctions the
declaration says:
"The writ of injunction in its proper
sphere is right and protection. IT.
was never designed for the purpose
to which it is now put in industrial
disputes. There is not now upon the
statute books of any state or upon the
statute bookes of the federal govern
ment line upon which authority is
given the courts for the issuance of
injunctions such as have been issued
in industrial disputes. 1t is not the
use but the abuse by the courts of the
writ OF injunction against which we
protest, which is in direct conflict with
| the rights guaranteed to our people
by the constitution Of our country" 8
Considerable attention is devoted to
an argument in favor of the right
! to organize and the well known prin-
ciples of unionism are reiterated at
some length.
"Open Shop" Bar to Contracts.
Regarding the contracts with en-
p1oyers, the executive committee
says:
"The so-called open shop makes
agreement with the employers imprac-
tical, if not impossible, for the union
cannot be responsible for the non-un-
ionists, whose conduct often renders
| the terms of the agreement ineffective
and nugatory.
"The right of the nonunionists to
work when, where, and for what he
4 pleases carries with it the logical
right of the unionist to work or re-
fuse to work when, where and for
what he pleases, and with whom he
1 pleases."
Conference With Roosevelt
The executive council tells the re-
!, suit of its meeting with the President
as follows:
''The eight hour bill was considered
at length, the President stating that
his mind had not changed on that
form of legislation since he had favor
ed it as governor Of New York state,
and, therefore, was favorable to the
passage of the proposed act.
"On the anti-injunction bill the
President replied that the subject
would have his most careful and ear
nest attention"
Decision in Miller Case.
"The executive council brought to tht
Presidents attention the matter il
which the decision had been quoted
and. in addition to the relationship o
Mr.. Miller to the bookbinders' union a
brought forth in the charges agains
him, the open shop idea was CAREFUL.
: considered.
"Replying to the statements on tn
: subject President Roosevelt set fort
= that in his decision he had nothing il
! mind but strict compliance with tn
: federal and civil service law, and tha
: he recognized a difference between en-
j ployment by the government circun
scribd by those laws and any othe
form of employment, and that his dc
r cision in the Miller case should not b
l. understood to have any other effect o
: influence than affecting direct emplo.
r ment by the government in accordanc
s Herewith. He furthermore made plai
n that in any form of employment e,
a cepting that so circumscribed he b.
e lieyed the full employment of unio
vi men was preferable either to non-ul
n. ion of open shops.
l. The statement closes with declar;
S. ton that the "open shop is absolute
h ly out of the question and urges th
n. further organization of labor and til
continued amalgamation and fedora
tion of labor already unionized.
!, John MitchelI's Book.
y. Chicago, Oct. 1.-The prospectus {
$. the book on labor written by Joh
r Mitchell, president of the Unite
Mine Workers, has appeared, an
shows a, masterful treatment of til
subject in all it's phases: Organize
Labor-Its Problems. Purposes al
Ideals, and the Present and Futu
of American Wage Farmers is I'll
t; The Coal Strike.
Seven of the fifty-eight chapters a
devoted to the coal strike of last yea
81 land President Roosevelt is commen
So ed for his appointment of the antr
81 cite coal strike commission. which a