The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-16
THE ORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYERS.


their own country.
THE ORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYERS.
cisms Of the spirit and methods of some
labor unions have been rather intemper
ately expressed il must not be assumed
that there is no foundation for them. The
object of all discussion should be to sift
out the truth. regardless of phrases. Mr..
Parry's protest is not against labor unions,
but against the dictatorial methods which
some Of them adopt toward employers and
the coercive methods they use to fix wages
by what he calls artificial means" There
Is reason to believe that a great many
employers are in practical agreement with
his views. His unanimous reelection as
president OF the National Manufacturers
Association at New Orleans after his ad-
dress was delivered was a practical in
dorsement of his views. In his address
before the Piano Manufacturers Associa-
ton at Buffalo he said: "Snce the Ma
up this question its membership has gone
by leaps and bounds. We have received
200 new memberships since the New Or
leans convention in the middle Of last
month" There can be no doubt that this
large increase in the membership of the
association within a month was due to
the discussion following Mr.. Parrys ad-
dress. and was, to that extent, practical
Endorsement of his views. Equally sig
nihcant Is the rapid growth of the En-
ployers' Association. This association.
organised q few months ago for the purpose
of enabling employers to cooperate in
resisting the unreasonable demands and
coercive methods of labor unions, has
spread from city to city with great rapid
ity. The association does not propose to
fight organized labor. but some of its
methods. In New York city. where there
is strike Of workmen in some Of the
building trades. the Employers Association
held a mass meeting last night to devise
means Of checking the strike fever and
saving the building industry from paralysis.
The efforts of the association will be espe-
cially directed against walking delegates"
business agents" and agitators whose
business is to organize strikes The call
for last nights meeting was sent out to
5000 firms. who, in the aggregate. employ
about 10000 men with weekly pay rolls
approximating $2sOo.0OO. The call read:
The time has arrived when employers
Of labor in the building trades are facing
a serious situation, and a meeting will
be held on Friday, May Is. at p. m, at
the Building Trades Association, No. 1123
Broadway, for the purpose of determining
what steps shall be taken TO remedy the
existing intolerable conditions. You are
earnestly requested to be present.
The principal speaker at the preliminary
meeting which issued this call declared that
it was absolutely necessary that employers
should adopt protective measures by band
ing together to Offset the power Of the
centralization of a large number of unions
into one. The chairman of a committee
on plan and scope or organization said:
I'VE don't want to cut wages down or
lengthen the hours of labor. but We shall
insist On being allowed to conduct our
own business without interference from
the unions" 1t was said that employers
in every branch of labor would be repre-
sented in the meeting last night and that
a national organization would probably be
effected. I'VE are not merely fighting the
unions as unions" said large iron manu-
facturer; I'VE are lighting against condi-
tons which would destroy the entire in
dustrial system II we agreed to them"
The movement inaugurated in New York
last night has sprung up spontaneously in
several other cities. and is likely to be-
come general.
What does this mean? 1t certainly does
not mean war by employers on working
men or on labor unions. because their
prosperity and their bread and butter de-
pend on the cooperation of workingmen
as much as those of workingmen them
selves do. The great mass of employers
do not care whether their employees are
union men or not. All they ask Is good
service and to be allowed to manage their
own business In their own way without
interference and dictation from outsiders
and an everlasting succession Of strikes.
The movement does not mean war against
workingmen or labor unions. 1t is simply
an employers movement for self-protec-
ton against certain vicious and indefensi-
BILE features and methods of organized
labor. If labor leaders are wise they will
take note of the movement and ask them
selves If they are not carrying things too
ia