The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-18
Prest. Parry Defines What He Con-
siders to Be Legitimate
Labor Unionism.
He Shows What Things Aren't in
Accord With American
Government.

President D. M. Parry of Indian-
apolis, president of the National Assoc
citation of Manufacturers, spent to-day
In st. Paul. lunching at the Mime
sofa club and seeing the city during
the afternoon. This evening he will
speak at Mozart haH on labor union
ism to employers and others who have
been provided with tickets.
President Parry's Platform.
In the past few months President
Pafry has been quoted in dispatches
from various places in a way that has
caused those not in sympathy with
him to charge that his views on labor
organizations were violent and unreas-
enable. This idea of him may have
been due in large part to the fact that
dispatches are apt to give greater
prominence to the more striking and
sensational utterances.
An undoubtedly fairer impression of
Mr.. Parry is given in a pamphlet just
issued by him citing his answers to
some very stubborn questions put to
me by the central labor union of In
dianapolis = s. 1t is said that
the questions We're inspired by Sam
uel Gompers, president Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor In his
answers to these questions, President
Parry is as outspoken and forceful as
the dispatches have made him out but
he goes deeper into what he considers
the reason and justice of things The
first question and answer. are typical
OF the whole publication and in a gen
.eral way state his platform.
What Is Legitimate Unionismo
The question was:
question 1--You have asserted that YOU
are not opposed to the trade union in
itself SO long as it confines itself to legiti-
mate purposes. If this is true, what in
ora W. Loot Ls..--
of a trade union?
TO this President Parry replies:
Observation-Disclosures purposes are such
as are lawful, and illegitimate purposes
are such as are unlawful This answer
ought to be sufficiently explicit even for
the most obtuse intellect, but many labor
leaders appear to be constitutionally de-
1ectlVe OF. comprehension when the SUBJ
Ject OF law is preached. It seems neces-
sary, therefore, to state what the law is.
Under the American form of govern
ment men have perfect right to quIt
their employment when they see fit. But
when they once quit they have no right
to Interfere in any manner whatever with
their former employer or with the men
hired to take the places they have aban-
doned. This Is simple proposition, and
1t admits of no modification whatever.
II is unlawful to use opprobrious and in
sult1ng language, such as "scab,'' to a
nonmember OF your organization. It is
unlawful to hurl brickbats at him or
frighten in brutal fashion the women and
children of his family. Men have the
right to use the public streets, but only
with lawful intent, and when they block
ade the sidewalks with the object of in
spring fear in the minds of others they
are assuredly violating the law.
In order that they may act like decent
American citizens. those who throw UP
their jobs must go quietly about theil
own affairs and permit the employer tic
work out his own problems as best he
may. If hegcannot find other men to take
the. places vacated, it is up to him and
him only to decide whether to quit bust
ness altogether or to open negotiations
with his former employees in the effort te
secure terms that will be mutually salts.
factory. The point where the rights oi
one citizen end the rights of another be-
gin, is very clear to all who care to dis.
Germ it. Those who refuse to discern i
and act accordingly are simply law
breakers and must be dealt with the same
as other lawbreakers.
The list of crimes committed this yea
under the auspices of the strike societies
| is sufficiently ominous in length to make
every seif-respecting man clear his skirt.
OF any connection with organizations tt
which so much odium is attached
| Force Methods Are un-American.
! The average strike boss stupidity pre-
! tends that there is no violation of law il
| the riots and outrages that characterize
strikes. But illusions in the public min,
| in regard to these things are fast dis
appearing. Force methods are repugnan
| to the American mind and they must b,
I abandoned.