The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-01
TO PROTECT EMPLOYERS
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION MEANs To BE
FAIR TO ITSELF AND UNIONS.
United Not to Cypress Labor, but for
Resistance Against Aggression
The Open shop.

itS own association OF employers vi lhcS0' /
2o4 declared for open shop; only sixty
were for the unionized or ''closed shop.
AS most of these sixty which preferred !
TO be unionized were building trades Tin |
which corrupt compacts with walking dele
gates and unions to cut off competition and
advance prices have just been disclosed,
it was decided that central association OF
employers. binding all together, must stand
for ''open shop In fifty years unions
had succeeded in organizing only 10 per
cent. of the labor; surely the IS per cent
nonunion labor must not be ignored and
shut out from the right TO work. The
building trades would not come in. But
almost Immediately the general employers
association, for common resistance TO the
excessive demands of trade-unionism unit
ed a majority of Chicago employers-which
means also the employers who hire
the majority of the workmen of the city.
1t cannot be told what employers have
Joined this association for common defense.
They are willing enough that their MEM
bership should be known; it is kept Sc
cret because it is believed for the present
TO be better tactics. Meetings are held
every day; and new associations join about
every other day. Whenever an employer
receives demands from a walking dele
gate, he now informs his own association,
and inquiries If it is yet a member of the
employer advocates going into the general
association; and then Secretary Job is in
vited to come and tell what advantages
would be gained. He explains:
"Workmen are in a union that is a men,
Der Of national union, which in turn is a
simply little separated associations. Work
mems unions are like closed fist yours
are like an open hand. 1t is easy for the
aEae 5 oat each of the sep
whereas If the employers also had a clos
ed fist they could resist power with power"
Here he will say, unfolding, if talking
TO confectioners, a candy workers union
newspaper, lever see this? No, of course,
not. But you ought to look 1t over. See,
here is solid page reporting what candy
workers, unions are doing. In one week,
you Will read. unions in eleven different
States have been sending money to the
strikers in one little shop i'm Chicago: Are
the candy employers of eleven different
States helping the owner of that little shop
to Withstand strike? Here is item
about strike beneits;' So each has been dis
tributed among striking candy workers this
last week. Employers are sustaining their
own losses individually-you don't give 60
cents week or so to help some brother
candy manufacturer TO continue to resist
the demands made upon him. Here is a
list of cities for candy workers to keep
away from What are candy manufac-
turers doing to offset that? Nothing. Here
is a resolution filming member of a union
$50 for riding on a car owned by a COM
pany which the unions are fighting. Con-
slider the discipline of that. Then remem-
Der the huge funds the unions are accumu-
lating. I've just received a machinists
journal which reports the total fund Ion
hand the 1st of July to be $4,000. That is
the fund accumulated for strike purposes
by just one trade union.
PURPOSES OF THE ASSOCIATION
He explains that the Employers Associa-
ton is not for aggression, but for resist
ance to unjust demands. 1t is for defense,
not tribute. Members are to assist one an
other in time Of trouble, and every member
must agree to stand for the associations
purposes, which are set forth as follows:
To unity the action of its members and
affiliated associations when those matters
determined fixed policy may seem wise and
| necessary.
| To secure for employers and employees
| the freedom of contract In the matter of
| employment, irrespective of whether or not
an employer or employe Is a member of
any organization.
| To oppose restriction of output sympa-
| thetic strikes and boycotts, which, through
their frequency in the past in Chicago, have
been a constant menace to its Industrial
| progress.
| sons seeking to work and earn living.
| To avert Industrial disturbances; to har-
| monize differences between employers and
| employees, so that justice may be done to
both sides.
What it is contending for, in brief, are
! these four things:
| ID Open shop.
| e. No sympathy strikes.
| g. No restriction Of personal industry.
| a. Full enforcement of the public laws
| 1t began by insisting on arbitration But
unionism would not abide by the outcome
| of arbitra ton: so the fourth object was
changed to Full enforcement of the public
laws" They are very interesting set of
objects, and the struggle has reached the
most forward point that it has anywhere.
| In the practical sense 1t has been recog-
nized that labor is commodity: that he
| who has ii to sell may sell Ii in the high
| est market and that he who wishes to buy
may properly buy in the cheapest. Work
ingmen may combine to advance the wage;
employers may combine to resist. Where
unions use a boycott the employers a
fair" list-that is. a firm boycotted by
unions in a strike Is placed on the employ
| Job, that we will throw to that firm all
the business we can" 1t does not use the
lockout against the strike. 1t meets the
| situation by sending the work of a Struck
| firm to some other member of the associa-
ton to do.
JUSTICE FOR BOTH SIDES.
1t is economic warfare. Yet on the en-
| ployers' side there is some sentiment The
association stands for justice for both
sides. 1t is not fighting labor but the
unfair assaults of labor. For instance,
have heard Secretary Job, when called into
conference by employers who had suddenly
met trouble, say to them: How long since
you've advanced wages in your shop?
Not in three years" 'Well, you've got to
advance them now" At another confer
enceence he asked the same question, and
the answer was: Some of US have adj
vanced wages Is per cent; some 40 per
| since Then remarked.
you've done the right thing. Our associa-
ton will stand by YOU Your profits have
not gone higher. 1t is unjust TO ask more
of you. The cost of living has gone w
only Is per cent. or So"
Increased cost of living is often given
by unions the reason for striking for
more wages. So the Employers Associa-
ton had expert statistician from Ann
Arbor University prepare a report on the
increase in the cost OF living since 1893
For this report the association paid $500
II is based on the experts personal inves-
legations and computations on government
returns, and or actual inquiry as 10 retail
prices at butcher shops groceries and dry