Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-02
Questions Asked by President
Barry, of Central Labor
Union, Answered
WHAT THE REAL ISSUE 4
President Parry Considers This to Be
whether an Organization, Labor or
othedwise, Can Perform Acts Which
Its Members as Individuals Can Not
Legally Do"

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 2.-Presldent
ID. M. Parry of the National Manu-
facturers' association, has made gen
eral reply to the fourteen questions
asked by +. p. Barry, president OF the
Central Labor union. He insists that
Barry's position is based on false prom
Uses and that one is that those VINO
oppose the right assumed by the unions
10 saw that no non union man shat!
work in union shops are in favor of de-
stroying unions.
The questions put to him were:
What is your idea of the legitimate
purpose OF a labor union?'
would you permit the formation
of a perfect union in your plant?"
rs YOUR plant conducted along polit-
ical lines?"
DO YOU believe that our laws are
such as to foster special privileges ami
restrict the opportunity to labor
Is il not a fact that wages are high
er in communities using union lahor
and the community thereby pehe-
fited?"
Ought the welfare OF the many 10
be placed in the hands of the few!
Ought not the laborer to be on an
equal footing with the employer when
it comes to settling the wage ques-
ton %
rs it within the power of law to SUP
press the labor unions?
Have you not adopted an institu
ton similar in scope and nature to the
boycott?'
rs 1t necessary to have laws regu-
lating child labor?'
What actuates your opposition L
labor unions?"
Two questions We're in regard to
indenture and apprentice labor.
Mr.. Parry in his statement of reply
said:
Barring one or two questions in
which there is a tone OF animosity d
rected at me personally, I think that
Mr.. Rarrys questions are entitled to
fair answer.
The real issue is whether an organ
ization, labor or otherwise, can pei
form acts which its members as liz
diyiduals can not legally do. No In
dividual has the right TO prevent an
other from disposing OF his labor as
he sees fit, and neither has an organ
ization the right. The union says
however that a man must take an oath
of allegiance to its organization and
abide by its government, or else be
denied the chance of employment IN
those industries which it controls. This
is as much usurpation of the inherent
rights of liberty as it would be to com
pei man to join a certain church or
a certain lodge. l have stated thas
unionism aims to establish condi-
ton of affairs similar to that of feudal-
ism and serfdom of former centuries
when the right of disposing of ones
labor was denied to the individual. II
the labor leaders had their way they
would in time re-enslave the human
race.
again, in order to enforce their
Illegal purposes the members of unions
habitually resort in times OF strikes
to physical and mob violence. They
gather in crowds about the place OF
their former employment with the in
tent of inspiring fear in the minds OF
men who might be disposed to work,
and all too frequently they terrorize the
women folks Of called 'scabs' and
commit cowardly assaults. Even muir
der is now and then committed IN the
sacred name OF organized labor.
II wish to bring out the point that
any organization that has lawful pur-
poses. and conducts itself lawfully, has
a perfect right to exist. and that II
organized labor would eliminate that
which is unlawful in its creed. ana
would act strictly within the law IN It's
practices, there would be no cause for
agitation against it. II unionism must
necessarily be lawless, then 1t is cor
rect 10 assume that those who object
to lawlessness on the part of the or
ganization are in favor of destroying
the unions, otherwise it is not true. :
CAMP j. 3. DOUGHERTY.