Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-09-11
THE EMPLOYERS UNION
An Attempt to Meet Organized
Labor on Even Terms.
WILL TRY TO MAKE TT NATIONAL

~AAAA~
Several Cities Already Moving.
Building Contractors Taking the
Lead-Not So Radical and Violent
~ Parry-What Union Labor Thinks
About 1t.
Following on the heels Of the annual
meeting Of the National Manufacture
ers' association, at which President D.
NJ. Parry declared war upon organized
labor. come organization and rumors
OF organization of employers, particu-
larry in the building trades. Mr.. Parry
has been upon the stump, so to speak, a
great part Of his time since the New
Orleans meeting of the Manufacturers
ASSOCIATION, and his attacks upon labor
unions have been so violent as to call
forth comment, mostly unfavorable,
from labor men, editors and public
men in all parts Of the country. But
Mr.. Parry has not been left to fight
alone. Some other employers have
Joined him in radical denunciations Of
the labor unions. In one city-Omaha
an organization of employers has
been formed upon lines indicating
sympathy with the Parry programme
OF war of humiliation upon labor
unions. But, while the employers of
the country generally appear to be at
tackled by the fever of organization,
there is disposition upon the part of
the majority to approach, or to appear
to approach, the matter in quiet and
conservative manner.
AS has been said, the organization
movement has taken it's greatest i'm
petus among the employers in the
building industry. This may be &C.
counted for on the ground that this
spring there have been an unusual
number of strikes iii the building trades
and disagreements which interfered
with the expeditions and satisfactory
filling Of building contracts.
While other cities have had their
troubles and while out of those trou.
bles has grown desire for organiza-
ton among the employing builders,
New York has taken the lead and has
attracted widest attention because Of
the large interests, both in money and
men, involved in the building industry
in the greater city. The large tie up OF
building work in New York occasioned
by the conflict between the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
and the Amalgamated Association Of
Carpenters was, according to enc Of
tie leading builders Of the city, the
last straw. and the movement TO organ
ize the employers in the building indus
try was hardly suggested before it had
the hearty approval of nearly all of the
contractors in Greater New York
There has not, however, been the same
unanimity over the form Of organiza-
ton that is desirable, and there are
nearly as many notions of what should
be the proper aims Of such an associa-
ton as there are employers IN the build
Ing industry in New York.
At the first meeting in New York, at
which it was stated that the hope was
to perfect an Organization that would
cities Of the country. letter congratu-
lating the New Workers on their stand
and urging them to action came from
the Building Contract6rs' council Of
Chicago. Another was from the Bufdd-
ers' league Of Pittsburg. There was a
telegram from the Philadelphia buffd-
ers. 'The rest Of the messages, which
made pike Of paper big enough to fill
peck basket" according to local
newspaper, came from st. Louis, Gin
cinnati, Milwaukee. Detroit. San Fran
cisco and all of the other great cities.
The tenor Of all Of them was the same.
Charles L. E1dlftz, a prominent men,
Der Of the Bui1dhrg Trades association,
was the principal speaker at the New
York meeting. He said In part:
There is not man in this room who
does not appreciate That we have been
gradually backing down and giving way
to the Outrageous 6Esna111e that have, besn
made upon US year a1asr year and not one
who does not feel that he has gone AZ far
as he can without completely surrender
ing.
At first you were asked simply to take
chain was to be taken OF. Still later the
key must be left on the oo4stde. All these
demands and many othaS were granted,
and now what is asked Of you? That the
door shall be taken Off the hinges and
thrown into the street. And what Will be
your answer to this request?
What has made 1t rosath4e for these
men. many Of them ignorant, most of
them without dollar LAID aside. to de-
mand surrender from t{ratr employers and
have practically all their demands grant
ed. sometimes with show Of resistance,
but lately almost invariably with only a
grunt of dkapproval?
The fact that while they have been or
gained throughout the city and the coun-
try as central body. under practically
one head. and have stood together. suffer-
ing want and privation. with nothing in
sight but return to work at best. we.
men Of intelligence. men of affairs. have
tried to deal with them singly or at best
as only one trade organization. Is there
a man in this room who has not had the
thought that If we could only get together
on some neutral ground and under some
proper head this terrible tide, this wave
of surrender, could be stenlrned?
There never was time In the history
OF the building trade when conditions
were as favorable for a united move as
they are at present.
Mr. EidlitZ Said the RI1ildino Tra6os'