The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-11-26
Open SHl| STEM |.
I. Z. :9P'Pgs | / UNIONS IN !
It's Adoption I. Would Mean
Longer Hours and Less
IL: =: j.: Wages.
Labor's Object. Is More Equit-
:: able Distribution It; Value
::s:**:. of5;Production. ::

by some. from the time Of it's iI1cip-
iency, not a passive opposition, but a.
spirited one. This opposition enaan-
ates techinincally from those who to-
day sympathize with xchattel slavery
to their own advantage were such a
condition possible under our govern
ment. This particular opposition
within itself would be almost imper-
ceptible were it not for the re-en-
forcements acquired by various intri-
CUES and false reasonings of the lead
ers Of slavery sentiment. Deceptive
arguments are used to mislead those
who are, familiar with the workings
Of labor unions and uneducated in
the movement for social advancement.
The open shop If yielded to by or
ganized labor destroys it's virtue and
places the question Of wages, hours
and conditions as well as the price of
production absolutely under the dicta-
torship Of the; employer and leaves
the wage Garner without appeal, and
the moment hours are heightened and
wages are reduced, as must. be newt
ably the result of the adoption Of the
open shop system, then will the ranks
of the idle swell and the wageworker
again be on his knees begging for
that which the open shop advocates
claim he has a just and perfect right
to do Again will the larder at his
home become depleted, and again will
he hear the pleadings. of hunger from
the lips of his little ones.
Under the present order Of things
the employer is the Individual who
determines as between himself and his
employee what shall be the volume Of
production. and the volume is deter
mined by the commercial demand. For
example, there will be no more ma
terial used to construct a building
than is required, and labor sufficient
to produce the material, and no more
will be employed in it's production.
When the job is done the employer.
so far as the job Is concerned, stops
production:
Labor was never a party to the re-
striction of production ORGANIZED
labor has for it's prime object the
equitable distribution Of the value of
production Under our present sys-
tenn this object can be best effected
by limiting the hours of work per day
and forcing a higher wage scale. The
policy of organized labor does not and
cannot. restrict production On the
contrary, it increases production by.
stimulating commerce: It creates
greater purchase power and increases
the value and quanityss:sof production
s*s,Ihe scharge that tesa uni Inter
feres with: the free elapl oYn1ent afid
dlscharge slor emp oyeesEi rid culously5
false. The employer 1sS4lefts1 to employ
WhomsoeVer he chooses. 1t Is a.. sys-S
tenn of organized labor: to edo collec-
the non4uhionist, however, he is un-
reasonable to censure unionists be-
cause they do not become non-union-
lists just to meet his convenience,
Neither should be complain of the
-unionist should his employees
change in. their opinions, become un-
foDists and leave him to employ other
on-unionists provided they give him
an opportunity to conform to union
conditions of employment.
One year ago there was no cry
against collective bargaining, True,
there were a few extremists who
were assailing union labor, but those
men were as little needed as Mother
Symptoms prophecies. Today exists a
different situation. Our inequitable
system of distribution has brought us
to a point where too great a propor-'
ton of the medium Of exchange has
floated into idle profit. The demand
exists, the power Of production has
not been impaired, but the profit TAX
er holds the medium o. idleness. CAn
any one say that organized labor Is
limiting production now? Labor is
anxious to turn the wheels Of indus
try but why do they not turn? In
the busy past the speculative employ
er exhausted. every Available avenue Of
profit. There remains but one more
resistance to greater profit gathering,
and that is the distribution system of
organized labor. :
There is not an employer in AM
erica that desires to" operate his bust
ness upon the open shop idea. Union
ism and non-unlonfsrl are as incom-
patible AS oil and water as inhar-
monious as the braying Of a donkey
and the symphonies ;of Mozart. The
employer who advocates the open
ship is insincere. There isn't SEN
'stbif t. argument int can t .I be brought
Of It's advocates to operate upon that
principle. 49,
!, Organization is a progressive move
ment. It cannot afford to turn back.
1t will not. But the open shop adj
vocate says he is not opposed to or
ganized labor. But labor has seen
flies stuck; In: molasses. The fact that
they stand out. against the working
rules of organized labor falsifies that
statement: The salvation, the pros
perity of wage earners under : our
present economic; system depends upon
organization, $ and for self preserva-
ton organized labor must; heyw as:
close as possible TO-, the. strict union
shop policy.--Motorman's Journal. :! =,
Labor officials Of Washington, D. c.,