The sun., 1904-12-05
SCARED BY THE OPEN SHOP.
Central Federated Union Sends . Com
mlttee to Discover How TO Fight II.

mittee to Discover How to Fight ~.
The labor organizations in the Cen trail
Federated Union have been greatly stirred
up by the open shop convention OF the Cid-
zens' Industrial Association in this city
last week. They construe this as the be-
ginning OF strong effort to convert New
York to the open shop idea. Though most
OF the trades outside Of the building trades
are working more or less on the open shop
basis the idea has not taken as deep root
here as in Western cities, and the unions
are making preparations to organize more
thoroughly before it does.
The delegate of the Piano Makers Union
brought the matter up at yesterdays meet
ing Of the C. F. U. He said that the open
shop plan, If not counteracted, would soon
be a great menace all over the country.
We havc a.reauy begun 10 leei its ell
fects," said the delegate. 'and the sooner
we take prompt action to save our unions
the better. Manufacturers associations
and citizens alliances are being organized
all over the country. evidently with the
aim Of making the open shop general
move that We appoint committee OF ten
to devise ways and means TO stop the spread
Of the open shop
William A. Farley, ex-delegate Of the
Tile Layers Union. which is noy locked out
by the building employers, said he nailed
the proposal with delight His organi-
worse than the open shop.
We have been locked out for four
months said Farley, because some OF
our men went out on a sympathetic strlke.
Now the tile manufacturers are cooperating
with our late employers and will not supply
la To i'm mi
willing to employ Us. Though the open
shop does not officially exist in the building
trades, it exists in the manufacture OF the
tiles
my trade has been hard hit by the open
shop said Delegate Hand OF the Carriage
Makers Union. .Ours is the trade in which
d. NJ. Parry, head of the open shop move.
ment, is an employer: There are 1900
men in his factory in Indianapolis and a
union man cannot get in there on any
terms. II the workers average 80 week
they are considered to be doing we'll The
members Of Mr. Parry's organizations are
fighting tooth and nail to spread the open
shop. We cannot fight against 1t too
STRONGLY"
.The open shop is tremendous menace,
1t is sapping the vitality Of our trade unions
even to-day II we do not take measures
at once to fight it not only here, but all
through the country, the unions won't
amount to much in two years.
I.!s ':ai.i.au'e .,'iS isueIation, sal1
Union, lis responsible for good many OF
the disadvantages we are laboIing under,
which give the employers an advantage
When labor leaders associate with wealthy
employers, sit at the same table with them,
and eat and drink with them, II is impossi-
BILE for them to act with single purpose
in the defence Of orFanized labor.
'No one ought to be foolish enough to
believe that the capitalists eat and drink
with workingmen at dinners OF the Civic
Federation because they like to do 80. 1t
simply gives them handle for getting the
best OF the workingman. Employers don't
consult the unions or take them into their
confidence when they want postmaster
ships .,
then more denunciation Of independent
employers. Finally committee of ten was
appointed to make report next Sunday.