Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19
EMPLOYERS ORGANIZE ORGANIZE
Novel Phase Of the Labor
Problem in Chicago.
FOR SELF PROTECTION
MEET THE TRADES UNIONS AT
THEIR OWN GAME.
A Talk With the Secretary of Their
Association-The Matter Of
Open Shops.
FOR SELF PROTECTION
Copyright, 1904, by Frank G. Carpenter,


record of strikes exceeds that of any other
city. 1t has about two hundred thousand
men in its trades unions and it has been
and is now largely ruled by the man in the
overalls. AT the same time the capitalists
are good fighters. They have studied trades
union methods and within the past few
months have combined together in a great
association to protect themselves. Nearly
every business has ITS local organization of
employers. and these have affiliated with
the great city association of employers,
which is now opposing a solid front to most
of the demands of organized labor.
The Chicago Employers Association rep
resents a capital of thousands of millions of
dollars. 1t is backed by Marshall Field &
Company and the great department stores
by the millionaire pork packers and the
steel magnates by the street railways and
by about 2000 other companies and indi-
viduals handling altogether a number of
workmen far in excess of the army of the
United States
This association is running its campaign
in opposition to organized labor on much
the same lines those which organized
labor has used to defeat the individual en-
ployer. 1t has brought new feature into
the labor question and one which promises
to extend to every city of the United
States. Similar ASSOCIATE are being or
gained in many places and they may in
time form part of great national assoc
citation embracing the whole country
Delegate of the Millionaires' Club.
The Chicago Employers Association can
command no end of money and it is ready
to spend freely to protect the individual
workman or the individual employer. sup
plying the latter with funds to reimburse
him for losses in case of strikes and even
carrying him financially at the banks. 1t
will protect him or the workman in the
courts and bring the best legal talent in
opposition TO any fight with organized la
Dor.
The association has a secretary who is
paid salary bigger than that of United
States senator. He holds much the same
position in regard to the association as
Samuel Gompers does to the American Fed
Grafton of Labor or John Mitchell to the
United Mine Workers and he has in fact
been nicknamed the Walking Delegate of
the Mfllionaires Club" The real name of
this man is Frederick W. Job and his pro-
fession Is that of a lawyer. He is an I'LL
nois man and is a graduate of Ann Arbor
He is judge, about forty years old is six
feet tall, and weighs two hundred pounds
He is big headed and broad shouldered
having the muscles of an athlete and the
Jaw of bull dog. He looks like good
fighter and as far as I can learn is proving
himself so.
How Chicago Employers Combine.
l met Mr.. Job In his Office in the Mar
quette building on Dearborn street and had
long chat with him about the Employ
ers Association and the labor conditions
here. In response to my questions as to
the association he said:
I'VE are a combination of EMPLOYERS
unions rather than an association of indi-
v1dual employers without regard to our
businesses. The association does not want
lnd1Vldual employers as members although
there are cases in which such are taken
In. 1t is rather an utilization of the repre-
sentatives of employers associations For
instance, the laundry owners of Chicago
have an organization, the manufacturing
confectioners have an organization and the
brass manufacturers and the picture frame
makers have each organization 1t is
so with nearly every branch of business
We are made up of all these organizations
as such, and if individual employer
wants to join US we tell him to join the en-
ployers' organiz- ton of his own business
and to be represented through it,
Then you are to the employers associa-
tons much what the American Federation
of Labor is to the different trades unions?'
Yes, said Mr.. Job, save that our field
is confined to Chicago and its neighborhood
and also that We believe in the laws and in
doing all we can to enforce them, and this
the trades unions do not
Against the Unions.
all organized labor?" / asked
LAS such labor is now constituted and
operated, 1 say most emphatcally yes"
was the reply. I'VE do not object to men
combining or organizing to better their
condition so long as they do not break the
laws as regards the public, their employers
or their fellow-workmen. We insist that
every man should have the right to work
that every employer shall have the right to
employ whom he pleases.'
DO you aim to anything as to fixing
wages and prices?" 1 asked.
Not at ALL, replied the secretary THAT
is a matter for the employers and their
men, or it may be for the associations of
the different branches of trade and the men
All that we want is the preservation of
our principles as to The enforcement of the
laws in the protection of the public of
the employer and his business and of the
rights of the men to work whether they
belong to union or not. We don't care
for more laws. We are satisfied with those
already on the statute books. What we
want is to have the laws enforced
The Open Shop.
What has been YOU chief fight lIr
Job?"
I'VE are fighting for several things" was
the reply. I'm the first place, we want the
open shop; second, we want no sympathetic
strikes: third, no restriction of output or
of personal industry, and fourth, the full
enforcement of the public laws. / think
we have gained our point to sympathetic
strike and that we are in a fair way to
make the open shop the rule in Chicago, if
we have not already done so. In ninety
cases out of every hundred we have won
We are making it possible for the non-union
man to work in Chicago and possible for
his employer to hire him without fear of
being boycotted or otherwise injured in
his business.
do you admit members to your associa-
ton who have the closed or union shop?"
NO we do not. We are ready however,
to come to the support of such men If tt "
have trouble with organized labor and want
to reform and join u.s.
Trades Unionism in Chicago.
Give me some idea of the extent of the
trades unions of Chicago?"
1--WE have several hundred unions re-
piled Secretary Job, ''but I believe that
from 80 to so per cent of their members are
involuntary ones They have been forced
or coaxed into the unions and are AFRAID to
leave them. If had the power of emanci-
patton President Lincoln ad/when he freed
the slaves, If I could send forth an edict
which would enable the members of the
trades uniors of this country to desert the
ranks of organized labor without fear of
violence or ioStraciSm, / firmly believe that