The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-30
Citizens Industrial Association
 Meets in New York
NUMEROUS SPEECHES MADE
President Parry Urges Employers to Stand Together to Combat the Growing Influence of Or
 nanized Labor. S


 the Citizens Industrial association. rep resentinc all sections of the country, were present when the second annual conven- tion of the new organization opened at the new Astor hotel. The plans for to- days session included a number of for nal addresses in addition to the appoint ment of committee and other preliminary work of like nature.
 It is the aim of the convention to bring about complete organization of manufac- turers, business and all large employers of labor to advocate the "open shop" idea. All employers now affiliated with the association were invited to attend the convention and listen to discussions of the open or closed shop, restriction of output limitation of apprentices and other questions of similar nature.
 President Parry's Address.
 D. M Parry, the president, in his annual address reviewed the progress of the em- ployers movement during the last two years and predicted for it a steady, per- manent growth He said in part:
 If trades unionism should become dominant in this country I have not the least doubt that our industries would languish and our streets would be filled with idle men. No other results could possibly come from a system that would base the reward of labor not on merit, but on the power of organization to dic- tate terms, system that would restrict output, discourage enterprise and permit the indolent and least efficient to set the pace for industry. Can present day unionism become dominant in this coun- try? It Is my belief that If you would like to see organized labor obtain a con- trolling power over industrial and public affairs all that you need do is to fold your hands and let the unions work their will Under the do-nothing policy of the employers, up until a few years ago, the growth of unionism was magical.
 Finally with several millions of work CTS back of them, and flushed with vic- cory because of success in a number of strikes, the leaders assumed dictatoriaI attitude toward congress and local au- thorities. At that time 1t seemed as though public opinion was ready to sanc- tion any demands that the strike bosses chose to make and but scant hearing was given to the employers side of any controversy no matter how Automatically expressed. believe that this was a critical time in the history of our coun- try, and had the employers not aban- doned the let-alone policy we should today be facing a very different condi- ton of affairs from that now confronting us. We should, perhaps. have the eight hour an anti-injunction bills on the statute books and the principle of prefer ence to unionists in employment, or in other words, the national closed shop would more than likely be in a fair way of adoption.
 Opposition Movement Sprang Up.
 
 every man, woman and child in this country, there sprang up movement, which was practically spontaneous among the employers, for the formation of local associations, while such great national organizations as the National Association of Manufacturers began to grappe with the problem with energy and determination What happened? There is little need for me to rehearse the story. Strike after strike was or dered only to be lost by the unions, and a great check was given to trades union aggression from Maine to California. Shop after shop has been opened to the non-unon man, and protection has been given him against the sluggers in most of our industrial centers. I believe that fully one thousand manufacturing estab- lishments have, in the last year. aban- doned the closed shop and thrown their
 
 to their membership or non-membership in union. have been informed of the names of over 250 concerns in the city of Chicago alone that have done this. Is that not a record for the greatest hot-bed of unionism in the country? From all parts of the central west I have re- ceived information of hundreds of other factories being opened u independent workmen. Many concerns in the east ole fN though I must say that the employers movement is stronger in the central west than 1t Is here in the east and that the results show it. The effect of the open shop movement has been particularly ben eficial. In some of the factories the out put per man has has been increased from 25 to 50 per cent. Who can assert that this increase in output will not benefit the toiler as well as the employer? The theory that the less each man does the better every one will be is one of the absurd doctrines of the union creed. and. if followed to its logical conclusion, would produce a state of society in which no one worked and every one went hungry and naked. If increasing the output per man worked injury to the workers then all machinery should be destroyed for the effect of machinery is to multiply individual output
 Question of Individual Liberty.
 Mir. Parry declared that the labor ques tion was not merely a controversy be- tween employers and employees. but rath- CT question whether individual liberty was to be maintained. He quoted from labor authorities to show what the un- icns denied that there was any such thing as the inalienable right to work MT. John Mitchell, said Mir Parry, and other labor leaders. In order to hide the real purpose of the unions to prevent men from working where. when and for what they please, resort to the sub terfuge that union men have the right to refuse to work with non-union men.
 Now the right of men to refuse to work with or without stating their reas- on is just as valid as the right of the employer to discharge men without as- signing cause But when men once quit their employment they no longer have any claims on the jobs they have aban- doned. They have no right to picket with the intent to injure their former employers business or to coerce or in-