The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-07
GOOD WAGES FAR !:
BETTER THAN WORDS
John Brooks Graham Tells
Economists That Talk of Op-
en- Shop Freedom by Those
Who Pay $1.25 for Twelve
Hours Work Is Vain,
Thinks 81 for Eight Hours in
Closed Shop Makes for Bet
ter Citizenship AL
so Sharply Criticises Ac-
tions of Labor Unions.

CHICAGO, Dec 29.-At the meeting
of the American Economic association
today the subject of the open shop and
the rights of unions and employers or
labor had the floor.
American Social Science association, read
paper entitled, THE issue between the
open and closed shop
He said in part: "There Is little use
temper and purpose Of the parties involv::
ed. good many trade unions nave used
the closed shop principle and its weap-
ons both brutally AMI stupidity, but plenty
in spirit that is probably more dan
gerous to social welfare than the coars-
est ruffianism Of the trade unions.
"side by side with these excuses, we
have open and closed shops in which
business is conducted with admirable and
common satisfaction. There is not the
lightest danger that the closed shop will
become universal in this country. Strong
1t. Weak and struggling unions may get
temporary advantage that is at the
same time social advantage.
Is 1t Liberty?
"A large group Of employers is now
making its tilt in the name of Liberty
but industrial organiza ton on both sides
has introduced something so like revolu-
ton that We do not know what liberty
means as applied to specific indus try
like garment making in the Overlooking
market which low-class labor offers
York city. The employers in that indus
try have won the open shop. but If 1t
should be found that petty, warning con-
tractors coy, could not be CONTROLLED e+t tnat
ed, Is that consistent with liberty and
true Americanism?
IF with the closed shop the union win
81 a day and eight hours, 1t may well
forego some aspects Of personal feeling.
the sweater with $12S and - hour day
Is more desirable because the workers
are 'free?'
Rheteric Is Poor Comfort.
I'm industrial conditions like these we
are not to be comforted by any unctuous
rhetoric about Americanism and freedom.
or any formal limitation on this freedom,
there may be conceivably the amplest
as have Indicated, social utility and Sc
curity must test even the biggest phrases.
IF, again, the closed shop, brought
about without any violence and with the
consent of the employer, as in some of
Wb esb IN
conditions, whiles outside the union there
RACES a destructive competition and many
children employed, is it not grotesque to
make words like liberty and American
hazard competition? Liberty is not ade-
quately defined in terms Of the employ
ers' pecuniary interest. 1t also has So
| cial conditions which we are beginning
to learn
Hibbard's Ideas.
Mr.. John Hubbard. Of Chicago, took az
his subject, 1.-The necessity Of the open
shop-an employers view"
To indicate clearly the conditions and
made the following classification:
First the "closed shop Of the union,
in which union conditions prevail.
Second. the employers closed shop"
closed to union men:
Third, the so-called "open shop, where
nominal freedom of employment" exists
and where there is supposed to be no in
Fourth, the true open shop" Possibly
existing in theory only.
The closed shop, he said, cannot be con-
coded.
The employers closed shop is equally
illegal and un-American and equally i'm
possible.
The open shop, as found today usu-
ally results in the closed shop, either to
of the failure Of one or the other, the
| employer Of the union to recognize their
| responsibilities and obligations under the
implied contract: These open shops are
steps in the right direction, however, and
with strong organization ON both sides to
| restrain the arbitrary action of either,
may ledu 10 more Satisfactory
The true open shop, while suggesting
possibilities Of wholly satisfactory re-
lations, may be purely theoretical. The
practical difficulties Of the agreement idea
! are illustrated by the failure of the par
les thereto to realizing their obligations
and that such an agreement may peace
| ably provide for changing conditions.
Collective bargaining cannot always re-
suit in increase of wages. The employer
! Of today has been educated on many social
| problems by unions and reduces wages
as last resort. More education, how
ever, on the principles at issue, on the
| part Of both the employer and employe,
| is needed to make the true open shop
! possible.
The present warfare may be necessary,
| but employers organizations cannot de-
! stroy unions, vice versa, nor would
| peaceful conditions result were such a
| thing possible.
| With the wide divergence Of ideas Of
| the two, what can agreements offer?
| Notwithstanding all the difficulties,
! still believe we are steadily moving to-
| wards just solution Of the apparently
| unsolvable question.
! Our highest duty Is to assist this move
ment as far as lies within our power and
| to believe that such solution is possi-
bic This can be conceived in the true
"open shop"