Evening journal., 1905-11-15

HELD DISCUSSION
Question of "Open Shop"
Debated at Annual Ses-
sion Of Clergy
SUBJECT WAS INTERESTING

0UDJlGl Wh0 lhlLnl0llh1
At the closing session Of the Arch
deaconry of Wilmington in st. Andrew s
Church last evening the subject of
"Open Shop was discussed a large
number of employers and employees be-
ing in attendance.
The Rev. A. J. ArlSin, OF st. Georges
Chapel, Philadelphia, defended the em-
ployers while Evan G.. Mentzer of the
Typographical Union of Philadelphia,
spoke on behalf OF his fellow worl1men.
Archdeacon George c. Hall and Will
liam p. Bancroft also participated in
the discussion.
Henry b. Thompson was to have
spoken for the employer but the seri-
GUS illness of his sister caused him to
give up his engagement and Alfred d.
Calvert, president of the Philadelphia
Typographical Union OF Philadelphia,
who was also booked to speak was also
unable to attend.
The meeting was opened by Bishop
Coleman who prayed that the working
men in pursuit of their daily toll receive
their just share and that they be pre-
served from injury while plying their
trade. In introducing the subject the
Bishop said: THE subject is by no
means new one and the Episcopal
Church Is the only religious body in
the country that has a society for deal
ing with just such questions and has
Deen in existence for a number of
years"
In the opening Mr. ArSin said It was
generally accepted by business men
that the clergy were not able to cope
with such questions, but that some
clergymen do understand the subject
and can present the side of the side
of the business men. Continuing he
said:
First of all. the business man has
himself, his family and his character to
take care of. He must fight I'm the mar
ket of competition and he must not only
provide wages for himself but also for
his men. His mind is full of plans and
his heart is full of anxiety.
He must figure out how to prevent
being swept away by competition for in
order TO make his business prosperous
he must compete with others. Therefore
he goes along and conducts his business
on the line conducted by his opponents
IN order that he may keep his head
above water.
IF one man cuts wages and thereby
sells his wares cheaper then he must,
with the result that labor organizes and
demands that his place be a closed
shop. A closed shop is a shop where
all employees must be union men. while
its opposite, the open shop, is one where
any man can work and for whatever he
chooses. When labor organizes then It
controls my business. Therefore this
interferes with my business and while
would like to pay more 1 cannot and
'if I allowed you to make my shop a
closed one then it interferes with the
management of my business. 1t inter-
feres with my activity and put a part
ner I'm the business. Not only that the
closed shop has a tendency to interfere
with progress.
Workingmen are not always self-sac-
riicing. They desire more wages and
all the money they can get. They
really hurt production and hinder in
dustry by their demands as organiza-
tions. Organizations also retard energy
and they are just as selfish as are many
employers. First they want their hours
reduced from ten to eight and then 10
six and SO on until their is no end.
Suppose pay good wages under the
regulations of your organization the
poor workman must receive as much as
the good man with the result that the
good men become demorallzed. Labor
Unions make a monopoly Of labor
which is just as bad as any other mono
poly for they can demand everything
whether reasonable or not and say If
you don't give it we viii close your
shop. But there is even a greater
danger. Suppose employer and en-
ployes should get together for the pur-
pose of hlching the public as happened
recently in Chicago when the teamsters
who were banded with their employers
told the coal dealers of that city If you
sell coal cheaper than do the other coal
dealers, we will not haul for you.
MR.. MENTZER'S REPLY.
In replying Mr.. Mintzer said in part:
"I recognize the responsibility of the
employer, but claim that it is only a
small portion of the business. Labor is
the factor that has to take care to see
TO it that the product intrusted to him
is perfect and If the work is not perfect
we are held responsible. We believe
that the closed shop which we are con-
ltending for is In operation now among
the employers for when a man is dis
lcharged he is Immediately placed upon
a blacklist and barred from every other
shop.
I'VE further contend that were the
employer to have "A closed shop he
would have no competition as all firms
would be compelled TO pay the same
wages. We deny that the wages i'm a