The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-12-20
Some Of the Examples of the Liberty. and
Freedom the System Promotes.
POVERTY AND DEGRADATION THE PRICE
N the So-called hdependence-n Increases the Sweat
ohops and Makes Slaves Of Women and Children
and Fosters Anarchy and Crime.

The fnlsity of the claim that the
open shop means liberty and inde,
pendence is Illustrated by the fol-
lowing examples, says Alexander
Spencer:
In indianapolis ono of the most
prominent advocates of, the omen
shop employs three boys to every
man. The wages of tho mon are
given as $3.50 a week, That's
open shop. Where is the indepen-
dcnce at that prices
In a hat factory in PHILADELPHIA
union men were gradually dis
charged and boys hired. Now 500
boys make from 50 to So a week.
When boy becomes proficient and
demands fair wages he DOESN'T got
them. He is at liberty to 20.
That's open shop.
A coremaker in Detroit was paid
Sl2 week. He had his daughter
assisting him. Soon she learned
how to make cores. Then he was
discharged. The girl was given
his place at 81 a week. He became
free to seek another job. That's
open shop.
In union press room in Chicago
a non unionist was put at work.
Then second, q third and fourth.
The union men quit. They didn't
wish to wait until they We're dis.
charged. The intention to get rid
of them was very plain. That's
open shop.
In the government printing office
at Washington fifty-six refused to
pay the assessment of the eight
hour struggle. By so doing they
broke a solemn pledge ofhonor. That
comes from the open shop. Item
couragcs diShonor and makes men
contemplate.
An employer in Milwaukee said:
81 don't know what we are going
to do. We cannot get young help.
The competition is so sharp we
must employ children, who do not
demand big wages.' More open
open shop.
The tobacco trust employs over
$1,000 children at an average of
less than 80 cents day. The work
Injuries their health. Again open
shop.
In Milwaukee boy fourteen
years old worked as high as four
teen hours a day for 81 80 a week.
His employer was fined $40 and
costs. Liberty to hire whom he
pleased and to work them as many
hours as he chose was thus denied
him. He should have had an
open shop judge to decide the case.
Ought the United States to allow
all foreigners to dwell here without
paying taxes or being subject to it's
laws? That would be open shop,
with us freedom and independence.
The anthracite miners had open
shop under the most favorable CON
ditions possible Many of the men,
bers OF the union saw no reason to
continue to pay dues. The organi-
zatlon dwindled. When the time
came to make another agreement
the union had no real strength.
The open shop is death. to unions
power. 1t makes men into cring-
ing slaves.
The garment workers of Chicago
had open shop forced upon them
two years ago. Sweat shops have
increased enormously in conse-
quence. Wages have fallen very
low. Trousers are made for 13
cents pair, and only six pairs
week can be madeiat the most by
the one doing the work. One wo-
man who sews trousers is able to
make 95 cents a week. Another
gets cent apiece for undervests
and does about fifteen day. A
cripple man and his wife finish
coats for cent piece. Being slow
workers, each can only make about
% cents a week. Where the cloth
ing is made sanitary conditions are
so awful that contagious disease is
likely to be in every garment COM
ing from there. All who buy cloth
ing or mingle with others are thus
endangered. The lives of such
toilers must be short and miserable.