Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-06

aS-hour day, or a day Of one hour or
even less. The labor agitator once the
light for an eight-hour day should end
suecessiully, would Immediately grid up
his loins and open the campaign for
seven-hour day concession, however
20 involve the slightest reduction in wages
with additional vigor born of victory in
the hight for eight hours Therefore, il is
necessary that the employers Of the coun-
Try make their stand for a permanent limit
OF the weekday as a basis for labor con-
tracts, and many Of them have fixed upon
the nine-hour limit as the lowest that can
be considered with due regard to all the
interests involved-those OF the consumer
as well as the producer.
OF even greater Importance is the
matter Of interference by organized labor
In the management Of business. With
the undoubted right Of a man to contract
for his labor the union refuses TO be con
tent It takes away from the employe
that right and arrogates it TO the union.
II goes further and arrogates to the union
the right TO determine whom the employer
shall employ and what wages he shall pay.
IL assumes 20 lay down regulations for his
observance in the conduct of his business
If not combatted vigorously by all en-
ployon Of labor, the union would soon
establish itself in the position OF both
employer and employe, leaving to those
who call themselves employers very little
beyond the detail of raising money for
keeping the business in operation and
paying wages.
Every Evening maintained what is
called a union Office for more than thirty
years-that Is, it employed no printers
save those who were affiliated with the
Typographical Union. Recently, like all
other employers who recognized organ
lied labor entirely in the matter Of employ
ing help, it felt the restrictions that such
limited range Of action in making labor
contracts is bound to impose Long ago
Il became apparent TO the management Of
the paper that the time would come when
this issue would have 20 be met, and finally
il came, with the demand for an eight
hour worlSday at nine hours pay.
Against this proposition the Every Even
ing Printing Co. firmly set its face. The
management informed the employes-who
in accordance with the mandate Of the In
tenational Typographical Union and not
by reason of any real desire on the part
Of themselves, had asked for an eight-hour
day-that it would not be granted. In
the negotiations which preceded definite
action, Every Evening dealt solely with
its employees, as such, and not with rep
resentatives of the union or with the en-
ployes as members Of the or ganization.
The issue was treated as one solely be
tween the paper and lis employees, and
had the latter looked upon il in the same
manner, we are confident there would not
have been the slightest trouble as the
employees, apart from their relations with
the union, were satisfied with every con-
dition Of their employment. But they
had to face the tyrannous and unreason-
able requirement Of the Typographical
Union, which demanded of them that they
90 TO the extent Of sacrificing their materi-
al interests for the purpose Of carrying
out the imperial mandate Of organized
labor. Some went out; Others, who
recognized the potent fact that they had
material interests at stake, remained.
Every Evening is no longer what is
called a "union" Office It's mechanical
department is an open shop. Hereafter,
its management, in making contracts for
labor will not take into consideration
whether the applicant is a member Of the
Typographical Union OF not. Il will in
sist upon the right to employ such persons
as Il pleases, and 10 make what arrange
ments It pleascs for their employment.
No dictation from any body of organized
labor will be permitted 10 affect lis policy
In this respect. Il recognizes the right
Of the laborer to work or not, as he shall
see ft. Il recognizes his right to insist
upon what terms he will agree to labor.
But it reserves 10 itself the right also to
say what terms il will agree to, and the
right to employ whomsoever it chooses to
employ In fact, the entire matter of
employing help is one that hereafter will
be vested absolutely in the Every Evening
Printing Co. regardless Of the Typogmph-
ical Union.
II Every Evening cannot be run along
these lines Il will not be run at ALL But
we have no fears that its publication will
NOT - a,,tt,tt,I .. L.. -. a.. ~