The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-09-27

-Sio. AhoSSu, ID INC CII1ZGn
who does not know that behind
all the palarer about the heroism,
the boosting of the so.called indie.
pendent workingman and the op-
position of the closed shop, is the
desire to coin money out of the
ge,earners. That is the main
purpose of the present anti.
union agitation; the character
OF and the wages paid their
employes by its chief promoters
amply prove this. Not only do
their acts betray their main pur-
pose, but their organ-American
industries-with great glee prints
news of reductions in wages and
gloats over the lower standard of
living which such acts impose upon
the worker and his family. Such
reductions means that thousands
of women and children will be de.
prlved of the necessities of life.
These people desire that men
shall be free from all protective
agencies, so they may be the more
easily despoiled. In furtherance
of this sordid idea, great hue and
cry has been raised concerning the
injustice of unionists refusing to
work with non unionists. The no
sltion Of our opponents has been
stated times without number; so it
is not out of place to reiterate the
unionist side of the controversy.
Closed shops are not only sub.
serving the best interests of human
itv lut fo1lou;,,,,S 4 ~ -: !. -, z.
embodied in the axiom that self
preservation is the first law of ma.
ture. There is need to recount
here now, if given permission to
employ non-unionists, employers
would begin an attack on wages,
and, in time, compel the more fair
minded and liberal of their fellows
to follow suit, for the laws of com
petition are imperative when
wages are involved. So the union
shop in any competitive trade, il
generally recognized, upholds the
standard of business by eliminating
one incentive to cuttlfsoat compe.
tition. 1t simply makes it easier
for the good employer to be fair
and more difficult for tic mean en-
ployer to be unfair by enforcing a
minimum union wage. EMPLOYERS
with hearts in the right place who
have a knowledge OF the labor
question and regard for their own
interests, are aware of this and re.
fuse to join iii the demand for that
cloak for industrial tyranny and
unstable conditions-the so-called
open shop.
As to our attitude toward the
non-unionist, it is the Fundamental
right OF anyone, a dozen or thous-
and of us, to refuse to work with
an obnoxious person. This much is
admitted by the enemy and is an
all sufficient answer to the dema-
gogic talk about the mythical rjuht
to work, which the thousands of
unemployed prove, III reality is
merely the right too look for work.
In dangerous callings, such as the
building trades, III States where
employers are not held legally re-
sponsible for accidents resulting
from the negligence of fellow-work
men, it is the duty of workinemen
to pass upon the eligibility of their
fellows. If they are not yigilant
In this respect they or their heir;
may, in case of accident, be de-
prlved or defrauded of rightful
damages through the carelessness
or cupidity of fellow empIoye.
Where the majority of the work.
ers are non-unionists, some non
unlonists may he relied upon to
play the despicable part of tool in
aiding the culpable employer to
evade his just responsibility.
Under the o-employes' liability
idea all employees are partners when
an accident occurs, and it is unfair
for men to be compelled to enter
into the partnership relation with
a man of whom they are distrust-
full. : e1'''
sit is unjust to penalize man
by refusing to work with him be-
bause he refuses to join an organi-
zadon, is the oft-repeated remark
of our enemies and critics. To this
we reply, it is the essence of jus
fJaa that