The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-19
VAN CiEAVE MAKES
HOT ARGUMENT
FOR OPEN SHOP

fouudips ~ JhiS N''A
every man who may hear what | say and
every man, high or low, who may happen
TO read what I say, To realize, now as
never before, that II is not enough merely
10 regulate capital and bring IT absolutely
within the bounds OF legality and fair
dealing, Il is necessary also TO be sure
that labor, so-called-not real labor, OF
the great mass OF all of US, but the IA
vored labor OF a comparatively few-must
also understood not only that II cannot
expect special protection IL II transgresses
the laws as they now stand. but that spe-
cial or unusual privileges. or privileges
of any sort, are not TO be meted out to IT,
especially through fear OF annihilation II
ii is not done"
In these words James w. Van Cleave
OF ST. Louis, president of the National
Manufacturers association, summed up a
powerful argument for the open shop
in an address before the annual conven'
tion OF the United Typothetae OF America
last night. Mr.. Van Cleave called on his
audience TO stand as one man against die
tation from the unions. which he declared
had grown arrogant on too much power.
Ine speaker denOuflceu the dAleihpNs Va
union labor TO influence congress To pass
special legislation favorlng II. He referred
specifically to the attempts TO have a
bill passed at the last session prohibiting
Federal courts from issuing certain In
junction bills. His address, In port is as
follows:
Il understand that you are winning the
victory for the open shop: that you have
resisted successfully the effort arbitrarily
IL h.aw
shall run the business enterprises that
you own, and otherwise to fasten upon
you a control wholly incompatible with
the successful conduct OF any business,
and involving. worst OF all. the very
worst interests OF the working people
themselves. IL that be so, you deserve
well OF all manufacturers and OF your
country.
I'VE have seen that many attempts oy
organized labor to procure class privileges
whether by peaceful negotiation with re-
gard to matter Arbitrable or by coercion
or violence against principles which can
not be abandoned). have failed In the last
few years owing, naturally. TO the ever
present fact that what Is fair and right
for one must I'm the very nature of things
be fair and right for all because IL is the
truth, without which, in industry, or poll
tics. or society. nothing in the world VIII
do US any good.
I'VE now see, y We read the newspa-
pers carefully, thScit is proposed by one
OF the organizations of labor to seek TO
secure these ends by political activity. 1t
is even defianty announced that those
public men. who have simply dared to do
their plain duty In resisting the demands
of one OF the organizations of labor. are
TO be retired to private life on account
of their contumacy.
There are other class propositions, all
intended TO benefit the few at the ex-
pense of the many; and organized labor
is said TO be going pell-mell into politics
TO establish them We shall have TO con-
suit the bulletin board OF the American
Federatio of Labor before venturing an
opinion upon anything OF public interest; !;
and even the gentle arts OF persuasion
shall not be mentioned except with bated
breath DO not be afraid OF scarecrows
The American people are in politics also,
and they have a way of getting into poll
tics very hard when the necessity arises.
"They are beginning to think. more Sc
riously than usually happens In the dog
days, OF the exact significance of this
defiance from a class They will under
stand these questions because the dis
cussion OF them will be as full as the
common sense Of the common people, and
their patriotic telling, and their jealousy
of the most valued OF our possessions.
equality before the law can make them
And 1 call upon all good American cit
liens 10 work to this end harder and
longer than ever to any purpose before,
that the common good of all shall be pro-
tectedd and fostered and expanded, so
that all OF us may profit by II in pro-
portion to our deserts: so that everybody
in proportion to his powers. the powerful
~ l.. -
weak. shall work and organize and give
Cif need be- their money!, as we'll as their
time, TO see that these questions are un-
derstood clear down to the ground; so
that IL may be determined once for all,
most opportunely at this time. that the
industrial and moral uplift Is potent in
the community. that the square deal
means a square deal for everybody on
equitable terms for ALL and that justice
and equality are the most active and
precious realities In our American lives
foAa