The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-06-16
NECESSITY Of TRADE: 2. !
UNIONS IS EVIDENT
Behind Cry for Boosting "In-
dependent" Workmen Is
Desire to Coin Money.
Parry Organization Gloat with
Glee Every Time Wages
of Labor are Reduced.

DuNTO, Huocos 10 Ino CALA1ou VINO
does not know that behind all the
palaver about the heroism, the boost
ing Of the so-called independent work.
ingman and the opposition to the
closed shop, is the desire to coin
money out of the wage earners. That
is the main purpose Of the present
anti-union agitation; the character Of
and the wages paid their employees
by it's chief promoters amply prove
this. Not only do their acts betray
their main purpose, but their organ
American IndustriesLw1th great glee
print news Of reductions in wages
and gloats over the lower standard Of
living with such acts impose upon the
worker and his family. Such reduc-
ttons mean that thousands Of women
and children will be deprived Of the
necessities Of life:
These people desire that men shall
be free from all protective agencies,
80 they may be the more easily de-
spoiled. In furtherance Of this sordid
idea, a great hue and cry has been
raised concerning the injustice of I'm.
ionists refusing to work with non
unionists The position Of our oppon-
ents has been stated times without
number; so it is not out Of place to
reiterate the unionist side Of the con-
troversy.
All trades unions do not insist on
the closed shop, for conditions vary,
but those that do not believe in so
doing. Closed shops are not only sub
serving the best interests OF humanity.
but following the principles embodied
In the axiom that se1f-preservation is
the first law Of nature There is no
need to recount here how, 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 fell
lows to follow suit, for the laws of
competition are imperative when
wages are involved. So the UNION
shop in any competitive trade, is gem
orally recognized, upholds the stand
ard Of business by eliminating one
incentive to cutthroat competition. It
simply makes it easier for the good
employer to be fair and more difficult
for the mean employer. to be unfair
by enforcing minimum wage. En-
ployers with hearts In. the right place
who have a knowledge of the labor
question and regard@< for their own
fuse to Join in the demand for that
cloak for Industrial tyranny and I'M
stable condttions-the! so-called open
shop. ~a1..
AS to our attitude toward the nom
.unionfst, it Is the fundamental right
Of anyone, a dozen a. a Thousand of
us, to refuse to work with an obnox-
1ous person. This much Is admitted
by the enemy and issan all-suffic1ent
answer to the demogogic talk about
the mythical right to work, which the
thousands Of unemployed prove in
reality is merely the right to look for
work. In dangerous callings, such as
the building trades, in states where
employers are not held legally re-
sponsible for accidents resulting from
the negligence of fe1low-workmen, it
is the duty Of workingmen to pass
upon the eligibility of their fellows.
If they are not vigilant in this respect
they or their heirs may in case of
accident, be deprived or defrauded of
rightful damages through the care
lessness or cupidity of a fellow
employee. Where the majority of the
workers are union4sts, some nom
unionists may be. relied upon to play
the despicable part Of the tool in aid
ing the culpable employer to evade his
just responsibility. Under the CO.
employees liability idea all employees
are partners when an accident occurs,
and it is unfair for men to be COM
PEELED to enter into the. partnership
relation with a man OF whom they
are distrustful
1T is unjust to penalize man by
refusing to work with him because he
refuses to join an organization" is
the oft-repeated remark of our
enemies and critics TO this we reply