The Washington times., 1907-08-18
Open ShO Op Policy
Battle Has
Started.
Employers ASSOCia.
ton May Lose Men
Brought Here.

Twenty-Five thousand dollars,
the first half Of $4,000 voted by
the executive hoard of the Brick
layers and MasonS' international
Union Of America TO fight the open
shop policy Of the Employers As
sOciatiOn Of Washington has been
received by me-" said First Vice
President Thomas r. Preece, of the
former organization. who is in the
city to direct personally The battle
that is now on between capital and
labor in the District, last night.
This money is to be used as a
defense as well as ar aggressive
fund TO fight the effort of the local
master builders, who seek to sweep
organized labor from this section Of
the country" cont. iued Mr.. Preece.
That we viii bring these master
buill5aS and their Employers Asso-
ciation 10 terms is absolutely GER
tain. It may take time to do the
work, but we viii DO It completely
and convince these men who would
fiil their shops and buildings with
non-union labor, imported from
abroad, in an effort to drive an army
Of good citizens from this CON-
munity, who have contributed Of
their brain, bravn, and means to
build up the city md Supplant them
with a floating, unreliable, incom-
! petent element that is composed Of
neither good workman nor citizens.
VIII Punish Transportation.
we are in a position financially and
otherwise to handle all the uOn-unIon
hrtcklayers that come 10 this city
either by Importation Of the Employers.
/ Association or who come here Of their
/ volition and at their expense. We viii
supply them with transportation. as We
are doing, and see to II that these work
men 50 imported in the building tradls
are keIst away from this city. Monday
we viii commence this work syste-
maticslly. and we are now ready 20
start homeward al least half Of the
men who have been brought here BY
the Employers Association. The claim
Of the Employers Association thar they
have ali the fnen they need is an empty
one, ard We viii show them the first
or the week that We VIII take from
them very many of those that they
already have
When the nrst $4,000 IS used there
IS another $4,000 ready for US. This
money comes out OF the general fund
OF cur union When the 81. 900 is c.
surned-an6 We will use il literally, de-
fensivelv and aggressively. a 5 cents-a-
week assessment vii, b made on our
members which viii bring 10 US weekly
a sum Of money that will meet al our
requirements
Weekly Assessment.
There are 10000 OF men behind this
fight IN Washington against the open
shop. all Of whom are subject 10 a
weekly assessment OF from 5 cents 10
a dollar a week, and Il unlimited
finances. cool. determined heads and
clean, aggressive business methods
count for anything. we Will defy the
local master builders and their allies.
The Manufacturers Association. report
ed 70 have set aside SI.000.000 or more 10
/ establish the open shop. we win make
them spend that. and more. The fact
that this fight is not a little affair-It
is for the closed shop. the vital prin-
| ciple of all organized Labor, and We
have the assurance Of that great body.
the American Federation Of Labor. that
Il Is with US and VIII see US 70 a finish.
We mean 20 win this fight and make IL
an object lesson for all time 10 come
70 all sections Of the country who seek
TO wipe as off the map and ram the
open shop down our throats."
This startling declaration was made
last night by Vice President PTeece-
|, lie said that the building trades had
decided 70 give publicity TO all their
moves which would be made from day
to day. abandoning the old policy OF
keeping their actions secret. he said
that the business agents and the in
ternauonaI officers OF the building
trades in the city would meet here
tRfter IN the afternoon. there being no