The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-20
ADVOCATES FOR open :.
: MEETINGS OF UNIONS
Many Leaders in Labor Movement
Champion Idea For Less
Secrecy.
Hold That Unions Have Nothing
to Conceal or to Be Ashamed
Of.

Advocates for open n,eet,Ngs for all
trade unions are increasing within tho
ranks of organized lab~r. Many Of
the leading writer's believe that trade
unions can just as we'll conduct their
business openly; that there is a whole
lot Of borrowed Formally from other
than democratic institutions in the
time worn secret signs, grips and rit-
uals in our unions.
The secret session is creating a
species Of graft upon which such in
situations as the PinkertoE Detective
agency thrives. Listen to what Frank
Kennedy, known among trade union
Journalists as "Sadie MCGUIRE" has to
borer of Omaha:
Zone man in the Western Federation
of Miners was a wise Indian. That
was the delegate who favored open
meetings Of the Federation-local and
national. He declared that If the
meetings Of the union had been open
in the past there would be no trial on
In Boise today. He was right but we
did not read Of the miners changing
their laws in this respect. So long as
unions stick to the old motion Of secret
meetings, just so long will Pinkerton
detectives find them source of graft
for their Vaccinations. The Internal
tional Typographical union holds con-
ventions> with wide-open doors. The
general public is invited to listen to all
the proceedings and an executive ses-
sion Of this convention has not been"
held since the meeting in Syracuse in
1898, and then it only lasted an hour.
But, strange as it may seem, there is
thrown around the meetings Of the
local unions Of this same International
a halo of secrecy that you can cut
with knife.
'The obligation provides this SEN
tence: II solemly swear that will
not reveal any business Of proceed
ings of any meeting Of this or any
subordinate union to which may
hereafter become attached, unless by
order Of the union, except to those
whom I know to be members in good
standing thereof" That is a strange
inconsistency. Tie conventions of this
union are wide open anG the local
meetings have the lid on. The A. F.
of l.. practices the same Inconsistency
Its conven tions are wide open and you
must have password and other signs
to be admitted in the local branches
Every year a Cleveland detective
grating bunch send out cil culars to
manufacturers and business men Of
ferfng to furnish the full proceedings
of the A. F. Of L., gathered by our
agents in the convention at nominal
price Of $751; when, as a matter Of
fact, these same business men or
manufacturers can send Frank Morri-
son, secretary of the A. F. Of L., Is
cents and receive the full proceedings
Of the convention. This is coarse
graft that is being worked every year
and the United States mails are used
to do the grating, too.
"Our idea on this is that there Is
nothing done by any union in Omaha
that cannot be transacted with the
doors wide open. The secret business
that is kept up Is a relic Of the days
when it was a crime to be a member
of labor union. The thinking men
in organized labor ought to favor the
adjusting of unions to changed condi-
tons. One of the changes that should
be made is to cut out the secret gag
and thus do away with a very profit
able graft being worked by Pinkerton
detectives. We presume, however, that
the detectives in the unions would OBJ
ject stfenuously to open meetings, as
it might interfere with their BUST
| ness" But, just the same, we believe
the way to get away from the Pinker-
| ton pest in organized labor is. to open
| the doors Of all meetings and invite
! the newspaper rer orters the employers
and public to come and listen to the
| proceedings Of the local unions. II the
printers and A. F. Of L. conventions
can be held with open doors there Is
no reason why the local branches of
these unions canot be conducted in the
open-there is absolutely no reason
why all unions cannot conduct their
business openly"