The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-12-12
OpEN SHOP CAMPAIGN
One of Pretense and Deceit on
Part of Employers.
CONCEAL THE REAL MOTIVES.

The advocates of the open shop have
claimed to be actuated by the highest
motives.
They have claimed 1t as their pur-
pose to rescue industry from the tyran-
ny of labor unions and to secure to ey-
cry man the right to work when and
where he Dleases.
They profess that every workiugman
may or may not belong to labor un.
lon at his own option, but the union
Is not TO be recognized in any way in
the open shop. where freedom and
equality are alleged to abide. but which
In fact is the home of dcSpotism.
They say that the rules of unions
abridGe the right of contract, which
should be free and unrestricted :
Modern society does not permit the
individual to do as he wishes without
regard to the rights or we'll being of
his fellows
Almost without exception the strong
subduc, Cypress and plumber the weak
Speaking industrially as we'll rs eco.
nomicatly, we have in modern organic
ed society become so intcrdcpcndent
one upon tie other that in large
measure what is the business of one
of us is the business of all of us.
These advocates of the open shop
seek to disfrnnChise labor of its indus.
trial vote.
They will deny this impeachment,
but nevertheless underneath their fair
professions lie 4 deadly cnmity to Ia
Dor unions ana selfish purpose for
financial gain to control the wages, the
hours and the lives OF their employees.
How? Tho following incident will
show:
a few weeks ago the writer was sit
ting in the smoking room of Pull
man sleeping car, coming east. and az
the writer looks like ready money and
would not be suspected OF being inter
ested in labor unions he involuntarily
heard some gentlemen convcrsing in n
full tone OF voice
One of the gentlemen was an eastern
man who had been IN the west for sew
eral years managing large manufac-
turing business. In the party were
several of his fritn Is. and he was tell
Ing them about his labor troubles and
how he handled them
He had strike and declared the
open shop. TO quote him: you can
beat them Uhe unions) every time with
the open shop. 1t sounds fair because
you say you will employ without re-
gard to whether they are members of
unions or not, and You say each en-
ployce may or may not belong to n
union, as he sees fit. ana you will not
discriminate. Still there ways
you can find out what is going on
among your employees. and there are
ways to get rid Of dangerous elements
without discrimination against union
members. Ha, ha, ha.
"Mainfnin fha ripht Of oil tn RI,
[laughterl land weed out the agita-
tors" tMore laughter.I Form n mu-
tual benefit society among your EN-
ployees, making small donation your
self, conditional upon the employees
paying dues and supporting the society
thereafter. Let the officers of the So
clety be elected IN the different de-
partmcnts under the immediate super
vision of the forcmon. each officer to
vacate his office or leaving your en-
ploy. Then toady the officers little
and compel all employees to join, TAX
Ing out the dues in he office. and YOU
have got II perfect working machine
which will report to you every whisper
among your employees. LCries OF
Good, Clever" etc.
Now all you have got to do is to
maintain your principles, weed out
TIC aSllaluES ana you can enjoy indus
trial peace" [Grcat hilarity.l
The writer is here describing an ac-
tual occurrence of less than three
months ago, which shows that this
employer was an advocate of the open
shop as n means of preventing labor
from obtaining any advantages through
organization and that his conception
OF industrial peace was a condition
where he employer Is czar and any
employee who questions the wisdom
or justice of any of his orders or
methods is banished to Industrial ST.
IBERIA.
This man is not different from other
advocates of the open shop, except
that he may be more loquacious. They
all mean the same, though some CON
ceal their real motives more cleverly
than others
They propose to displace the indus
trial voice and vote of many men and
to enthrone the arbitrary authority
and despotic will of one man.
They deny the right of individual
Workmen to contract with each other
individually and collectively, but insist
that each workman shall be free to
contract with his employer upon the
employers terms.
They seek to make the cry of the
dollar vulture stifle the voice of man
But it shall not be-
No movement founded upon human