The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-10-03
G O N TIN u E D
h o -
p A G F. 0 n F.
HISTORY Of

gage to organized labor and the
typographical union in particular
the unions accepted thechallenge.
The real struggle, which has
waged with the greatest bitterness
since, began.
General Otis went to the manu-
facturers and stOrekeepers and,
gathering the employers, preached
the doctrine of industrial freedom"
Los Angeles differs FROM most
other American cities. Here rich
men congregate and Otis had
wide audience to which TO appeal
He kept on his individual freedom
propaganda, and added the free
dom of contract idea, declaring
that laboring men had right to
sell their labor to anyone they
chose, and that capital had a right
to hire according tC its needs
Out of his crusade grew the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers assOcia-
ton, backed by the Times, waged
a relentless war On the unions. IT
was their openly avowed intention
to make not only the Times and
the concerns in the organization,
but the whole city open shop.
The Times took a leading part in
the fight. 1t cartooned end lam
pooned; attacked and assaulted la
Dor unions and their leaders. The
paper established a linotype school
to teach non-union men how to op-
crate machines.
FIGHT GROWS ACUTE.
During the wonderful expansion
of Los Angeles in 1901 the fight on
the building trades was particularly
acute. The Merchants association
| joined in the battle, and as a re-
suit the unions had one of the bit
terest struggles in the history of
the city on their hands. After this
the Times began to exert power
full Influence and this influence,
which for a time was very great,
was turned, as every other factor
the paper could summon, against
unionism. ,.
The attacks have sometimes been
general, sometimes bitterly per-
sonal. They have included not
only unions themselves, bus almost
every one who has had word to
say for the unions.
OUTSIDE UNIONS JOIN.
The unions outside Los Angeles,
which are powerful in other Pa
cific coast cities, were brought into
the fight and they came to the aid
of the local unions. A movement
has been under way to unionize Los
Angeles and they have brought
their powerful influence to bear on
the situation. The Merchants as
ISOLATION has resented this outside
interference"
The Times was the leader of this
sentiment and attacks on state la
Dor leaders followed. which result
ed recently in charge of criminal
| libel brought against Otis by An
drew Gallagher, secretary of the
San Francisco Labor Council. The
suit was dropped on a techuicality,
| but the bitter feeling it engendered
survived.
There have been strikes recently
among the metal workers and the
| brewery workers. The outside
unions joined in, and more bitter
ness followed
James Fielder, local labor lead
er, was recently assailed as re-
suit of the incidents of one of the
strikes. The bitterness o. the at
| tacks aroused great feeling among
the unions. No open rely was
made. Other leaders were attacked
in terms almost as strong. A few
days ago the state labor federation
announced a great meeting in Los
Angeles. 1t opens today. A great
parade was to be held and dele
gates to the meeting were already
arriving when the disaster at the
Times occurred.