The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-09-17
" We'll Quit When There
Isn't a Union Lef''
Continued From Page One.

the general beauty of the scheme
appears once more-President Ban
field of the Employers association
informs the team owners that this
was no 'ttheir concern at all, that
they We're under contract to let the
association handle all union matters
and If there was any financial loss
the Employers association would
pay the bills.
Arbitration was refused, Banfield,
with Josselyn of the Portland Rail
way, Light & Power Co. and Cor
bett, openly backed by the heads of
the lumber industry, like Booth of
the BoOth-Kelley Lumber Co., him
self a state senator, at once took
charge of the entire fight.
The mayor, in an open meeting of
the Employers association, was
browbeaten, 1eered at, Inundated
and Kissed until he gave in and
agreed to employ at the city's ex-
pense, all the special police the EN-
ployers' association wanted to drive
teams for the draymen.
The council showed through an
anti-boycott ordinance forbidding
boycott banners on the streets. 1t
also, at the instigation of the attor-
rley for the Employers association
took up the Los Angeles anti-picket
and the Spokane anti-free speech
ordinance (see any connection in
the big fight?) and the city govern
ment and police were turned over to
Banfield, who became, to all intents
and purposes. mayor and law giver
for Portland
BANFlELD'S OBJECT.
And what was Banfield's atti-
tude?
1--WE have nothing to arbitrate
We will quit when there isn't a
union left in Portland" These are
few of his defiantly announced
denunciations.
association whipped into line some
of the retail merchants association
and just as was done in Los Ange-
les, worked through an agreement
that the stores of the town would
display open Shop cards. Some
stores did, many refused and so
great was the effect of the secret
boycott on the open Shop" stores
that in three days not card was
left Tens of thousands of dollars
were lost by the shopkeepers of
Portland, who were jerked into a
fight blindfolded by Banfield and
JOsselyn.
And, remember, that all this was
over a matter of 25 cents a day for
few score transfers! Queer, isn't
it? That is, lit would seem queer
if you had not known what had
gone before and the big game be-
hind
The game, as it was worked out
in Los Angeles, as it is being
worked out in Seattle, Spokane and
Tacoma. The game to force fights
on weak unions, throw the entire
strength of organized capital into
every fight, and to make every town
an open shop town, place where
the bosses decide how low the
wages shall be, and whether white
men or Hindus shall work.
HINDUS APPEAR.
In Portland, the lumber mills be-
gan to bring in Hindu workers as
soon as this employers association
fight was started. Japs began to
take the place of skilled workmen
Thugs were brought in to incite I'M
ion men to riot or to riot them
selves.
In Portland there is and has been
for months, industrial hell, and not
an employer there but would gladly
give in, and not a union man but
would leave the settlement of it all
to any three fair men chosen at
large. if the employers association
would only let peace come.
And what do you think about this
sort of a free for all fight where
both fighters want peace and are
kicked into the ring? Do you think
this struggle to make the coast the
slave mart for the diseased Hindu
and the spying Jap means nothing
to you, little business or profess
sional man or skilled worker?
Scratch your head, and guess
again, brother.
In tomorroW's Press Mr.. Sleeth
will show how the plan of importing
Asiatc labor for the coast has been
started at Long Beach, Call