The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-03-03
NO CLOSED SHOP.
Phrase Is Used Only by Enemies
of UnioniSm.
TRADE UNIONS ARE OPEN.
Nearly All Welcome to Membership
Any Wageworker Qualified at the
Occupation orsanized-An Oft Re-
peated SANDER Refuted.

Any Wageworker Qualified at the
Occupation orsanized-An Oft Re.
peated SANDER Refuted.
The phrase CLOSED shop" is of re.
cent use. 1t was coined and is employ.
ed on all occasions by the enemies of
trade unonism for purpose. That
purpose is to divert attention from tb4
defensive action of union members in
preserving their union to what Is no
more than an incidental consequence
of that action
The union creates certain desirable
labor conditions. The nonunionists try
to destroy them. By not competing
with one another for the employment
the unionists make their advantage
BY competing the nonunionists would
leave the dictation of terms wholly to
employers. That is the merest A B G
of this feature in the case of labor
And then the employers. when the
union has gained something through
Its advantage, come forward with q
demand for 1.-The open shop" and make
an appeal to the public in the name of
liberty. To all the inhabitants of Easy
street. who complacently regard them
selves as 1.-THE general public" this
slogan of the employing class sounds
justified as truly American"
Now, this situation has been analysed
times innumerable In these columns by
writer's for the labor and social re-
form press. Every point in it has
been brought up, weighed and given
its place. No intelligent observer of
today but has had full opportunity to
see clearly all the factors bearing on
the question. Every citizen has been
enabled to take his stand thereon.
This being true, the trade unionists.
having made plain their view and be-
lieving it to be the true one, do not
intend to permit their opponents to ig-
more that view. This remark applies
equally to opponents who fight in the
open and opponents who seek by subtle
means. including profession of reason
ableness or even friendliness, to weak
en- the position of trade unionism. 1t
will not do for such professed Judi
cial" persons merely to make pass
ing note of the fact that the unionists
declare that there is no CLOSED shop"
that 1.-The union shop" is an "open
shop" and then 60 on talking and
acting as if the unionists were hypo-
critical, or at least employing the
methods of counsel under fee whose
morals permit any argument for any
side which pays the fee.
Trade unions are open. Nearly all
are wide open to any man or woman
qualified at the occupation organized
ut an entrance fee barely sufficient to
equalize the payments of the unions
cash benevolent benefits and current
costs Of administration. Hardly any
union ever asks nonunionist to pay
for the slightest percentage of the
damage he has done as a disruptionist.
1t Is literally and positively true, with
out evasion or equivocation. that trade
unions and consequently union shops
are open for all wageworkers whom
any employer would possibly contem-
plate as employees to be kept regularly
and permanently in his hire.
We beg, then, that the press. the pub
lie spirited men and women who de-
clare themselves in favor of labor in
times of disputes and any other class
Of persons who deem themselves inter-
ested will accept the fact that what
trade unionists call for is the union
shop When confronted by persons
who persist in speaking in private and
public Of the "closed shop" the trade
unionists recognize by that sign that
they are dealing with an enemy EN-
ploying the verbal ammunition of an
enemy, distorting facts as an enemy
and without having the manliness and
candor of a courageous enemy.-Amer-
lean Federationist