University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-05-03
is the fighting editor in 2"

the average editorial door, it is alto
ether probable that you will be told
that he has just gone off for his sum-
mer vacation. If, however, you are
facing the editorial door of the Los
Angeles Times, you will receive an af-
firmatiye answer in no uncertain tone.
General Harrison Gray Otis, editor
of the Times, is in class OF his own
"a the greatest fighting editor Amer-
ca has produced. Ii is not, however,
in the sense of personal valor, that
this reputation has been earned, al
though he has demonstrated in two
wars that he is in no way lacking
in physical courage. But greater dis
| tinctiOn has come to him by reason of
the long and apparently winning fight
he has made for principle-the prin-
ciple that organized labor shall not
dictate TO him as an employer the
terms upon which il will serve him.
Just now. with the recent develop
ments in the task of ferreting out the
guilty ones in the crime of dynamit-
ing the Times building, General Otis
occupies a conspicuous place in pub
lie limelight
The contest for supremacy which
has been waged between the Typo
graphical Union and General Otis had
its origin in the summer OF 1891, the
principle at stake being, not a ques-
ton of wages or OF hours OF labor,
but of the right of the union printers
to enforce the law of the Internationr
al Typographical Union that no non
Mon man shall be employed in union
office. In other words. il was the ques-
ton of the open" or closed snop.
General Otis raised no objection to
the printers in his employ holding
membership in the union. but he did
object unalterably to delegating to
them the authority to prohibit nOn-
union printers from holding positions |
in the composing room of the Times.
This is principle that is recogniz-
ed and agreed to by every daily news
paper o consequence in America, |
with the single exception of the Los
Times.
The fight ha- been one of the long |
est and most bitterly contested in the |
history OF trades uniOniSm in this |
country. The one most effective wea-
pon of organized labor. the boycott.
has been tested to its fullest power.
only to prove its futility. Every |
known means of reaching the adver-
tiser and subscriber of the Times has
been tried by the union printers ard |
their allied organizations. Much ad-
vertising patronage was taken from
the Times by this means. yet not silf
ficient to cause General Otis to waver
in his position.
Ii is not the purpose OF this glimpse
At the character of General Otis and
his contest with the Typographical
Union to attempt a discussion OF tie
merits or demeritS of either side, but
simply to give little history of the
dispute which now seems to have
cached stage in which the nation
tself is involved. |,
The early stages of the trouble at
acted little attention even among un-
on men. outside of Los Angeles. But |
s time went on and the struggle =
rOmised to be prOtracted one. the
nions of San Francisco and other
Oast cities contributed to the cause. ,
'on-union printers in plenty were oh +
aimed from Kansas City, by Genera =
tits, members of a rival organization :
nOwn as the 'Printers' Protective +,
General Otis became a y
trOng patron Of this organization. ard q
ndeavored TO introduce the dailias of
Ne Coast Cities TO substitute fratcr
ity men for their union printers. ami $
hereby weaken the ranks of the Ty. |,
Union.
Ii was not many years until the con- h
'st became one of national signifi- d
ince in union circles. The Interna- II
onal Typographical Union apprOpri- d
ed funds for the purpose of winning G
s cause. and it is estimated that an cl
lnual sum OF approximately S2J. 400 OF
IS been spent to carry the fight
,ainSt the Times to ,uccess-perhan m
100000 in the twenty years the con
st has been waging. cl
Back OF General Otis. of course. p
ere the manufacturers and heads of
'actically all the industrial enter
'ises of the city. Los Angeles is not ia
strong union city in any branch of al
bor, and it meant much in a dividend if;
ay that il should be maintained as Inn
| ''open-shop" city. And so. as tes- 81
nonial of their appreciation of the u,
forts of General Otis to maintain the m