The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-02-14

that wages have not been reduced in
cities where the open shop principle
has been put into effect. In this con-
nection 1t might be remarked here that
although the structural workers of the
north works of the u. S. Steel compa-
ny were put on an open shop basis Ave
years ago those men are today draw
ing higher wages than during the pc
Rod of union control. Those structural
workers are the men who built the
Indiana steel plant. Wages depend on
the law OF supply and demand and not
on unions.
Competition here will be vastly in
creased by the vast amount of con-
struction that will take place In Gary
during the next few years and a re-
duction in wages will not be possible.
But don't let any one tell you that
the Commercial club Is fighting for low
wages 1t is not. and any attempt on
the part of contractors to make Gary
low wage town will be resented by
this club. The club is not standing
for the contractors and material men.
or any other class, but for the city as
whole. The greatest good for the
greatest number is the clubs motto in
this fight.
1t has been further asserted by the
strikers and their sympathizers that
the industrial committees report found
that wages had increased the cost of
building IS per cent In Gary. but that
1t did not show where the other %
per cent of the 40 per cent increase in
building had come from. In the flrst
place the club did not say that build
ing had increased 40 per cent. 1t said
the increase had been something over
on or
so per cent. The report gave three
other reasons for the increased cost
of building. to-wit: An increase in the
cost of certain lines of materials; re-
strictions in the output of labor. to-
gether with other requirements of GER
tain crafts; inefficiency of labor in GER
| tain crafts.
Upon these reasons for the increased
| cost the committee dwelt at some
| length in its report. If those who are
| talking loudly about the supposed OBJ
| lection of the Commercial club to the
| increase in wages will look over that
| report again they will find that no
such objection is raised, but they will
find very serious objection to the re-
strictions and exactions Of union labor
as 1t has been conducted in Gary. That
| is where the Commercial club believes
the great part of the increased cost has
come from. that is where Gary union
ism has failed to make good.
| 1t is not high wages to which we are
objecting but high wages for which
the best efforts Of the employees are not
given in return. In the vast majority OF
cases this condition does not arise from
Interference on the part of the business
lagents and the fear of the men thai
they will get In bad" with theil
unions.
| 1t has been charged that the CONNER
cial club is composed only of member.
of the contractors association and tha
the action taken by the club in adopt
ing the report of the Industrial com
mittee was at the behest of the con.
tractors. In this regard ii Is sufficien
to say that the three members of thu
industrial committee are not connected
in any way with tn contractors asso
citation or the contracting business ant
that they were regarded as fair and i'm
partial by al sides to the controvers,
before the committee made it's report.
| Further it is not true that abou
ever member of the club who is no
lconected with the contractors associa
ton was not present at the meetin,
WHICH duOpISu lHc COIliIillNccS Icpoi
! According to the count of the secretar.
of the club there were 122 member
present, the largest attendance of mem
bers in the history of the club. o
these no 20 were members of the con
tractors association. Almost ever
member of the club that could posi-
bly, get there was present last wednes
day evening.
We also wish to state that the mem
bership in the club has always bee
open to any reputable citizen of Gar,
, The initiation fee and dues have bee
i, very low and there is no excuse for an
. public spirited citizen who desired join
, ing the organization. not being a mem
. Der
q We have gone into these various will
. and unfounded charges against the ciu
q and it's action in the matter of an ope
I shop not because we regarded them a
ri of any Importance but simply to sho
e their character once and for all. Th
e club has only taken action in this maj
ter because it recognized that some
Z thing must be done for the good of til
D community. 1t saw that condition
2 were getting in such shape in tn
: building industry of the city that til
: progress of the city was almost Gel
r tain to be vastly Retarded unless Ut
! course OF conditions might be change
n Walking delegates were rapidly bt
e coming the dominating factor in Gar
r industrialism when the contractor
n took their stand and the members
$ the club decided that Gary could new
e progress as the citys birthright d.
: mands with a group of business agen
e astride it's neck. In future articles v
= shall give the causes for the star
8 taken by the Commercial club. We sha
d give facts. such facts of arbitrary d
a tatorialism that your spirit of Americ
Independence Will be ashamed that
y stood the restricting influences lor
as they were endured
GARY COMMERCIAL CLUB
directors Hold Manfinn