The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-05-17
DOOR OPEN TO ALL
Unions Bar None Willing to Ac-
cept Their Principles.
TERM OPEN SHOP A MlSN0MER
It Conveys the Idea That Any Man Is
Free to Work, but Fails to Fulfil Its
Promise-Enables Employers to Re-
duce Wages and EnslaVe Labor.

misleading AL> convey a mistaken
idea to ule$- Unfamiliar with the
operation Of lshops and factories
In their dealin with the employees.
the true conditivn that prevails in
most cases, would be union and non
union shops.
The term open shop conveys the idea
to those not converSant with the facts
that it is an industry where every man
is free to work regardless of his men,
bership or nonmembership in a trade
union, and. while in isolated cases this
is true, yet in the great majority of
places operated under this system they
are in fact closed shops against union
men and women. Their ability as work
men. their moral character or in fact
any number of human accomplish
ments that good citizen. might pos
sess are insufficient to overcome the
objection to union men and women.
They tell you it is their purpose to
guarantee to every man and woman
their inherent right to work-how,
when, where and for whatever wage
the applicant may elect. Is this true?
In the first place, it cannot be true.
because men and women are discrimi-
mated against and refused employment
for no other reason than their member
ship in q labor union. Do they become
undesirable citizens when they join a
labor union, or do they injure in any
manner the success Of uplift move
ments among the human family? You
must answer, no. Then, why this OPP
position from captains of industry?
The greatest incentive to the adj
herents of the open ship is to keep
competitive labor market overstocked
to the greatest eXtent-a number COM
peting for the same job in order that
the cost of production, as they think.
may be reduced to the minimum. Even
though it may be depriving women
and children of many of the neces-
saries of life, the god of profit must
first be served, and the producing
classes Of society take what is left, and
this consumed by giving as little as
possible through the elimination of
competitive markets for the necessaries
of life.
The closed or union shop, as ad-
vocated by trade unions, is founded on
Justice and equity to all men. The
church is a closed shop inasmuch as
1t requires it's members to subscribe
to it's precepts and practice its princi-
pies. The trade union asks no more
than the church in it's requirements,
and its doors are open to all men that
are willing to accept its principles and
subscribe to its purposes.
The industry operating under a
closed or union shop agreement repre-
sents an industry wherein the employer
and employe are at peace with each
other, both engaged in honestly getting
out of the business their daily sub
sistence, and each striving to render
service for value received.
The union shop promotes that har-
mony among employees so necessary, in
the production of the articles manu-
featured, to approach the capacity of
the plant, and while the wages of the
employees are higher than in the non
union shop, the cost per unit of pro-
duction Is materially less and the
quality Of workmanship invariably
better. 1t is Furthermore a humane
institution wherein the welfare of the
dependents Of the employees are con-
sidered In the negotiations of the
wages, hours and conditions-a noble
consideration in dealings among men,
as the future welfare Of the race is
receiving the protection necessary to
reproduce itself in more perfect form
and prevent degeneration.
The wages, hours and conditions pre-
vailing in union shops are universally
better than in the nonunion or so call
ed open shop. 1t is, however, neces-
sary for the proprietors of shops clos
ed to union men to pay scale Of
wages and maintain hours and condi-
lions closely approaching those that
obtain In the union shop. This is
condition forced upon them against
their will to enable them to get suf-
f1cient help to man their industries and
to discourage the unorganized workers
from joining the union of their craft
The purpose that prompts the effort
to disrupt the trade unions is very
clear. 1t enables employers to reduce
wages to the minimum. lengthen hours
at will and impose efficiency systems
to drive men and women to the limit
Of physical endurance, wearing them
out as they would a machine, and
finally cast them into the human scrap
heap in a condition beyond repair.
There is ample data under existing
conditions in many industries, to prove
the union shop produces the maximum
in output at less cost per unit when
compared with the nonunion shop. 1t
must be understood, however. that
wages can be reduced in the nonunion
shop to a point where 1t would be i'm
possible to sustain this argument.
Therefore, If given a free hand in the
la Dor market-universal open shop and
closed shop in the markets for the
products of labor-the ideal condition
for the disciples of the open shop will
obtain. Property will be enthroned
and labor enslaved.-W. Il. Bryan tn
American FederationiSt.