The Alaska daily empire., 1916-07-14
SHOP TO A VOTE
 IN SEATTLE
Longshoremen's Strike Has Resulted in the Seattle Chamber of Commerce
 Taking up Fight.
REFERENDUM IS TAKEN

INANANN ANNN NaAAhNhA tA AAAaaANg present longshoremen's strike In Se- attIo and the question of the open shop principles have been su6mlttea Co a referendum vote or the mem bers of that progressive organiza- tion
 The sentiments expressed are In full accord with the fundamental principals on which the Employers Association of Washington Is based. Nothing contained in these declara- tiOns conflicts at any point with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Employers Association of Washing ton, nor does the attitude of the Employers Association bear down on union labor more severely at any point than does the paper prepared by Judge Burke and adopted by the Trustees, which is as follows;
 "The evidence Is plain that the longshoremen's strike has reached such a stage that it threatens the peace and commerce of this port and of every other port on the Pacific Coast. This condition has not arisen over a dispute about wages or con ditions of labor The demand of the longshoremen is that no one shall be allowed to work on the waterfront unless he belongs to labor union: that no merchandise or freight. wherever it comes from, will be received or handled in Seat tle or shipped from Seattle to any other part of the world if the long shoremen say it came from a non union shop or factory or that it IS being shipped to a non-unicn con signee. Existing contracts between shippers and consignees must be disregarded The law which com pels common carriers by land and by water to receive and transport lawful goods in a lawful manner, IS to be defed and disregarded by the longshoremen; in other words, the lougshoremen's position is that they have the power and propose Co exercise it. to paralyze the in- dustries, commerce and traffic of this port in defiance of the laws of the land.
 This presents an intolerable sit- uaton. If a gang of men, largely composed of foreigners. can set at defiance the laws and the legally constituted authorities Of this coun- try. our case will soon descend to the level of that in Mexico today.
 "The right of men to organize labor unions for the increase of wages, the regulation of the hours of labor and the improvement of la boring conditions generally, will be denied by no one. In this Republic there is ample room for such unions and the widest scope for their ac- tivities, but they cannot set them selves above the laws of the land. Phey have no right to deprive even the humblest individual in the low Hest calling. of his constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, or of the right to join or refuse to join a union, a society or a church, or of the right to choose and follow any lawful call- ing that seems good to him They have no right by threats or force to throttle the business and com merce of a whole community. There can be but one Supreme authority in this country; that is the lawfully constituted authority of the United States The assumption by any union or organization, of any kind, of power over life and property out side of and above the laws of the United States. is in effect rebellion against the lawfully constituted au- .hority of this country and cannot be tolerated
 "The principle of closed shop is clearly subversiye of individual lib- erty. No body of men, however eX- cellent their character and however high their aims, can be trusted In a free country with the right to say to their fellow men, you cannot follow your lawful calling for the support of yourself and your family, nor shall anyone employ you, with out our permission That is what the closed shop means. Under such conditions the labor union becomes an intolerable tyranny and the rest of the people become helpless slaves.
 This Chamber has long been on record against the principles of the closed shop and in favor of the Ann erican principle Of the open shop. lt is our belief that the great body of Americans in labor unions are liberty loving men and are not at heart in favor of the tyranny of the closed shop.
 "When confronted with a situa- ton like that presented by the here today. Americans will do what they always have done-they will insist upon the full protection of the Constitution and laws Of their country and will l take the necessary steps l To secure it.
 Therefore, the Seattle Chamber l )f Commerce appeals to the citi- lens of Seattle in every walk of life, | to respect the rights of their fel- .owmen, uphold the laws of the | land and see to 1t as far as 1t Is | In their power so to do that the | lawful business and commerce of l his city shall not be blocked or | .hrottied by any combination of men n defiance of the rights of the |