The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-10-20
OPEN SHOPPERS
ARE MISGUIDED
Have Let High Sounding Phrases
Lead Astray Their Reason
ing Powers-Union Shop
justified

Seattle Union Record thus handles
the open shoppers:
"The person or institution that de-
clares for what is miscalled the open
shop declares in favor of human
slavery: whether they do so con
sciously or not makes no difference, it
means the same thing. He that does
so with an understanding of its real
meaning is traitor to mankind, a
menace to civilization, a disgrace to
| the country in which he lives and to
/ the mother who bore him, for he
knows that without the recognition of
! the principle of the union shop all
power of the organization of labor
would be lost. Without the power of
vital economic organization labor
would be finally forced to the Asiatic
standard Of life AS a matter of fact,
the rights and liberties we now have
would be taken away, and slavery
would again be our lot-we would be
helpless.
"The man or institution that denies
labor the right to tell the world its
grievances, be they imaginary or real,
by word OF mouth, by banner or any
other peaceabe means, is riveting
shackles as complete as the slavery
Of the poems Of Mexico. 1t would be
just as reasonable to deny men who
labor the right to organize, and those
who attempt to deny those rights
above designated have in mind, in
body and soul, the denial of human
liberty-the only thing worth living
for the only thing worth striving for;
worth even sacrificing life for
THE person or institution that de-
MES labor a short work day, COM
petent wage, denies labor the right
to live, for labor is our very life.
What is more precious than life, with
all that goes to make that life worth
while? What kind or sort of people
do you desire to inhabit this world,
open-shop advocates? Good people
CdIIIOl NOIIIC lOIil pON u - anu nun SCI q
A moral people has never come from
the slums. Which do you want
moral perverts and human misfits, or
shall We have real men and women?
Your open-sEOp pretense in behalf of
the independent American worker
(strikebreaker) will not make for
freedom, but will, if you succeed in
your 'non-union-shop' policy, damn
this nation,
"He or they that deny US the prin-
ciple of the union shop is kith and kin
to those in the long ago that claimed
the right to put their serfs to death
when they asked or strived for human
liberty. In the long ago the powerful
enjoyed that privilege; each small
/. community had four different hang
man trees, one for the king, one for
the lord of the manor, one for the
bishop, and one for the merchant
These people believed that society
must be protected in this manner.
1t resulted in a long struggle, with
death and persecution of thousands
that resisted this oppression, before
any semblance Of freedom was gained
Many vicious things were done
then in the name of liberty, and the
powerful held those vicious acts be-
fore the world in their defense for
dealing out the death penalty to those
who resisted authority and oppres-
sion. Likewise was religious liberty
borne through persecution and the
sword. Likewise were there many
vicious things done in the name of
religious freedom and liberty.
Those struggles of the long ago
we're born of necessity, as was the
struggle that is more important to
the world now than all others com
b.ned-that Of the industrial struggle.
which was the womb of the labor
movement That awkward but ex-
pressive term whereby we signify the
goal OF complete social justice, which
Is undoubtedly the greatest subject
before the world today 1t completely
oyershadows, aye, even embraces,
every problem, social and economic,
touching the betterment and progress
Of the human family.
III We shall have freedom we must
secure the absolute right to organize.
III We shall have freedom we must
have the right to defend that organi-
cation by retention Of the principle
OF the union shop and the right to
tell the world our grievances by voice.
and in print, with banner, or any
other peaceful means"