New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-07
Employers Plead
For "Open Shop"
During the War
Sweeping Recommends
tons Made by Manu-
facturers
Unions Asked to Agree
Wage and Hour Disputes TIC
Be Settled by Federal
Board, Is Proposal

WASHINGTON, Sept 6-An appeal
to trade unionism to indorsc the open
shop principle in industry during the
war is made in sweeping recommenda-
tiCns to the Council OF National De-
fence to-day by the Advisory Commit
tee of the National Industrial Confer
ence Board, representing manufactur-
ors' associations of the United States.
While Samuel Gompers, president Of
the American Federation of Labor, was
pledging loyalty of unionism to the
government to-day in an address before
the American Alliance for Labor and
Democracy at Minneapolis, the Indus
trial Conference Board submitted its
important economic recommendations
to the Defence Council, urging that it
call at the earliest convenient date a
conference Of national and information
al officers Of American trade unions
t. join in n proposed economic agree
ment for the period of the conflict.
The proposed agreement, in sub
stance, suggested:
That organized labor agree with or
! garized capital that the non-union
man is as necessary in the factory ~
he is in the army; in other words,
that labor agree to the open shop"
That employer and employe recog
nize and agree that for the period Of
the war continuous, efficient produc-
ton can alone equip and sustain our
military forces"
Federal Board Is Suggested
That a Federal board be created TO
adjust all labor disputes during the
war in matters OF war production for
the government, government represent
stives 10 hold the deciding vote.
The proposal was submitted on be-
half of the following associations rep
resented in the industrial conference:
American Cotton Manufacturers As
sociation.
American Paper and Pulp Associa-
ton.
Electrical Manufacturers Club.
Manufacturing Chemists Associa-
tion of the United States.
National Association of Cotton Man
ufacturer5.
National Association of Manufact-
urers.
National Association of Wool Manu-
fac'urers
National Automobile Chamber of
Commerce.
National Boot and Shoe Manufact-
urors' Association.
Z National Council for Industrial De-
fence.
National Frectors' Association.
National Founders Association.
National Metal Trades Association.
Rubber Association Of America, Inc.
six Association Of America.
/ United Typothets and Franklin
/ Clubs of America
1t was signed by the following mem
bers Of the advisory committee ap-
pointed several months ago at the sug-
gestion Of Howard Coffin:
L. A. Osborne, chairman, vice-presi-
. dent Westinghouse Electric and Manu-
IINNlAI4Nb company view OIks W. II.
Barr, president Lumen Bearing Com
pany, Buffalo; W. II. Van Dervoort,
president Root e. Van Dervoort En-
CINE Company, East Moline, HIS: c.
A. Crocker. president Croker. McEl-
wayne Company, Holyoke, Mass; F. A.
Smythe, president Pelzer Manufacture
ing Company, Greenville, s. c.
Committees Proposals
The committee urges particularly
that labor and capital stand by pre-
viously agreed declarations not to take
advantage of existing Abnormal condi-
tions. The following proposals are
made:
Applied 10 wages, demands shall be
tested by the prevailing local standard
of the establishment in effect at the
beginning of the war, with such modi-
fication as may be shown to be neces-
sary to meet any demonstrated advance
in the cost Of living.
applied to hours, the standard shall
be those established by statute or pre-
vailing in the establishment al the
beginning Of the war, subject to change
only when in the opinion of the Coun-
: Gil OF Defence il is necessary to meet
the requirements Of the government.
applied TO what are commonly
known as open or closed shop condi-
tions. it shall be understood and agreed
that every employer entering the pc
riod of the war with a union shop shall
not by a lockout or other means under
take to alter such conditions fSs the
duration of the war. nor shall any COM
bination of workmen undertake during
the like period to close an open shop.
Adopting these standards as the
basis Of its operation, we recommend
the creation OF a Federal board to ad-
lust labor disputes during the war;
Julian II. Meyer
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