Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-17
THEY WILL NOT "GET THE CAPITAL JOURNAL


The Oregonian takes an opportunity to crtcise the
Capital Journal for cOndemnng the perncious activities
of labor leaders in the various war plants OF the
country
C6as NJ Schwab condemns these same labor lead
in severe anguageand the Oregonian indorses and
praises him.
The reason for this wide difference in the treatment
of the same subject is undoubtedly the desire of the Ore
gonian to assist the who want to get the Capital
Journal 1t has been cutting into its field very materially
in the Willamette valley
AS matter of fact the Capital Journal gave the
union printers the following commendatory editorial
mention on July 9Th:
"The international Typographical Union has issued
statement which puts that organization in a class by
itself among the unonzed trades It shows that there
has been but strike Of printers since the began
and that every effort has been made to adjust wages
haroni0usy between printers and publishers on basis
that will simply take OF the increased cost OF living
due to prices. In all cases but this matter has
been adjusted to the mutual satisfaction of employees and
employer reasonable bonus being agreed upon in many
instances to continue during the only without max
ing any permanent raise in the scale of wages. The
pressmans unoin also has adopted similar policy, real
izng the predicament in which the has placed news
paper publishers and the necessity for pulling together
in time of national peril"
The contention that the strike was an individual
walkout of course ridiculous The editorial in question
printed July 9th, and the decision to walk out was
not made until Sunday July 13th after allafternoon
session in which State Printer Lawrence and Sefton al
henchman of the governor also employed by the state
printing plant the principal spokesman No notice
of the decision given the publisher before after
it reached and apparently every effort was made to
keep it from him in order to cripple close the plant en-
trely What would the Oregonian say if all its printers
quit at once without notice. because of some editorial
expression? Would it still maintain the philosophical
view Of individual right with their men under contract
as union organization to keep its plant running? The
position of the Oregonan is dirty because if it were in
the position of the Capital Journal it would expect to
and should receive the support of every honest
newspaper.
The leaders in the movement knew their action was
illegal and in violation of their contract to protect the
plant; they knew that the absence of written con-
tract not material with union plant like the Cap
ita Journal is and always has been The conduct of the
Ingeaders therefore, in this very instance in their plot
to inure employer who had always treated them fair
paid their scale and respected thei rules and regulations
Justified any criticism which this any other paper may
have made regarding their methods.
If they merely resented the editorial and wished to
work elsewhere individuals there was proper and
legitimate way quit without difficulty But the
men to tie up the paper not started by those who
were working in the plaintiff plot of state en-
loyes, practically all of whom are holding their jobs
by appointment Of some politician and not because of
competency. The taxpayers of the state pay the bill.
Two of the employees of the Capital Joumal-as reward
for walking outWere given jobs in the state printing
pantat the expense Of the taxpayers Therefore can
you guess who is back Of the fight destroy the Capital
Journal in which there is influence enough to interest
the Oregonian?
The editorial quoted requited and msquoted so fire.
uuenty was only to work in order to close
the mouth of the Capital Journaor compel it always to
say the things that agreeable to certain persons