The labor world., 1919-10-18
BOTH MORAL AND AMERICAN.

BOTH MORAL AND AMERICAN.
"We can not arbitrate a moral
question: declared Judge Gary of
the United States Steel Corporation
before the Senate committee refer
ring to the so-callcd "open and
closed" shop.
"The open shop is Un-American,"
says the newly organized "Citizens'
Alliance" of Duluth in it's statement
to the press.
Here we have the viewpoint of the
average American employer on union
labor's demand for the Union Shop,
which they are pleased to artfully
designate as the "closed shop"
The words "open shop" appeal to
the ordinary American who believes
in fair play, freedom, equality and
such things. The opponents of or
ganizsd labor knew what they were
doing when they coined the term.
and lot Of union workingmen have
fallen for it, using the words with
unfortunate recklessness.
But let US see whether or not thu
Union Shop, called by our opponents
the "closed shop is an un-American
institution, and whether or not Judge
Gary is taking the moral side of an
industrial question, the settlement of
which would give to every employe
IN steel plant voice in deternlin-
Ing the rules under which he is COM
PEELED to work.
All men have moral obfigations to
fulfill and moral duties to perform.
He is indeed a poor stick of man
who would evade them Our gov
ernment exacts them from all per-
sons living within our borders. Here
we have free institutions surpassed
by those Of all other nations, secured
by the blood and sacrifice OF our ia
theirs, and which every inhabitan of
the country is compelled to assist in
sustaining. While our government
does not say in so many words that
every person must join the Union
and become citizen, we have very
little regard for any eligible person
who long enjoys the blessings and
privileges of our institutions and our
freedom who does not join the Union
Of states and become a citizen there
of. You see we place a moral obli-
cation on him.
Now the situation with regards to
the laborer is exactly the same. It
does not require any argument in
these days to prove that good work.
ing conditions. fair wages, the short
er workday and other great blessings
have come to the workers of this
generation through the instrument
ality Of trade unionism. They have
either come directly or Indirectly
through the efforts of labor in or
ganization.
Without organized labor the old
industrial order would be restored.
Only by organized labor can present
conditions be maintained and the eu-
ture improved. Every workingman
and woman in the land is today en-
5oy1ng the benefit of the achieve
ments of union labor and it is as
much the moral duty of every worker
to assist in maintaining the labor
institutions that have brought about
the good things he enjoys as it is
of every inhabitant of the country
to support the government that 10.
sures his liberty. One guarantees
to him political freedom, the other
industrial freedom and security.
This being true it is not only
highly moral, but patriotically Amer
lean for trade union to enter into
an agreement with an employer to
employ only such workers as are
willing to bear their share Of the bur-
den in maintaining American condi-
tions in the industries and work
places of the country.
Feeling seems to he Intense at tho