Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1919-11-20
OPEN AND
CLOSED SHOP

1t Is now apparent CnaL the NehOO-
sa-Edwards Paper Company have
been substantially endorsed by the
American people in opposing the
Closed Shop proposition. Their mills
at the South Side, Port Edwards and
Nekoosa are running nearly normal
again in spite of the Union efforts a
gainst them. 1t is evident that Gary
at the head of the Steel industry is
winning out on the same principles.
They are absolutely right in opposing
the closed shop. The principle is un-
American and wholly wrong. We heart
lily endorse the following position of
Harvey's Weekly:
'The employer does not own labor
and never again will own labor where
the American flag waves. The day OF
that infamy has passed forever. 1t
cost hundreds of thousands of precious
lives and millions of money to wipe
out that foul stain upon our country's
good name. But the task was done,
and thoroughly done. Labor is no
longer the employers property. 1t IS
the laborer's property, his to dispose
of when, where and how he pleases.
No man nor any group of men may
dictate to the American what DISPOSE
tion he may elect of what is his own,
unless he voluntarily assign that au-
thority to others. If he does not make
that assignment then he is forced to
labor for whom he will and on such
terms as he will, and in the exercise
of this fundamental right of the A
merican citizen to work for a living
at any lawful employment he is enti-
tied to protection in his person and
property, even if it be necessary to call
IN all the armed forces of the Republic
to afford him that protection.
All this ought to be automatic, but
somehow there seems to be good deal
of confusion of thought on the subject
An impression seems to prevail that
when a number of men of a certain
craft organize they become dictators
as to who shall or shall not work in
that craft. If they are dissatisfied
with their terms of employment they
abandon that employment in body,
thus bringing pressure to bear upon
their employer TO compel him to meet
their terms.
All of which they have perfect
right to do. If they stopped there
their position would be impregnable.
But. unfortunately, in many, and, IN
deed, in most cases, they do not stop
there. They refuse to work themsel-
YES and they refuse to let others work.
They assume continuing proprietor
ship in the opportunity to labor which
they voluntarily relinquished when
thew abandoned that opportunity.
They undertake to maintain proprle-
tary right in "the job" which they
have abandoned. They accuse others
who would work of taking away their
s'iob." The "job" that is the opportun-
itv of work. was never theirs. 1t IS
the employers; it is as much the en-
plover's as is his own labor the labor
er's. The striker assumes a title to
what never lawfully was his. The la
borer who would gladly take the aban-
doned opportunity to work is reviled,
threatened, his wife and children ter
rified. he himself assaulted, manned
and often murdered.
But the field of coercion does not
stop there. 1t is extended and expand
ed to the "closed shop" In the closed
shop no man may labor until he has
affiliated himself with the union IN
control of that shop and subjected.
himself to its dictation and its penal
ties. He may not want to join the
union. He may be bitterly opposed to
relinquishing his industrial freedom.
But it makes no difference. Until he
has relinquished that freedom he can
not work in that shop.
So, here we have an organization
rising superior to the law. 1t forbids
what the law declares shall be the A
merican's privilege. 1t forbids the
American citizen to earn his living
by lawful employment, free from CO.
ercion and on such terms as may meet
his approval. 1t refuses to the en-
ployer permission to give work t
such a free applicant. That is the
closed shop.
The open shop is one wherein Meth
er membership nor membership in
a labor organization is essential to the
American citizens right to work.
There is no discrimination for or a
gainst the labor union The oppor-
tunity to labor is free and open to all
who are equal to the task and content
with the terms. The closed shop is a
direct assault upon fundamental right
of the American citizen, whether en-
ployer or employee, under the laws of
his country. The open shop is a full
and free recognition of those rights
The open shop is American. The clos
ed shop is utterly un-American in prin.
ciple and traditions. It has no right
TO existence under American concepts
of right and wrong"