The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-01
ny SIN n. GRIFFITHs

what Is gained by serapinK a heal.
Ing sore with a Jagged knife7 Moth
Ing. Sirens and advertisements are
not anarsthcticn.
Yet this IL what the mayor in do
ing. This IN what certain waterfront
owners are doing.
We had general strike. This
was civil war on small scale. II
could have been and ought To have
bccn prevented. For while partieu'
lar strikes are lawful and oftsntlmer
morally right. TO obtain Industrial
justice. n general Srtike II morally
wrong and clearly unlawful
Bui the Goals Of anger are dying
down. why rake the IRE and add
fueiT
what does the city gain when the
mayor who employed no means 20
prevent the general strike. now
when Il II passing Into a city legend.
seeks continually 10 easiigate organ.
lied labor for successfully bringing
X abouty
what does Seattle or the country
profit when waterfront owners now
band together TO naunt tho open
shop" before union labor7
Not long ago the Chamber Of Com
mcrec held a mutual admiration
feast ! was there and enjoyed mos,
Of e. for there are many things
done for the city the chamber may
well be proud 81. But In one respect
this one sided love feast was incon.
.istent and disappointing. In one
breath. or by one speaker. labor was
roundiy denounced for its recent had
conduct. and In another breath we
are told that for the city's welfare
there must be good feeling and unity
81 purpose among all It's citizens.
Finally we were told how the plans
and work Of the chamber would
bring more factories and plants and
many more thousands of workers TO
Seattle.
presses upon me again as ] hear the
mayor throwing pebbles into our
civic pond and see these employers
sausring OF for an open shop"
night.
II the Chamber OF Commerce. pub.
lie officials. employers who have
passed the age of business puberty.
cannot or do not now secure such
good will and cooperation. or pre-.
vent labor trouble or pacify II. how
much less able will they be to do
40 after we have gotten the promised
plants and thousands OF new work
crs. all members Of organized labor
and more and more class consciousl
on later occasion the chamber.
after telling labor to be good and
watch and walt and work for results
thru the ballot headed a movement
TO make lovablc cooperation more
probable by political ostracism OF all
labor candidates.
The time for good feeling and pull.
ing together Is now.
was painfully surprised Mt the
action Of the waterfront owners.
They are on the war path for the
open shop" They expect TO scalp
and to-nahawk union labor. They
say labor broke n former contract
A breach OF contract In usually bad
for both parties. But when non.
union worker or amy single worker
quits without notice or cause. that is
also usually n breach OF contract
But such men are not blacklisted for
unions7
Are men again TO be herded before
gates like cattle In slaughter pens
10 be showed thru one by one in
order to earn a daily wage to sup.
port their families In American de
cency and in whose support all OF us
are mutually interested
These employers say they have the
lawful right Ito hire and fire at
Will" That II true. The political
law. the law OF the land. gives them
that right. They need not recognize
a union II they do not choose. But
IL II wise To insist on that legal
right7 l did not suppose there was
n group of men In Seattle who would
take that stand. The fact Is that In
the realm OF labor and capital social
and economic thought and practice
have outrun the strict law.
10 tneN not KNOW OF tne strlucs
toward profit sharing and joint con.
troll OF industry going on In this
country and abroad? Have they not
heard OF Whitley councils I'm Great
Britain? or the International Har.
vester company's industrial council
plan which provides for equal rep.
resentation OF employees and manage.
ment In the consideration OF all
questions OF policy relating to work.
ing conditions. health. safety. hours
of labor, wages, recreation. educa-