The Lake County times., 1919-09-13
SAYS GOMPERS PLAYS
A BOLD HAND


(From The Iron Trade Review OF
September Il. 191aO
Samuel Gompers' telegram to Presi-
dent Wilson. suave in tone yet intimidat-
ing in effect. urging the latter to use his
good offices TO induce the Steel corpora
ton to grant a conference to the repre-
sentatives of the so-calIed organized
workers OF the steel industry purely is
Tor public consumption. 1t is a mixture
OF the same exaggeration. untrut thful-
ness and downright biun which has
characterized the present movement en-
sineered by labor agItators 10 force a
recognition of the union by the iron and
Steel industry Il is an effort to bring
about through the federal administra-
uon that which the newly-hedged unions
are not able TO accomplish through their
own strength or efforts. In that respect
II IS an admission OF weakness Nobody
knows more surely than Gompers and
his associates that they have been talk
Ing in big figures but that the numbers
Of their claims largely are made up Of
ciphers. They know that If they at
tempt 70 call a strike that the effects
would be insignificant in direct proper
tion 70 the strength of their member
ship This is because their extended ex-
penditure or time and effort and no little
money over a period Of months has
brought comparatively few recruits to
the ranks Of organized labor in the in
dustry and these largely from the for
eign and more ignorant classes. As stat
cd in recent issue OF The Iron Trade
Review on high authority. a complete
canvass Of the iron and steel industry
-. -
employees at most have accepted union
membership and these chiefly in the
auxiliary trades such as machinists. car
penters, bricklayers, etc. These figures
are eloquent OF the right OF the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor TO speak for the
hundreds OF thousands of employees of
the iron and steel industry or to invoke
the aid of the President. directly or in
DIRECTLY. to the furtherance of its cause.
The American iron and steel industry is
open shop because the rank and file Of
its employees want it to be open shop.
The inference is plain that the unions
having failed 10 intimidate the manu-
facturers by their claims of strength or
TO force the mater into a conference
which could be taWamount 10 a recogni-
tion, now are playing their last card
There is only one real end for which the
American Federation Of Labor IS striv-
ing in this controversy and that is the
recognition Of the union. All other
items enumerated in the original set Of
demands are Of 50 trivial or general a
character that they assume the ridicul-
Gus when it is considered that in behalf
OF these the agitators would essay a.
strike which on their own words would
paralize industry and create an indus
trial crisis" These demands have been
put forth to give numbers 70 the alleged
grievances and to lend semblance or
reason to the unions cause in tho pub
lie mind which is little informed regard
ing the actual conditions OF employment
in the steel industry. They mean liter
ally nothing in themselyessl All are sub
ordinated to the one aim that unionism
shall gain a footing and recognition in
the iron and steel industry. something
which it has never been able 10 do. n
they can maneuver It by fair means or
four TO gain a seat at the table with
Judse Gary and other leaders OF the
steel Industry. the presidents of the
various unions claiming a voice. un-
doubtedly would consider that they had
won a real victory. not 70 speak OF :neir
having saved their faces. And undoubt-
edly they would be able to put the fact
to good effect in the future in their mis-
chievous endeavors TO embarrass the
country's premier branch OF enterprise
The union leaders have carefully re-
Trained al any time from any statements
which would disclose their exact inem-
bership in the iron and steel industry
II is clear that If they had the right to
sneak for the majority Of the industry.
or even for large proportion Of i. that
the leaders Of the steel industry being
mon IF common sense and Of business
judgment. scarcely would decline 70 give
them a hearing on the basis of any
actual or imagined grievances How
ever thew speak only for a small FEC
ton Of the industry which they have
been able to entice into membership py
various methods in recent months
There is no clearer case Of the 4utoc-
rscv Of organized labor than the threats
If the decided minority against the steer
industry. no more offensive assumption
Of arrogant privilege than Sonapers
message to the President II Is neon
oat,.abIe that the President of the United
states. chief advocate as he Is. OF ths
of peoples and classes
should allow himself to become the 'oc'
ooneciouslv or unconsciously. for the
.r,asr.+ion of unionism where 1t IS
wanted neither by employer OF employ
"a II the President should yield 70
Gompers' Establishments or shrea,s, es1s;
hovever it is 10 be hoped that the s.eel
,naustry's reply viii be direct and to the
naint The Industry has the strongest I
<ind Of a case and it owes it TO the eoun,
49,, il, these days OF unsettlement ana
ths nursuit of false standards, 70 talk
stro,rbt and vigorously The President
Tasn3sestIy would need the real facts ana
tbe public would welcome them.
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