The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-12-13


newly organied citizens alliance,
headed by l.. c. Harris, it's attorney
and president, insisted, as "citizens
of St. Louis county," that the board
refuse to grant deserved increases in
and until they severed their connec-
ton with the American Federation
Of Labor or any other outside or
Sanization.
MI. Harris was accompanied by
Henry Nolte and Frank A. Brewer.
Courthouse employees had heard of
the purpose Of the citizens alliance
and asked President John E. Jen-
sen Of the Federated Trades assem-
bly, to send a committee from organ
lied labor to the meeting. Those
present. We're President Jensen, Hen
ry Pereault, Henry L. NORM, J. X.
Edwards, Filing Munkeby and w.
e. McEwen. Mr.. Harris was the
only speaker for the citizens alli-
! ance and Henry l.. MORN, ]. K. Ed
Wards and w. E. McEwen spoke for
, the right of organization.
Heard Other Side
| Mr.. Harris usually effective as a
speaker, did not present a strong
! case against the county employees,
| due largely to his lack of Informal
| tion on the subject. He had been
hearing the other side of the labor
question, without getting the work.
| ingmans point Of view, and natur-
ally believed that number OF mis-
statements he made were facts. He
seemed to labor under the impress
sion that public employees unions,
affiliated with the American FEEDER
! alton of Labor, were entirely new
and dated in this country from the
policemen's strike III Boston.
Mr.. NORM very forcefully set
forth that unionisn among public
employees was almost as old as the
American labor movement.
/ The postal clerks and letter car
riers- have unions that are affiliated
with the A. F. Of L. Other federal
employees are also well organized.
He declared it to DO camorflage on
the part Of the local citizens alli-
ance to oppose the county employees
union, for it was committed against
the a. F. Of L., and the best things
it stands for. Mr.. NORM deplored
the fact that such a protest was
made at this time when we are all
at fever heat over the hign cost of
living. radical agitation and the
autocratic attitude of big business.
Railroad Man Speaks
J. K. Edwards of the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Trainmcn, said he
voiced the sentiment Of 1900 train
| Ill e
who believed county employed
should have the right to organize
Mr.. Harris failed to distinguish
between a union Of public employees
the membership Of which served the
! county in the capacity of clerks
J stenographers, engineers, janitors
and the like, and a union of public
employees containing peace officers
He com plimented the sheriff's of
r flee because of the fact that not on.
= employe therein was a member o
, the union, but he was taken com
S pletely off his feet when he learned
. from one of the speakers that ap
= plications were received from EN-
l ployes in the sheriff's office, blu
l were refused by the organizer TO
t the A. f. of L., on the ground tina
2 it probably would not be proper t,
' accept peace officers in the union
f Mr.. Harris referred to COLLECTIVE
, bargaining and the "ope1 shop
, Some day. he said to the com
: missioners, "a Foster or a Fitz
patrick will be brought in here an
r demand Of you to raise the salarie
e of your employees, and if YOU do no
= he will call STRIKE" g.
= AS to "Outside' Men
j Mr.. Harris was merely petifo,ggin
= when he made such statement
/ He was using the pet argument o
e the men with whom he has latel
e come in contact. 1t is stoc
$ phrase that anti-union employer
resort to when driven in a. corne!
Dealing with outside men not in tn
employ Of the company does ne
set we'll on such employers as al
in the habit -:of "dealing only wit
their own employees who becaus
OF their courage, Independence an
aggressiveness might have their job
t taken away from them if the
a should fight too hard for their fe
: low employees. It is all very We
s for the great steel trust 10 emplo
y as it's business agent Or walkin
It delegate such an able lawyer. E
y Judge Gary to lead and defend
e or for a few little employers in D,
l. luth to engage such an able lawy,
g as Mr.. Harris to plead their cas-
at the bar of public opinion, b.
when workingmen go outside
their particular works and emplt
another fellow worker to represe1
!, them and to plead their case b
7 fore employers, it is an un-Amer
= can thing to do.
Mr.. Harris, however, admitted tn;
=. employees of private employers had
~ perfect right to organize, but an Of
49, ganization of public employees affil
- ated with the A. IF. Of l.. was an a
~ tack upon the sovereignty of the sta
~ Mr.. McEwen defined the differen,
10 between public and private employe
10 He said the strike was used again
"a private employers because there W;
at no other weapon. The courts had he
- that congress, legislatures and CT
a. councils were prevented by the col
stitution of the United States fro
fixing the wages or hours Of lab,
to S>fy <HYvr L..S