Arizona republican., 1919-11-28
The Issue Clearly Joined


 The issue, and the only one in the controversy between the Phoenix Building Trades Council and the contractors of this city clearly presented It is to be decided whether there shall be open or a closed shop in the building trades. The build ing trades council regards the closed shop vital principle to which everything the prosperity and growth of Phoenix and the comfort of its citizens yield to which also, the inclination of work who favor the open shop must give way
 The contractors not concerned in the closed shop a principle; they would not have been con- cerned fin 1t as practice, nor would the people be concerned in it if experience had taught that 1t would yield the measure of efficiency the open shop. But failed do that and for that it is employed nowhere where efficiency is the de- sideratum.
 Perhaps the question of the open closed shop in Phoenix would not have beeen presented if the building trades council had withheld certain rules which willing discuss, and if it had been able to furnish all the labor the building industry needed While the contractors would not have for rnally accepted the closed shop in principle, have little doubt that work would have gone under reasonable closed shop conditions
 But there not enough labor for the increas- ing needs of building industry; there hardly enough of both union and non-union labor available and when the building trades couci sought to cude non-union labor after having promoted the organization of unsklled labor and put 1t on a plane of wages with skilled labor there nothing left for the contractors to do but make stand.
 There was serious controversy wages Whatever the scale might be- the contractors and could adjust themselves to that. But when it to limiting construction at time when construction was so badly needed. that differ ent and fighting matter. The question then be- came whether the whole building program of Phoenix should be left to the judgment of small body of men controlling the organized workers of the build ing trades.
 There had been for some years frequent clashes between the contractors and the council but there was always found amicabe way of settling them. The builders had always been hestant to bring in outside labor, for very large number of the members of organized labor residents of Phoenix and home owners, larger proportion of them than is generally found in the ranks of ganized labor elsewhere It seemed like disagree ment among neighbors and both sides luctant to call in outsiders
 It was early perceived that the present con- troversy would not be so easily settled It was evil dent from outset the building trades coun- ell had begun a finish fight for the establishment of the closed shop in Phoenix the taking of ab- solute control of the building industry for the power of imposition upon 1t of such conditions and limitations it might fit.
 It then that the civic bodies were drawn in, first intending medlators These bodies represented the public which had direct interest in the build ing industry though every citizen of Phoenix has a mighty indirect interest in it. The public was biased in of neither contractors nor the council In these various civic bodies it may be said that every element in Phoenix is represented The civic bodies themselves were formed for the promotion of the growth and prosperity of the city, each body working in some special sphere, but each working for Phoenix
 The citizens committee acting solely in the public welfare and after the most thorough investigation has declared in favor of just open shop in which there shall be discrimination against no workman, union or non-union. The committee stands firmly this issue and believe the public opinion of this community will support the committee in its stand for industrial freedom
 The attempts by the citizens committee to adjust the situation and to provide method of prompt arbitration of any dsagreements between contractors and their worlmen through the establishment of an industrial commission, have temporarily blocked by the action of the council in insisting that tho principle of the closed shop is the only method under which the members of that organization will work.
 The building program so greatly needed for the development and prosperity of this section must pro- ceed unhampered and if the trades council persists it's arbitrary action the only course open to the building is bring in the outside labor needed proceed vigorously with building operations under the open shop policy.
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