Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-20
Labor and the Open shop"

= APlTAL has taken leaf from the book
~ OF organized labor and is fighting it
with its own favorite weapon. Organized
labor has grown powerful through its de-
nial of work to the man who does not pos
sess union card; now the same weapon is
turned against it and union labor is to be
denied the materials with which TO work
To what an advanced stage the battle
against the CLOSED shop" recently inau-
Curated by the United States Chamber of
Commerce. had proceeded was not real
lied by the public until the evidence of
z. g. Grace on the witness stand in New
York disclosed the fact that the great
bethlehem Steel Company had refused and
would continue to refuse TO sell fabricated
steel Tor buildings on which union labor
was to be employed This is indeed Il radi-
cal step. Its wisdom and justice are open
Ia debate, for should il be generally adopted
II would paralyzc the building industry
throughout the country, and still it may
not be denied that union labor in its stern
insistence upon the CLOSED shop" principle
has invited just such retaliation.
Cnionizcd labor in America is facing a
crisis which long has been apprehended by
more than one Of its far-secing leaders
On one hand it is being aSsailed by radical
Ism, and on the other by the battle OF
capital for the open shop" Radicalism
perhaps can be dealt with successfully by
The sane and safe clements within the
unions. These conservatives more than
cncc have shown their capacity for hand
ling the disorgani1er within their ranks
They kept the unions on an even keel
throughout the war and they have resisted
with resonrcefulness the advances OF Boil
shcvsts since the war.
But whether labor in the present state
OF American industry can preserve the prin-
rl Shn
answerable question For the time being
at least the industries have the whip hand.
Productive activities have Stunned mills
nave suspended operations in many indus
'rial centers. others are working only part
time and in most lines the employer class
is in position to sit back and await de-
velopmcnts.
So circumstanced, for example. are the
Industries represented in the Manufactu-
rcrs Association Of Connecticut body of
employers who recently declared war ON
the CLOSED shop" that il has announced
It Is prepared TO fight To the finish against
union dictation," and will close the plants
on which tens OF thousands of men and
women depend for their livelihood to ell
iorce It's independence More than a year
ago the steel industry passed through q
disastrous strike to maintain the open shon
uncountcd millions of dollars we're lost to
me owners OF the steel works, but they
won their fight. The strike failed. and tho
men, after weeks of suffering gave up hone.
ana either went back to work or drifted
TO other fields. Now the steel makers mr.
At least that section of them REPRESENTED
by Charles Schwab. have passed from the
defensive 10 the offensive In their fght
against organized labor.
since the war ended the country has
heen Eooded with cheap European labor I'M
III Congress has been forced to put IN tho
bars against il. But thousands already
have gained admission all of them seeking
employment. and most Of them finding II in
industries that refuse TO recognize labor
unions and refuse TO accept union dicta,ion
as 10 whom they shall employ or what wage
they snail pay.
ihCa. circumstances raise serious uues-
IONS Tor the leaders OF organized labor
Recently they met in Washington and CON
Sloered the problems before them. bat the
most th2t has come from them is the warn
'hS that !! the union labor movement fails
OF - WEAKENED. American industry will find
'tse!l III the grip OF radicaism as sinister
Nhn DANGEROUS a. that which has laid its
"'aFy hand on Russia and is spreading lis
'HhucEce over the remainder of Eurone
ms oil course no more concludes the ar
sumcnt than does the fiat OF the .'ope1,
shop advocates. There is much more IN
u" sa!d and it remains to be seen to what
point the discussion will lead
Federal enforcement officer saws il is
ciuzen duty whenever lie scents liquor