The Connecticut labor press., 1920-07-03


Proponents of the open Shop are
Waging a vigorous campaign through
out the country at the present time as a
part of the great movement against
trade unions, which was predicted as a
sure aftermath of the war by The Con-
necticut Labor Press during the period
in which the workingnan was being ex-
tolled to the skies as the manstay of the
world.
The time has arrived, in the estima-
ton of some of the larger business in
tereSts of the country, to put the afore-
said workngman in his place and keep
him there-and his place IS not just now
that of the mainstay Of the world, in
their estimation. He gained, through
Labor organizations, altogether too inn
portant a place in the industries during
the war and it is now the belief of the
big employing interests that he should
be speedily squelched. Naturally the
first step in the process is to squelch his
labor organizatiOns-and the open
shop" open to everybody BUT a union
man is the ideal medium.
The Labor Digest in its June issue
presents the views of both sides TO the
controversy extensively. 1t states that
the attitude of Judge Ebert H. Gary of
the United States Steel Corporation ex-
presses the view of many employers.
The latter, in his testimony before the
Senate investigating committee on the
recent steel strike, declared unqualified
" against the arbitration of the funda-
mental issue involved in the strike,
namely the question of an open or
closed shop. He said:
81 believe that If is well known all
over the world and is the opinion OF
large majority of the people OF the
world that the open shop is essential,
to progress and prosperity, and that the
closed shop means less production, less
work. higher costs. | think when you
are discussing the question of the high
cost of living, there is nothing more
important to consider with it than that
manufacturing establishments shall be
allowed to operate unrestricted by labor
unions or anybody else, depending upon
the goodwill of the laborers, the work
men themselves, who of course are con-
trolled by the treatment they receive,
including wage rates and working con-
ditions."
Replying to further questions, Judge
Gary declared:
Il think it is immoral for 3. small
minority Ol HlSll, vi SduIZCu IL yOu
please, to compel by force a large ma
jority to yield to their desires and to
submit to their control. Because if the
industries of this country or any other
were controlled by union labor it
would mean decay, less production,
higher cost; and this country could not
succeed in its contest with other COun-
tries for the worlds business.
The Presidents Second Industrial
Conference, while it did not say it in
so many words, declared for the open
shop in industry. Herbert Hoover, who
was the dominating figure in the con-
ference, testifying before the Senate
Labor Committee on proposed labor
legislation for the settlement of indus
trial unrest, declared, The principle OF
individual freedom requires the open
shop" The position taken by Judge
Gary and supported by Mr.. Hoover is
approved by many branches of industry.
Finance and Industry (Cleveland) dealt
with the efforts directed toward COM
"a nationwide campaign against it" has
come into existence 1t declared:
Resistance Ito the closed shop is
extending even beyond industry and is
getting into politics. Governor Coolidge
of Massachusetts, represents a political
movement that is not supporting the
program of Organized Labor. Governor
Allen of Kansas represents political
movement that is Numerically opposed
to some of the policies and methods OF
Organized Labor. . . All of these
movements in resistance to Organized
Labor may be called a part of larger
open shop movement.
The publication is in favor OF the
n1an proposed by the Presidents Second
Industrial Conference, saying, ne ID
hor unions need not be considered uliuei
such a plan" : Wash
Senator Miles Poindexter OF WASH
ington declared in the Outlook III al
article entitled Labor and the Olos ":f
ShoD." that Labor can not pc ne
q laboring man can be compelieu'
ing denied work, to submi. Hl1l9e
the control of the unions. rs e. " foc+
ever, makes no provision 1ol tne +or;I,[
Joins union and is party, to the stilHe
order and his own control. The pen
ator argues that the worker shoulo De
free TO pursue his vocation as one oi
he ina1;enable rights and as essential
70 that pursuit of happiness OF tne
Federation of Independence, without
determination, whether member OF
not a member of labor union.
Commenting editorially on Senator
po;ndexter's anti-union policy, the Gut
look said: .:.h Senator
Poindexter that what is known as :rI
omen shop will remedy the eVlis VIM nll
he so clearly points out lheoretlodny
everv worker, whether he be hanu-
worker or brain-worker, should De liee
w n,,reue his vocation as one OF his IN.
aI;enable rights But the history OF
+rade unionism shows that IN our IN
dustria1 system the workman was not
fra" 70 1I,rsue his vocation when the
.noenshon was the prevailing condition
~ factory. mine, railway, and work
shop. The open shop meant tnt dpso
lutte control of the worker by tne Gu ~
nIover. Skilled artisans throughout tne
civilized world have come to 1elleTe'
and we think their belief is Justi11ed by
their experience, that trade-unlons haye
Greatly improved their material conol,
Ron The open shop, with the essentlal
r;ght which it confers on the empower
- fix wages, to determine. condltlons
I'D ~ horrs of labor, and to discharge at
Vii has come to be as abhorrent 10 INC
, wa1' worker as Senator Poindexter
eae1 the trade-union is to the employel'
@Out of the seventy-four years Strue
ole for supremacy between Capital any
abor has grown the present system VI
collective bargaining between organic
lions and employers and organizatlonS
of yorLmen. Whether we like IL OF