The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-01-10
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE?

w
ton for war on union labor. Ac-
cording to information received by
The Labor World from friendly
building contractors, they are being
called in and notified that jobs over
which partisans of the "open shop"
crowd have control will not be
awarded to any contractor who per-
mits himself to be "dictated to by
the labor unions
Coercion and intimidation are be-
ing used, and employers inclined to
deal with their employees through
trade unions are given their choice.
If they agree to throw down the
unions they will be given contracts;
it they continue to deal with the
unions there will be no jobs for
them. Such contractors are puzzled
over just what to do. They We're
given encouragement this week when
the owners of the new theaters to
be built here, having planned nearly
S4,000,000 of construction, refused
TO have anything to do with the ':.open
shop" crowd. They want their thea
ters built entirely by union men.
Now it behooves the building
trades unions of Duluth to be on
their guard for the next few months.
1t is believed that the peak in the
high cost of living has been reached.
1t does not seem possible for it to go
higher. Indeed there are signs that
pairing wage schedules for the year
every union is cautioned to go slow,
and particularly to do nothing that
will place present standards in
danger
If the opponents of union labor
have it as part of their program to
weaken or destroy the labor organi-
cations let the entire responsibility
fer trouble in Duluth rest upon them.
Their battle cry, mo labor union
dictatorship" is mere camouflage.
They are not worried about the "dic-
tatorship' part of it at all. What
they really object to is giving labor
a voice in determining the conditions
under which it shall be employed.
They have been in the habit of max
ing all the rules and all the regula-
tons and naming all the conditions
Tor so long a time that many of them
have led themselves to believe such
is divine right they enjoy. Labor,
and the forward looking groups OF
the American people that are not
directly identified with organized
labor, characterize such a habit as
autocfatic. In the fight for real in
austria! democracy labor must have
voice, not all the voice, but an
equal voice with employers in deter
mining wages and conditions of en-
ployment.
Inc so-called 'open shop" stands
for autocracy in industry. The union
shop is the recognition of industrial
democracy. The labor unions are
opposed to a labor dictatorship as
they are to any other form of autoc-
racy, but they do demand an even
break for labor and an equal voice
IN matters pertaining to employment.
That is all there is to it. In the
hight for this principle there is and
can be no compromise. We NAV
barter over wages, hours Of labor
and conditions of employment, but
we Will never again surrender to in
dustrial autocracy. In all efforts for
labor's betterment freedom must
and shall be given the first considera-
ton.
We are getting along very we'll in
Duluth. We have had fewer strikes
here than in any other city IN the
country. We would not permit 8
strike during the war. We stood
loyal and we stood pat for our coun.
try and the cause for which it was
contending. We don't want any fight
now. and we will do our best &c
head one off. but we will not do 80
at the sacrifice of principle. There
1s no reason, save a selfish one. to
hight union labor in ni11nth oua -
trouble OF a general character does
come we will see to it that the re-
sponsibility is placed where it nrop.
erly belongs.
Union labor here has its own trou-
eles in dealing with I. W. WIS and
8olshevists among the workers with.