The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-11
CATHOLICS AID UNION
AGAINST OPEN SHOP
Welfare Council of Church
Charges Organized Attack on
Collective Bargaining.
WOULD BE GOLF CLUBS
American Federation Heads
Expected to Take Action at
Washington.
New York Herald Bureau, !
Washington, ID. G., Nov. 10. :

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
The social action department of the
National Catholic Welfare Council to-
day came to the support of organized
ssoor, whose leaders have proclaimed
that employers are plotting a drive for
the open shop" A statement issued by
the Welfare Council condemns the al
legged efforts of employers as a blow at
lInionism that threatens not only the
welfare of the wage earners but the
whole structure of Industrial peace and
order.
The Welfare Council quoted a pastoral
letter by American Bishops and Arch
bishops in its stand against the open
shop. and declared unions must keep
their strength and grow IL workers are
not to return to the days when they
were utterly dependent on their employ
ers.
The statement of the Council came on
the eve OF the meeting here of the Ex-
ecutive Council of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. which is expected to
take action to fight any efforts made TO
establish the open shop and outline
plans for resisting moves to reduce
wages.
VIII Oppose Wage Cuts.
1t is expected the executive council
during its meetings will issue a state
ment that wages cannot be reduced
until prices drop further than they have
without the standard Of living of the
American workman also being lowered.
The statement of the Welfare Council
follows in part
The open shop drive of certain
groups of American employers is be-
coming so strong that 1t threatens not
only tha nf tha aor
but the whole structure of Industrial
peace and order Employers sometimes
favor the open shop because they do
not want to be limited in the employ
ment Of men to union members. But
the present drive Is not of that kind.
The evidence shows that in it's or
ganized form It is not merely against
the closed shop but against unionism
itself, and particularly against collec-
tive bargaining. OF what avail is It
for workers to be permitted by their
employers to become members of unions
II the employers will not deal with the
unions? The workers might as well
join golf clubs as labor unions if the
present open shop campaign is sue
cessful.
See Danger TO Whole Nation.
THE open shop drive masks under
such names as the American plan and
hides behind the pretence of American
freedom. Yet its real purpose is to de-
stroy all effective labor unions. and thus
subject the working people to the COM
plete domination of the employers
Should it succeed in the measure that It's
proponents hope it will thrust far into
the ranks of the underpaid. the body OF
American working people.
There is great danger that the whole
nation will be harmed by this campaign
OF n few groups of strong employers. To
aim now at putting into greater sub
lection the workers in industry is blind
and foolhardy. The radical movements
and disturbances in Europe ought to hold
n lesson for the employers of America.
And the voice of the American people
ought to be raised In the endeavor to
drive this lesson home