The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-06-25

In high sounding phrases about Justice,
Equality and "individual liberty, the Board OF
Directors of the National Chamber Of Commerce
has formulated complete program OF industrial
slavery for the workers of America. This twelve
plank program is now under referendum vote OF over
1900 Industrial and commercial organizations
AT the time of President Wilson's famous in
dustrial conference the liberal journals were IN
sistent that Judge Geary represented the views OF
an exceptional autocrat views which had no count
erpart anywhere else in the world except IN Japan
It was stated most emphatically that the group
represented by Judge Geary as SPOKESMAN at tnlS
conference, the employer group, would not sanctlol
the reactionary attitude OF the chief OF the oteel
Trust and that this attitude could only be account
ed for bv the fact that the steel strike was then
in progress and that recognition OF collective par
gaining under the circumstances would have compel
led Judge Geary to enter into negotiations with tne
union representatives of the strikers,
Now comes the Chamber of Commerce program,
which is expected to secure the necessary twothlrds
vote on referendum,-a program which goes the
full limit of Judge Geary's reactionlsm, and even
a little beyond The adoption Of this declaration OF
policy will formally put American capitalism on
record in favor of benevolent despotism" 1t will
make our capitalists avOwedy the most obstinate,
defiant and conteunptuous in their dealings with
their workers of any group OF capitalists IN the
world This has already been realized as matter OF
fact though not heretofore advertised by the cap
italists themselves by formal adoption of program
This charter of the divine right of business
opens with this significant first clause:
"Any person possesses the right to en-
gage in any lawful business or occupation
and to enter individually or collectively,
into any lawful contract, either as employ
er or employe. These rights are subject to
limitation only through valid exercise
of the public authority"
Once the absolute sanctity of contract is accept
ed, without regard to the living truths involved in
dealings between the worker whose weekly or daily
wage is his only hold upon life and the powerful
corporation to whom that worker is an item like
any other detail of machinery, then the foundation
is definitely established for the perfect program Of
wage slavery. 1t was upon the same sacred prime
iple that the system of chattel slavery defend
- ed, even by Abraham Lincoln. But the Abolition
lists did not hesitate to challenge this one Of the
"ideals'' among ''the fundamentals Of our national
institutions"
An important method of limiting effective Or
ganizaton among the workers and the outlawing
of strikes is the use of appropriate employment
contracts.
It is to be noticed that nobody is questioning
the right of any person to go into business. But
the Chamber of Commerce is very much concerned
to maintain the workers sacred right to enter into
any occupation on any contract which he may
''choose" to make This "liberty' is to be limited
only by public law; which means that it must not
be limited by union rules of any kind. 1t must not
be limited by collective agreement between workers
and employers organizations, but each employe
must retain his 'rights''.