The Washington herald., 1920-08-14
Richard Spillane Says:

Apparently there was not much
headway made at the conference
yesterday Of the building trades
labor leaders and the industrial
relations committee Of the Chamber
of Commerce at the Manufacturers
Club. The conference was at the
request OF the labor men. Really
there was more progress than most
Of those present were inclined to
believe
The labor men expressed them
selves in full approval Of every
thing set forth in the committees
declaration Of principles except that
for the open shop.
Union labor insists on a closed
shop. There isn't a labor man Of
prominence who will not talk for
hours at a time on the virtue Of
the closed shop, and talk as IL he
believed what he said. although at
heart he knows it is un-American
and unjust.
II the closed shop ever should be
established throughout the land it
would mean that no one would have
the privilege OF working unless he
had a union card.
Mr.. Gompers had been invitel by
the labor people TO be one of their
representative at the luncheon.
He wrote letter in which he said
he would have been very happy to
attend, but his engagements made
it impossible. He did, however. cx-
press the belief that only good
could result from meetings such as
that OF the Chamber of Commerce
committee and the labor leaders,
and declared he was in hearty SYM
pathy with ii.
The only thing of worth that
came from the gathering was in the
labor people and the Industrial Re
latiOns Committeeman coming face
to face, breaking bread together
and expressing themselves on the
labor problem. Most Of the speak
ers were a bit restrained and did
not say exactly what they had in
their minds. II they get together
some more the bride gradually will
come off and they will talk man
fashion.
There was much palmer talking
in the little groups in the lobby
after the meeting, and on the street
when the men were parting, than
there was at the luncheon table.
One thing evidenced at the gath
ering was that labor is rather eager
to get membership in the Chamber
of Commerce. Mr.. Hawes. president
of the Council of the Killed Build
ing Trades, says he applied for
-,
was rejected. Nobody around the
chamber has recollection Of his ap-
plication or rejection. He has been
told to apply and a membership is
open to him.
Union labor is not in so strong
a position as it was some months
back. The demand for labor has
abated considerably. In various
parts of the country there are com
plants of unemployment, particu-
larly New England and the States
bordering Lake Erie.
Samuel Gompers is queer old
boy and a clever one. He can write
appealingly and speak beautifully
on almost any subject. If he were
not so short of stature he would
have made a fine actor. He can
assume any character at short no.
tice. He would have made a good
lawyer-that is, he would have made
a good pleader, even if he did not
have the law with him. His in
dictment of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road for dismissing 1900 employees
serves as an example of his Nigh
ability. He almost weeps in print
er's ink as he tells of the gross
wrong there is in letting men go.
But he doesn't say anything about
the gross wrong of a man loafing on
job
If reports are correct. the Penn
sylvania weeded out men who had
pronounced case of that tired
feeling. Would Mr.. 'Gompers make
IT obligatory for employers to re-
tain shirkers? He doesn't retain
work dodgers in his Washington
office. His subordinstes- have to de-
liver the goods or get out.