Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1920-05-27


that Membership in it was not limited
merely to employers; it was expanded
TO include every citizen in the COM
munity; the issue was pitched on the
high plane Of patriotism, Of preserves
ton Of country versus its destruction
of Democracy versus SpvietisTny
and GILBERT versus slavery !; for, Ia
tlleif last anSIysis, z these eare the
things which the closed shop means.
The entire citizenship was invited 70
declare itself 0szb0@ where 1t sto0dy
and as q result fourteen hundred and
more members Of this association
consist Of employers, doctors, law
yers, merchants, bookkeepers, and Of
at least one hundred laboFing men.
In short, the membership consists,
generally, Of all those interested in
fair dealing and civic righteousness
outside of union labor.
Last summer Beaumont was known
as CLOSED shop town. The word
"scab" was unknown With one 81.
two exceptions, other than commoa
labor, there were no workers wh0'
were not organized and working gem
orally either under union conditions
or closed shop rules. One day last
JulyNa labor organizer arrived IN the
city and was greatly perturbed at the
alleged miserable condition Of the
clerks working in the stores. He inn
mediately announced that be would
organize these clerks into a union
100 per cent strong. Out Of the
14O0 clerks of both sexes, something
like 100 Joined the union, notWith-
standing there was no, opposition on
the part of the merchants, who af-
forded the organizer every OppoEtun-
ity to visit the clerks during work
ing hours. AS the clerks were well
paid and properly treated, there was
little interest on their part in the
proposed union, and a sufficient
membership was unobtainable to
make the strike effective, SO the next
step was the presentation q the
closed-shep agreement or contract to
the merchants, requiring them to
work none but union labor.
To the eternal honor and ever.
lasting glory of our city, the mer-
chants refused, and thus was struck
in the little city of Beaumont the
first blow for industrial and COM
mercial freedom, and the example
thus set which, when followed by
other cities in our country, viii make
industry free once more. There had
always been a few men in our city
who chafed at the shaczles that union
labor was seeking to impose upon
their democratic views, which were
becoming more and more irksone as
time passed, but the thought that in
dependence might be achieved had
rot previously been entertained, it
being regarded as a dream. When
the merchants declined the closed
chop contract, this organizer, with
the acauiescence and authority Of
the Beaumont Trades Assembly, inn
rledistely instituted Che process
known as pieketing five Of the most
prominent stores in the city. Girls
and women spromenaded the side
walks in front Of the doors Of these
establishments with signs bearing va
rious legends, such as Help tn Poor
Working Girl to Get Living age,
Help the Girls Improve LiviE Com
ditions," and such other kindred le-
gends as might catch the sympathy
Of the passer-by.
Up to this time the proposition of
the Open Shop Association would
never have secured the cooperation
of the merchants, but now things
were different; the indignation of the
townspeople was thoroughly aroused,
and one morning few weeks after
wards the town woke up to the fact
that the Open Shop Association Of
Jefferson County had been formed
and that practically every man in the
community, who was not bound by
union labor, was a member thereof.
Thus, through the arrogant and over
reaching efforts of union labor itself
was born this great movement, which
is destined to sweep the land and
make it free once more.
1t may interest you to hear the
declaration of principles of the Open
Shop Association of jefferson Coun-
ty, which are as follows:
This association is organized for
the purpose of promoting the indus
trial and business interests Of Jeffer-
son county, Texas, and adjoining ter
ritory, and to establish equitable inc
dustrial conditions for employers,
employees and the general public.
fBy its teachings and good offices
to prevent and avert industrial dis
turbances; to harmonic differences
between employers and employees,
with justice to all concerned, and to
insist on the enforcement Of the laws
Of the land.
'To oppose restriction of output,
sympathetic strikes, lock-outs and
boycotts, and illegal persecution Of
individuals, al lof which are a menace
to the industrial progress of our
country and tend to che undermining
of constitutional rights.
"To secure for employers and en-
ployes the freedom of individual con-
tract in the matter of employment.
Tn iDe1Ira avaPvoua his RIGHT n earn