The Connecticut labor press., 1920-07-24
OPEN SHOP DRIVE
STARTS WITH FUND
OF FIVE MILLION
Big Business Plans to Break
Organized Labor in
United States.

A nationwide campaign is being or
gained by captains of big industry to
establish the open shop. At its recent
convention in Atlantic City the United
States Chamber of Commerce declared
for the open shop and adopted dec
laration which is being submitted to a
referendum vote of affiliated local
chambers throughout the country, which
they are asked to affirm. It reads as
follows:
The right of open-shop operation,
that is, the right of employer and en-
ploye to enter into and determine the
conditions of employment relations
with each other, is an essential part of
the individual right of contract pos
sessed by each of the parties"
This is being advocated by Judge
Gary and other corporation heads, who
are determined to exercise every energy
of money and mind they possess to dis
rupt the American labor movement
The. New York Tribune of July 9
published an article in which it was
asserted that $5,O00,0O0 has been &C
cumulated in New York City by an
organization of merchants and business
men ito break the organized labor
Spending Wads of Money
Frank Morrison, secretary of the
American Federation of Labor, says
that reports received at Federation
headquarters in Washington from vari-
Gus points in the country indicate that
the enemies of organized labor, who
have spent large sums of money in
fighting the labor movement, are re-
doubling their efforts and that large
fund is supporting Propaganda for the
open shop throughout the country.
A recent issue of Labor printed an
authentic stony from New York tell
ing of meeting held there by mer-
finance a campaign against the coast
wise longshoremen then on strike. The
fund pledged at this meeting amounted
to something over $50O,O00.
100000 Fight Fund
At a subsequent meeting of the
Citizens Transportation Committee"
this fund was increased to $1,000, 900,
according to the Tribune article, and
it Was decided to extend the fight for
the open shop throughout the country.
At this meeting four railroad presi-
dents are listed as being present
Smith of the New York Central Rea
of the Pennsylvania, Locmis of the Le-
high Valley and Bess1er of the New
Jersey Central. These four men are re-
ported to have pledged 100000 to
the 100000 -open-shop fund. OF
course this million-do1lar contribution
will be charged to operating expenses,
and the public forced to pay it in in
creased freight and passenger rates.
1t is further stated in the Tribune
article that the steel corporation,
through Judge Gary, has contributed
100000 to this fight fund. The Stand
ard Oil and several large New York
banks are also said to have made large
contributions. Reports from Chicago
are that group of men there headed
by Julius Rosenwa1d of the Sears-Roe-
buck mail order concern are interested
in the fight and making contributions to
the fund.
Making Concerted Drive
At headquarters of the American
Federation of Labor it is said that agi-
tation is being carried on in various
parts of the country, especially in the
western states, against the union shop.
The labor officials have recognized that
there was concerted action among big
interests and were profteers" seeking
to weaken labor organization and re-
store pre-War conditions with respect to
hours and wages. It is further stated
that efforts are being made by cham
bers of commerce and big business cor
porat1ons to prevent organization of
new labor unions