The Connecticut labor press., 1920-06-26
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
 WOULD ENSLAVE LABOR
Referendum to Be Taken on Twelve Principles That Would Make "0pen Shop" Supreme, Prohibit Strikes, Leave Wages Up in Air, and Otherwise Work Injury to Workers.

WO1hSISs
 The4New Haven. Chamber of Com merce, together with the. other scfam- bers of Connecticut and the country, will at the next meetings record their views on 12 important labor princibles drawn iip by the United States Cham her of Commerce It will be in the nature of a referendum and is practi- cally the seeking of endorsement of the moves that the interests succeeded m getting into the Republican national platform In addition to the referendum the chambers are asked to endorse the recommendations of a committee which has proposed measures to prohibit pub E lie utilities employees from striking. That. it may be said safely, will surely get the endorsement, especially m New Haven.
 The declarations in the matter to be put up to referendum declares Hatly for the Aopen shop" which every worker with any sense knows means nothing but shop open to any one but an orr ganized worker. The individual con tract between employer and 'eniployes IS also set forth in honeyed words, while strikes are looked upon with s''holy horror" and religious1y denounced be- cause they cut off the big interests pro- duction. Wages and other topics are handled gracefully, from the business end and fin fact the whole proposition is one that practically would subject the skilled worker who knows enough to stand for his rights to industrial slav- cry. Read fit yourself and @see what you think of it. 1t follows:s A
 sThe first referendum was preparedsby the Washington headquarters of the National Chamber after study by special committee which was appointed after the close of the Presidents first industrial conference to Consider the principles presented by the employers group in tue conference. The commit tee states its belief in the following principles:
 IAny person possesses the right to engage in any lawful business or occu- patton, and to enter, individually or col lectively into any lawful contract either as employer or enploye. These rights are subject to limitation only through a valid exercise of public authority.
 1.-The right of open shop opera NNn, that IS, the right of employer and et11bloye to- enter into and determine tie conditions of employment relations with each other, is an essential part of the individual right of Contract pos sessed by each of the parties.
 III-AAil men possess the equal right to associate voluntarily for the accom- plishment of lawful purposes by law full means. The association of men, whether employers, employees or others, for collective action of dealing, confers no authority over,s and must not deny to act or deal with them.
 TU'-J7-fTA Tlr,h1fr xue1faroa fine knrOfec- ton of the individual and employment relations require that associations or combinations of employers or employees, or both, must equally be subject to the authority of the state and legally re- sponsible to others and that of their agents
 V.-ATor develop with due regard for the health safety and well-being of the individual, the required output of industry is the common social oblga- ton of all engaged therein. The re- striction of productive effort or of out put by either employer or employe, for the purpose of creating an artificial scarcity of the product or of labor, is an injury to society.
 VI.-The wage of labor must come out of the product of industry and must be earned and measured by its
 
 worker. in his own and the general in- terest, may develop, his full productive capacity, and may thereby earn at least a wage sufficient to sustain him upon proper standard of living, 1t IS the duty of management to cooperate with him to secure continuous employment suited to his abilities, to furnish incentive and opportunity for improvement, to pro- vide proper safeguards for his health and safety and to encourage him i'll all practicable and reasonable ways to increase the value of his productive effort.
 VII.-The number of hours in the work day or week in which the max imum output, consistent with the health and weflbeing of the individual can be maintained in a given industry should be ascertained by careful study and case of emergency, and one day of rest in seven or its equivalent should be provided. The reduction in working hours below such economic limit, in order to secure greater leisure for the individual should be made only with full understanding and acceptance of the fact that 1t involves eommensur- ate loss in the earning power of the workers, a limitation and a shortage of the output of the industry and an in- crease in the cost of the product, with all the necessary effect of these things upon the interests of the community and the nation.
 VIII.-Adequate means, satisfactory both to the employer and his employees and voluntarily agreed to by them, should be provided for the discussion and readjustment of employment rela- tions and the just and prompt settle ment of all disputes that arise in the course of industrial operation.
 IX.-When, in the establishment or adjustment of employment relations, the employer and his employees do not deal individually but bv: mutual con sent each dealing is conducted by either party through Representatives 1t is nroper for the other party to ask that these Representatives. shall notabe chosen cr controlled by, or in such dealing in any degree represent any outside group or interest in the questions at issue
 XThe greatest measure of reward and well being for both employer and